Negotiating interpersonal meanings in naturalistic classroom discourse: directives in content-and-language-integrated classrooms

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to explore the realization of directive speech acts in naturalistic classroom discourse as part of an overall characterization of content-and-language-integrated classrooms as discourse environments for foreign language learning. Conceptually and methodologically this study is rooted in the research practices developed in interlanguage and intercultural pragmatics. A chiefly qualitative analysis of directive speech acts in six content lessons in Austrian upper secondary schools is carried out. Contrary to expectations regarding both classrooms and non-native speakers of English, the language behavior of the participants shows considerable degrees of indirectness as well as variability in the realization of directive speech acts. It is shown that the realization of requests varies according to goal (information/action), which is itself tied to classroom register (instructional/regulative). It is furthermore argued that interactive styles of the L1 culture should also be considered as explanatory factors. The analysis underlines that CLIL classrooms are as firmly situated within the circumference of educational discourse as EFL lessons.