Teacher Questions: Mediated-Learning Behaviors Involved in Teacher-Student Interaction During Whole-Class Instruction in Chinese English Classrooms

Huifang Liu,Robyn M Gillies

doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.674876

Huifang Liu, Robyn M Gillies

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.674876

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Abstract

Teacher questions have long been considered important in mediating students’ learning in language classrooms. This paper examined the mediated-learning behaviors involved in teacher questions during whole-class instruction in high schools of China. Five lessons of different topics were observed. Conversation analytic approach was applied to analyze teachers’ verbal interactions with students during whole-class teaching. Teachers’ questions and students’ responses were transcribed and categorized as display questions or referential questions. The mediated-learning behaviors involved in the two types of questions were discussed by presenting six sessions of interaction. The study investigated which question type initiated the interaction involving more variety of mediated-learning behaviors and what pedagogical implications this may have for teacher questioning techniques that enhance student learning. The study found the interactions initiated by referential questions contain more varieties of mediated-learning behaviors. This study suggests that teachers need to be encouraged to use referential questions more frequently whether in display interactions or in referential interactions.

Highlights

Interaction determines and affects the conditions of language acquisition by providing students with opportunities to input and output language comprehensively, especially in contexts where exposure to the target language is limited (Philp and Tognini, 2009)
Teacher questions involving mediated-learning behaviors serve as principal stimulus and scaffold for learning by creating opportunities for students to talk (Kohler, 2015)
The study demonstrated two types of teacher questions as “referential” or “display” oriented and the embedded mediated-learning behaviors in the interactions triggered by the two types of questions

Summary

Introduction

Interaction determines and affects the conditions of language acquisition by providing students with opportunities to input and output language comprehensively, especially in contexts where exposure to the target language is limited (Philp and Tognini, 2009). In the context of teaching and learning being fundamentally guided by traditional instruction, such as in China (Hu, 2002; Huang, 2004; Liu, 2016; Liu and Wang, 2020), group work and pair work are not so commonplace as in countries like the United Kingdom, United States, Australia and others that use a more communicative pedagogical approach to language instruction. The work from other groups usually goes without being discussed In this context, class discussions look more like a session of interaction between the teacher and the students as occurs during whole-class instruction than cooperative learning or small group learning. Whole-class teaching is normally inquiry-based so teachers influence how students learn by varying the types of questions they ask (Rutten et al, 2015). Little research has been found regarding the mediated-learning behaviors involved in different types of questions

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