Paul Seedhouse Newcastle The Interactional Architecture of the Language Classroom
Questo articolo propone una Introduction classroom interaction is to identify
sintesi delle tesi principali di This article provides a summary of the institutional core goal, which is Seedhouse (2004). Nel suo some of the key ideas of Seedhouse that the teacher will teach the learn- studio, l’autore applica il metodo (2004). The study applies Conversa- ers the L2. This core institutional dell’analisi conversazionale ad tion Analysis (CA) methodology to goal remains the same wherever the una banca dati comprendente un an extensive and varied database of L2 lesson takes place and whatever ampio ventaglio di lezioni di corsi language lessons from around the pedagogical framework the teacher is di lingue tenute in tutto il mondo. world and attempts to answer the working in. This is a most important L’obiettivo era di indagare in che question ‘How is L2 classroom in- point. In many kinds of institutions, modo si organizza l’interazione teraction organised?’ The main thesis e.g. businesses, the institutional goal nella classe di lingue. La tesi developed is that there is a reflexive may vary considerably even between centrale attorno a cui lo studio si relationship between pedagogy and businesses in the same town. However, sviluppa è che esiste una relazione interaction in the L2 classroom. This in L2 teaching the institutional goal riflessa tra l’intenzione pedago- means that there is a two-way, mutually of the teacher teaching the L2 to the gica e l’interazione in L2 nella dependent relationship. Furthermore, learners remains constant whatever classe, vale a dire una relazione this relationship is the foundation of the teaching methods, whatever the di interdipendenza reciproca. Una the organisation of interaction in L2 L1 and L2 and wherever in the world relazione di reciproca influenza classrooms. The omnipresent and the L2 is taught. It remains the same if che costituisce la base stessa unique feature of the L2 classroom the teacher delegates some responsibil- dell’organizzarsi dell’interazio- is this reflexive relationship between ity to learners in a learner-centred or ne in L2 nella classe. Indipen- pedagogy and interaction. So whoever learner autonomy approach. From this dentemente da chi intervenga is taking part in L2 classroom inter- core goal a number of consequences is- nell’interazione in L2, o da quale action and whatever the particular sue both logically and inevitably which sia l’attività durante la quale activity during which the interactants affect the way in which L2 classroom si esprimono gli “interattanti”, are speaking the L2, they are always interaction is accomplished. Drew essi analizzano in permanenza il displaying to one another their analy- and Heritage (1992: 26) suggest that rapporto tra l’intenzione pedago- ses of the current state of the evolving each institutional form of interaction gica e l’interazione linguistica. relationship between pedagogy and may have its own unique fingerprint, Conseguentemente, essi interagi- interaction and acting on the basis of “comprised of a set of interactional scono tenendo conto delle proprie these analyses. So interaction in the L2 practices differentiating (it) both from analisi, informandosi recipro- classroom is based on the relationship other institutional forms and from the camente a ogni istante di questa between pedagogy and interaction. baseline of mundane conversational evoluzione. Interactants are constantly analysing interaction itself.” this relationship and displaying their analyses in their talk.
Three Interactional Properties
There are three interactional proper- The Core Institutional Goal ties which derive directly from the CA attempts to understand the organi- core goal, and these properties in turn sation of institutional interaction as necessarily shape the interaction. The being rationally derived from the core three properties follow in consecutive institutional goal, rather than being sequence from each other and consti- accidental or unmotivated. There- tute part of the unique fingerprint of fore, the first step towards describing L2 classroom interaction and part of the interactional architecture of L2 its context-free machinery.
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1. Language is both the vehicle and activity during which the interactants the teacher says. It is easy to see how object of instruction. are speaking the L2, they are always this occurs, since in lines 1 and 2 2. There is a reflexive relationship displaying to one another their analy- the required relationship between between pedagogy and interaction ses of the current state of the evolving pedagogy and interaction was just and interactants constantly display relationship between pedagogy and that. T, however, displays in lines 5 their analyses of the evolving rela- interaction and acting on the basis of and 8 that his analysis is that this is tionship between them. these analyses. We can see how this not the required relationship and that 3. The linguistic forms and patterns works even in the first exchange a L1 should instead produce a specific of interaction which the learners Chinese L1 beginner makes in his first string of forms including L1’s own produce in the L2 are potentially English class in the extract below. T name. L1 then changes his analysis of subject to evaluation by the teacher = teacher. L1 = identified learner. LL the relationship between pedagogy and in some way. = unidentified learners. interaction so that in line 9 it finally conforms to that required by T. Property One Extract 1 Language is “Both the vehicle and 1 T: OK my name’s, Property Three object of instruction.” (Long 1983: 2 LL: my name’s, The linguistic forms and patterns of 9). This property springs inevitably 3 T: OK, (.) er, hello, (addresses interaction which the learners pro- from the core goal. The core goal L1) my name’s John Fry. duce in the L2 are potentially subject dictates that the L2 is the object, 4 L1: (.) my name’s John Fry, to evaluation by the teacher in some goal and focus of instruction. It must 5 T: oh! way. As van Lier (1988: 32) puts it, be taught, and it can only be taught 6 LL: (laugh) “Everyone involved in language teach- through the medium or vehicle of 7 L1: my name’s Ping. Ping. ing and learning will readily agree that language. Therefore language has a 8 T: Ping? yes hello, °you say° evaluation and feedback are central to unique dual role in the L2 classroom (whispers) hello. the process and progress of language in that it is both the vehicle and object, 9 L1: hello my name is my name’s learning.” This property does not both the process and product of the Ping. imply that all learner utterances in the instruction; see Seedhouse (2004) for (British Council, 1985 volume 1: 15) L2 are followed by a direct and overt exemplification of this point. In other verbalised evaluation by the teacher, forms of classroom education (history, We can see in line 4 that L1 displays as the data show this clearly not to engineering) language is only the an analysis of the current relationship be the case. It means that all learner vehicle of the teaching. This property between pedagogy and interaction as utterances are potentially subject to creates an extra layer of complexity being that he must repeat whatever evaluation by the teacher. This third in the interaction which needs to be portrayed in our analyses.
Property Two There is therefore a reflexive relation- ship between pedagogy and interac- tion. This means that as the pedagogi- cal focus varies, so the organisation of the interaction varies. This point is illustrated through analyses in the monograph. However, this relation- ship also means that the L2 classroom has its own interactional organisation which transforms the pedagogical fo- cus (task-as-workplan) into interaction (task-in-process). The omnipresent and unique feature of the L2 classroom is this reflexive relationship between pedagogy and interaction. So whoever is taking part in L2 classroom inter- action and whatever the particular
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property derives logically from the ticipants constantly display to each tion on that basis. The analyst can do second property; since the linguistic other their analyses of the evolving exactly the same thing, comparing the forms and patterns of interaction relationship between pedagogy and teacher’s intended pedagogical focus which the learners produce in the L2 interaction. with the linguistic forms and pat are normatively linked in some way Through this sequence the institution terns of interaction which the learner to the pedagogical focus which is of the L2 classroom is talked into be- produces, and then analysing the introduced, it follows that the teacher ing. This is the case because introduc- interaction on the basis of the match will need to be able to evaluate the ing the pedagogical focus is directly or mismatch. This methodology is learners’ utterances in the L2 in order implicative of the institutional goal, exemplified in numerous analyses in to match the reality to the expectation. i.e. to teach the learners the L2. Seedhouse (2004). This study proposes that these three properties are universal, i.e., they ap- ply to all L2 classroom interaction and they are inescapable in that they are a An Analytical Methodology References consequence of the core institutional The idea that an analytical procedure Drew, P. and Heritage, J. (eds). (1992) Talk at Work: Interaction in Institutional Settings. goal and the nature of the activity. or methodology can emerge from the Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Furthermore, the data from many dif- structure of interaction is a familiar Long, M. (1983). Inside the ‘Black Box’. In ferent countries, types of institutions one in CA. Our task as analysts is to H. Seliger & M. Long (Eds.), Classroom and types of lesson which are analysed explicate how L2 classroom interact- Oriented Research in Second Language Acquisition. Rowley: Newbury House. in Seedhouse (2004) demonstrate the ants analyse each others’ turns and Seedhouse, P. (2004) The Interactional Ar- universality of these properties. These make responsive moves in relation to chitecture of the Language Classroom: A properties, then, form the foundation the pedagogical focus. The description Conversation Analysis Perspective. Malden, MA: Blackwell. of the architecture and of the unique of the interactional architecture of Van Lier, L. (1988) The Classroom and the institutional ‘fingerprint’ of the L2 the L2 classroom above, specifically Language Learner. New York: Longman. classroom. the properties and basic sequence or- ganisation, provides the analyst with a ready‑made emic analytical proce- dure. The participants display in their Paul Seedhouse A Basic Sequence Organisation turns their analyses of the evolving is Professor of Educational and Applied Lin- Although L2 classroom interaction relationship between pedagogy and guistics at Newcastle University. is extremely diverse and fluid, it is interaction, i.e. how the pedagogical nonetheless possible to state a basic focus relates to the turns produced sequence organisation which applies in L2. Therefore, the methodology to all L2 classroom interaction, as can be stated in this way: The analyst follows. follows exactly the same procedure as 1. A pedagogical focus is introduced. the participants and traces the evolv- Overwhelmingly in the data this is ing relationship between pedagogy introduced by the teacher but it may and interaction, using as evidence the be nominated by learners. analyses of this relationship which the 2. At least two persons speak in the participants display to each other in L2 in normative orientation to the their own turns. pedagogical focus. So the methodology which is used for 3. In all instances, the interaction the analysis of L2 classroom interac- involves participants analysing this tion is the next-turn proof procedure pedagogical focus and performing in relation to the pedagogical focus. In turns in the L2 which display their the vast majority of cases in the data- analysis of and normative orien- base we can state the procedure more tation to this focus in relation to specifically as follows. The classroom the interaction. Other participants teacher compares the linguistic forms analyse these turns in relation to and patterns of interaction which the the pedagogical focus and produce learner produces with the pedagogical further turns in the L2 which dis- focus which s/he originally introduced play this analysis. Therefore, par- and performs an analysis and evalua-