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Teachers' Narratives of Classroom Talk View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by UCL Discovery UCL Institute of Education, University of London Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? Valerie Coultas This thesis is submitted for the degree of PhD Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? Abstract This study seeks to explore English teachers’ understandings of the challenges of classroom talk. A key assumption is that while many teachers and researchers view talk for learning as valuable, there is still a problem when it comes to actually using talk and small group learning widely. There are many different challenges that emerge when teachers try to promote this type of learning. Rather than study classroom discourse therefore, I wanted to focus on teachers’ understandings of how talk works in the classroom. This was the problem I wanted to research in more depth. I start the study with my own talk autobiography. I reflect on my own life in education and my life as a teacher in urban schools and highlight the role of talk, language and learning in my intellectual development. Having done this I identify the questions I wanted to ask teachers. I wanted to hear their stories of talk as pupils and as teachers. I chose to talk to six teachers at different stages of their careers in different phases of education. Later, I return to the teachers and ask them to video a lesson and identify what I am calling ‘a critical moment for talk’. We then evaluate such moments collaboratively. The study is sociocultural in approach. Further, the life narrative case studies draw on traditions of practitioner and feminist research with the aim of making teachers’ expertise more visible in wider debates about classroom talk. The analysis of the case studies suggests that a teacher’s own experiences in education and their values influence pedagogy and specifically their approach to talk. They reveal the challenges of dealing with conflicting power relationships within group work and during whole class dialogue and consider some solutions. The era and context are shown as particularly powerful factors in influencing pedagogy. Today what I refer to as the ‘talk for learning model’ is under attack and the focus has returned to the promotion of standard English. The aim of the study is make teachers’ intuitions and insights available about the place of talk and what they have found challenging about organising talk for learning. 1 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? Word length 74,262 Abstract 1 Contents 2 Chapter 1: Introduction 10 1.1 Where it all began and where my interest in this topic came from 1.2 Clarifying key terms and definitions: what kind of talk? 1.3 My research question 1.4 Chapter 2: Talk autobiography 1.5 Chapter 3: Revisiting debates on oracy: classroom talk- moving towards a democratic pedagogy? 1.6 Chapter 4: Classroom talk: are we listening to teachers’ voices? 1.7 On method: life narrative case studies of classroom talk 1.8 Chapter 6: The case studies 1.9 Chapter 7: What the teachers said about the nature of the signals coming from the outside that influenced their challenges with classroom talk 1.10 Chapter 8: The implications of this study and what the teachers suggested might help them in promoting talk more effectively in classrooms. Chapter 2: Talk autobiography from a socialist feminist 20 perspective 2.1 Introduction 20 2.2 Talk autobiography 22 2.3 Urban school poem 1 30 2.4 Commentary 31 2 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? Chapter 3: Debates on oracy revisited: classroom talk-moving towards a 35 democratic pedagogy? 3.1 How have writers and researchers approached the discussion on spoken 35 language, talk and learning in the post war period 3.2 How have these ideas influenced ideas about talk and learning in schools? 51 3.3 The cultural restorationist challenge 64 3.4 The arrival of standards and league tables 65 3.5 Where are we now? 67 3.6 Conclusion 73 Chapter 4: Classroom talk: are we listening to teachers’ voices? 77 4.1 Writer and researcher identified challenges of classroom talk 77 4.1.1 New research on exploratory talk-the poor quality of classroom talk 78 4.1.2 Planning for small group talk through scaffolding 79 4.1.3 The Initiation Response Feedback (IRF) exchange and problems of effective 80 whole class discussion and dialogue 4.1.4 Reframing open into closed questions 81 4.1.5 Dialogic talk 82 4.1.6 Psychological processes 82 4.1.7 Practical problems identified in the National Oracy Project (NOP) era 83 4.2 Teacher identified challenges 84 4.2.1 Social processes 85 4.2.2 Practical problems 85 4.2.3 Peer judgements 86 4.2.4 Controlling the class 86 4.2.5 The isolation of the teacher 87 4.2.6 Fear of humiliating children 88 4.2.7 Planning, persistence and practice 88 3 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? 