A conversation analytic study of reference to a past learning event in L2 classroom interaction: Implications for informal formative assessment


Tezin Türü: Doktora

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2017

Öğrenci: NİLÜFER CAN DAŞKIN

Danışman: ÇİLER HATİPOĞLU

Özet:

This study sets out to investigate an unexplored phenomenon named “Reference to a Past Learning Event” (RPLE) in different L2 classroom contexts from the perspective of Conversation Analysis (CA) and CA-SLA. In doing so, it involves the analysis of a data-set that comes from a corpus of video-recordings of an EFL class (55 classroom hours) in a preparatory school at a state university in Turkey. Using CA, it investigated how teachers and students make RPLE by contingently diverging from the main activity to what was presented in past learning events in and through interaction. The micro-analysis generated models for the different sequential positioning of RPLE in teacher follow-up, response and initiation turns and in student turns. Regardless of the sequential position, RPLE confirms what is shared and establishes common ground, continuity and temporality in an instructional setting. However, it is also found that the motivation for employing RPLE varies with different sequential positions and L2 classroom contexts. Besides, the analysis demonstrated that RPLE creates learning opportunities and results in socially displayed and situated recollection of what was studied earlier not only within single learning events but also across subsequent learning events. As supplementary to the analysis of the interactional data, introspective data was gathered from stimulated recall sessions with the teachers and its analysis confirmed the conversation analytic findings but also generated additional findings. Lastly, the findings have implications for informal Formative Assessment, the description of L2 Classroom Interactional Competence and L2 teacher education.