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Classroom interactions: When students elicit and inform
Citation
Suryani Atan & Mukhlis Abu Bakar. (2008, November). Classroom interactions: When students elicit and inform [Paper presentation]. Asia-Pacific Education Research Association (APERA) Conference, Singapore.
Abstract
This paper is based on an on-going doctoral thesis which investigates the interactions that occur in the teaching and learning of Malay Language in secondary schools in Singapore. The research analyses the teaching and learning of the listening, speaking, reading and writing skills and also grammar in Secondary One Express stream classrooms. The research draws on the work of Sinclair and Coulthard (Pedagogic Analysis), Halliday (Systemic Functional Grammar), and Fairclough (Critical Discourse Analysis). The paper presents data on students eliciting and informing during Malay Language grammar lessons. Initial analysis seems to show that unequal power relations between teacher and students that are concealed in the Initiation-Response-Feedback structure have the effect of reducing students learning opportunities. This is especially true when students contributions are not optimised, students misunderstanding of concepts is not clarified and their queries are not well attended to. These would have an impact on students learning of the Malay Language. This paper suggests that the quality crafting of teachers responses and feedback are necessary in ensuring the effectiveness of the teaching and learning of the language.
Date Issued
November 2008