4.2.8 Cultures of performativity and management judgements 89 4.3 Research and teacher perceptions intersect. The debate 90 on dialogue and classroom interactions: researchers begin to reframe the discussion in 21st century urban schools Chapter 5: On method: life narrative case studies of classroom talk 94 5.1 On method 94 5.2 The research design 95 5.3. Why life narrative case studies? 97 5.3.1 Some issues with case studies 100 5.4 Practitioner research as a form of creative dialogue 101 5.5 Phase One: talk autobiography and life narrative interviews 102 5.5.1 Life narrative interviews 103 5.5.2 Some issues involved in interviewing for this study 104 5.6 Phase two: a critical moment for talk 107 5.7 Ethics 110 5.8 Dissemination and analysis 110 5.9 The audience of the research 112 5.10 Summary 112 Chapter 6: Introduction to the case studies 115 6.1 Interview and critical moment analysis schedule 118 6.2 Questions: The semi-structured questions that were used in each of the 119 interviews as a starting point for the discussion. 6a The case studies: interviews 120 6a.1 Cathy’s story of talk: NQT Year 4 class teacher 120 4 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? 6a.1.1 Interview 120 6a 1.2/3 Talk in your life before you became a teacher and schooling and talk 120 6a 1.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 121 6a1.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 122 6a 1.6 Success with group work and talk 123 6a 1.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 124 6a.1.8 Cathy’s understanding of the challenges of talk 125 6a 2. Gertrude’s story of talk: Assistant Head and early years specialist 126 6a.2.1 Interview 6a 2.2/3 Talk in your life before you became a teacher and schooling and talk 126 6a 2.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 127 6a 2.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 128 6a 2.6 Success with group work and talk 128 6a 2.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 130 6a.2.8 Gertrude’s understanding of the challenges of talk 130 6a 3. Jean’s story of talk: secondary English and Media Studies NQT 132 6a.3.1 Interview 132 6a 3.2 Talk in your life before you became a teacher 132 6a 3 3 Schooling and talk 132 6a 3.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 133 6a 3.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 133 6a 3.6 Success with group work and talk 135 6a 3.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 136 6a.3.8 Jean’s understanding of the challenges of talk 6a.4 Peter’s story of talk: Deputy Head, London secondary school 139 6a.4.1 Interview 139 6a 4.2 Talk in your life before you became a teacher 139 5 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? 6a 4 3 Schooling and talk 140 6a 4.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 140 6a 4.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 141 6a 4.6 Success with group work and talk 142 6a 4.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 143 6a.4.8 Peter’s understanding of the challenges of talk 145 6a.5 Stuart’s story: ex-London English teacher, Director of the Collaborative 147 Learning Project 6a.5.1 Interview 147 6a 5.2/3 Talk in your life before you became a teacher and schooling and talk 148 6a 5.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 150 6a 5.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 151 6a 5.6 Success with group work and talk 154 6a 5.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 154 6a.5.8 Stuart’s understanding of the challenges of talk 156 6a.6 Stephen’s story of talk: ex-London English teacher, Head of Drama, Vauxhall 158 Manor School 6a.6.1 Interview 158 6a 6.2 Talk in your life before you became a teacher 159 6a 6 3 Schooling and talk 160 6a 6.4. Talk in your life as a teacher 162 6a 6.5 Problems of talk, listening and group work 164 6a 6.6 Success with group work and talk 166 6a 6.7 How teachers could be helped to make classroom talk more effective? 166 6a.6.8 Stephen’s understanding of the challenges of talk 167 6b The case studies: critical moments 169 6 Teachers’ narratives of classroom talk: what are the challenges? 6b1 Cathy’s critical moment for talk: the Jubilee jigsaw, the plenary and a talk for 169 writing challenge 6b 1.2 What Cathy said about the challenges of talk from evaluating her critical 170 moment 6b 2 Gertrude’s critical moment for talk: dialogic discussion on teambuilding and 172 group work but presentational talk still a challenge 6b 2.2 What Gertrude said about the challenges of talk from evaluating her critical 173 moment 6b 3 Jean’s critical moment for talk: 6th Form GCSE exam retake and collaborative 174 writing, exam pressure and the independent learning challenge 6b 3.2 What Jean said about the challenges of talk from evaluating her critical 177 moment 6b 4 Peter’s critical moment for talk.
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