Yes-no questions that convey a critical stance in the language classroom

Abstract

Despite certain important critiques, much of the work on teacher questions has centered on the distinction between referential and display questions as well as their roles in creating more or less communicative classrooms. With some notable exceptions, few have delved into the specificity of how questions work in the details of classroom interaction. Based on 28 hours of videotaped adult ESL (English as a second language) classroom interaction collected in the United States, this conversation analytic study describes a particular type of yes-no questions used by teachers in environments where some sort of evaluation is relevant, the target of which varies (e.g. learner performance, textbook or a hypothetical linguistic construction). The yes-no question is used to convey a critical stance toward that target, as embodied in both the design and the receipt of these questions. Learners either align or dis-align with that stance. Dis-alignment transpires when the critical stance threatens concerns for learner competence or peer support. The findings contribute to prior literature on the nature of classroom discourse and teacher questions, and as such, can serve as a basis for illuminating and enhancing pedagogical practices.