Teacher talk: The language of nonnative teachers in Thai EFL classrooms

This study is an exploratory investigation and description of teacher talk in EFL classrooms. The major goal is to investigate the use of teachers' questions in order to determine their patterns of occurrence in the classroom. The study examines whether certain forms and functions of questions are more prevalent than others and also whether there is a relationship between the phases in the lesson and the type of questions asked. This study also aims to identify the interactional strategies that teachers employ with students in the classroom.The data were collected from two freshman English classes at a university in Thailand. Each class was observed six times during regular teaching periods. Frequencies and percentages of question types as well as statistical analyses of certain features were presented. Discourse analysis methods were used to analyze functions of questions and also interactional strategies.The data revealed four types of question forms: Y/N, Wh, Intonation and Tag questions. There were eight categories of functions of questions: display, referential, comprehension, confirmation, clarification, rhetorical, directive, and others (suggestive and recall). Their functions in classroom discourse were exemplified. Wh-questions were used most frequently by the teachers to ask display questions and Y/N questions were the most frequent forms of question employed to ask referential questions. Display questions were used significantly more often than referential questions. The lesson was divided into three phases: opening, instructional, and closing. During the opening and closing periods, referential questions were asked most frequently; whereas, during the instructional period, display questions were asked most frequently. Results of the study showed a systematic use of boundary markers by the teachers throughout the lesson. Other strategies included repetition and simplified questions.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio