The document summarizes a study that analyzed teacher talk in language classrooms through conversation analysis. The purpose was to examine whether teacher talk facilitates or hinders student development. Teacher-student conversations were audio recorded and analyzed turn-by-turn against recommendations from L2 theories and experts. The analysis found the teacher asked mostly yes/no and display questions, simplified language too much, called on some students repeatedly, and gave brief feedback, all of which can hinder students' opportunities for authentic communication and expression. Raising teachers' awareness of more effective questioning, personalization, and inclusive strategies was recommended.

1. Is Teacher Talk Pernicious to Students? A
Discourse Analysis of Teacher Talk
International Conference on Current Trends in
ELT: Putting the Learners in the Spotlight
Urmia, Iran
May, 20-22, 2013
Abdullah Gharbavi
Hassan Iravani
Payame Noor University

2. 1. Purpose of the study
Teachers can hinder or facilitate
learners' development by their use
of language.The primary purpose is
to raise teachers' awareness of the
effectiveness or pitfalls of their talk
in language classrooms.

3.  Some students/speak like a native-others
 My brother, a student in that class/
teacher 9 years in Canada
 The manager- new teacher observe- his
best teacher
 Manager alledged-highly qualified
teacher

4.  Chaudron& Richards (1986)
 Tollefson (1988)
 Thornbury(1996)
 Cullen(1998)
 Mackey, Gass, & McDonough(2000)
 Sueyoshi&Hardison (2005
 Darn (2007)

5.  The research method- conversation
analysis
 Research- at conceptual level
 The research aim- heuristic- not to test a
hypothesis
 To generate a hypothesis
 No prespecified question or hypothesis

6.  Conversation analysis- teacher talk-
audio-taped
 Transcription-
 Speaking turn- unit of analysis
 What is getting done by each speaker in
each turn

7.  Each turn- benchmarked against-
 Experts' recommendation- principles
of L2 theories
 Is turn or the teacher conduct-
facilitate or
 Hinder the opportunities?

8. Metalinguistic feedback
Elicitation
Repetition
Negotiation of meaning

9.  -Minimize the use of yes/ no
questions.
 -Ask a balance of referential and
display questions.
 -Use open- ended questions to
encourage opinions and discussion.
 -Personalize question where possible

10.  -Remember students' names
 -Regard students favourably.
 -Be inclusive (ask everyone
 -Reveal aspects of yourself.
 -React positively to students' imitative.
 -Be generous with your words and
gestures

11.  In turn 3, threatening- security –
humanistic
 In turn 12, memorization –teacher style-
autonomy
 Turn 46, question turn down- real
question
 Function – mute button- crick
 Input or output hypotheses

12.  Turn 47 and 48, conflict climax-
crossing swords-respect and rapport
 Turn 51 and 52, silent- turn to strong
student
 Responsible- resurrect him- Pinter
(2006)-elementary-
 Depend more on teacher

13.  Turn 57, should simplified and modified- did
the opposite
 Turn 55, 57, 60, 66- simplification-avoidance of
idiom
 And slang- above the head- show off
 Turn 60 - programmed answer- deprive the
student
 Expressing his thought- implication- little
interest in
 What he thinks or says

14.  62- teacher's statement has some
presuppositions
 Everyone at this stage- cause talked a lot-
his problem
 Another implication nobody has the right
 In turn 63 and 64- although production-
learning
 Some have right to be silent- sooner-
filter hypothesis

15.  Turn 65- one student- answer – instead-
student-centered approach
 Share the responsibility of learning- made a
monkey of him
 In turn 10, 27, 3o, 36, 41, 52- Hossein – called
on
 Some never been called on- create tension and
jealousy
 One student steals the show
 Furthermore, this turns the class into court
 One victim is cross-examined

16.  Teacher was not successful- real or
authentic communication
 Nearly all-questions- display
 Talk followed IRF sequence- teacher talk
more
 The feedback to the student- simply

18. 