Transforming teacher behaviour to increase student participation in classroom discourse

Abstract

This article draws on data from an action research project carried out in a lower secondary school environment in the Czech Republic. The project involved the implementation of a teacher professional development programme aimed at transforming teacher–student communication and reinforcing opportunities for student participation in classroom discourse. This article presents a description of a case study of transformation, in which a female teacher implemented triadic interaction, a communication structure in which students respond to each other immediately. The discussion shows that the processes involved in implementing triadic interaction in a classroom are not straightforward and entail overcoming certain dilemmas and harmonizing the teacher’s personal goals with goals set by the researchers. It also reveals that the process of transformation may cause temporary emotional distress in teachers as they abandon their habitual methods but that emotional tensions and dilemmas can be overcome by reflective discussion between teachers and researchers.

Keywords:

• teacher professional development
• classroom discourse
• student participation
• action research

Acknowledgements

This article is an output of the project Teacher and Pupils in Dialogic Teaching, funded by the Czech Science Foundation.

Notes

1. Triadic interaction should not be confused with the concept of triadic dialogue (Lemke 1990) also referred to as IRF (Sinclair and Coulthard 1975).

2. The aim of the study by Lefstein and Snell (2014) was to introduce peer evaluation in creative writing classes inspired by the X Factor talent show.

3. Compulsory education in the Czech Republic lasts nine years and includes primary schooling (Grades 1–5) and lower secondary schooling (Grades 6–9).

4. Ema is the protagonist's friend.

5. For example, How come that shoplifting was not recorded by CCTV cameras??

6. For example, What would happen if Kate didn’t meet Adrien?

7. Extract 5 occurs before Extract 4 during the lesson.

8. See also Lefstein et al. (2013).