Pedagogical Practices of English Language Lessons in Malaysian Primary Schools: A Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Discourse analysis as a sub-discipline of linguistics is useful in understanding the teaching and learning process and practices of a language. In line with that, this article applies discourse analysis framework in discussing the classroom pedagogical discourse practices of English language lessons at primary school level in Malaysia. The discussion is based on three case studies conducted in the state of Melaka. The pedagogical discourse in the classrooms was observed, audio recorded and later transcribed and analysed. The pedagogical discourse analysed focuses on the teachers’ and students’ practices. Among the teachers’ practices identified were questioning, accepting and explaining where as the students’ practices were answering and listening. These pedagogical practices are discussed in relation to their types, place of occurrences in the discourse and their related examples. The discussion hopes to give details on how linguistics, especially discourse analysis, benefits in language pedagogy and at the same time, enlightens the practices of English language lessons in the classrooms.