Politeness Strategies in EFL Classroom Interactions: A Study from a Junior High School in the Southeast Asian Context

Abstract

Politeness strategies are crucial in social interactions, including educational environments. Their application in classrooms is recommended to nurture positive relationships between teachers and students. This thesis seeks to identify the politeness strategies utilized by both teachers and students in an EFL classroom. Employing a qualitative descriptive research method, the study involved an English teacher and 38 students from a secondary school in Kediri, Indonesia. Data were gathered through observations over five teaching sessions, then reduced, displayed, and analyzed to form conclusions. The results indicated that the teacher employed four types of politeness strategies in the EFL classroom, with a total of 108 utterances categorized as follows: 47 instances of positive politeness, 18 of negative politeness, 32 on-record strategies, and 11 off-record strategies. Similarly, students used four types of politeness strategies, totaling 46 utterances, including 24 instances of positive politeness, 30 of negative politeness, 22 on-record strategies, and 12 off-record strategies. Understanding and utilizing these strategies can enhance communication effectiveness, particularly in formal and professional settings.