Week 13 EDUC2029

Why analyse classrooms and texts? Implications for teachers

Anticipatory set

• Anything we need to clarify, re-explain etc?

Aims

• To clarify any issues, especially related to the final assignment

• To consider implications of CDA for teachers• To bid a fond adieu…

Outline

• Anticipatory set• Assignment 3 – some more advice• Uses of CDA• Conclusion

Assignment 3

Some final advice

Assignment 3

• Transcript 3 and PIE• Assignment questions and readings• Introduction• Conclusion• CDA v CA

Transcript 3 and PIE

• Transcript 3 is an example of classroom talk going quite smoothly

• Does not use PIE IRE still very evident• Why have we discussed PIE? An alternative to

IRE that seeks to avoid much of the interactive trouble It’s a point of comparison to help you work out what might be going wrong with the classroom talk in the other transcripts

Assignment 3

When looking at the transcript, ask yourself: – What is the teacher’s purpose? – Is it legitimate – has a curriculum or management

basis? – Is there an overt and covert purpose for the

lesson? – Is the purpose achieved (or seems like it will be

achieved)? – How does the classroom talk hinder or assist

learning?

Assignment 3

How do you know what the purpose was?• May be stated explicitly in the bolded title• Infer from activities and talk

From Chapter 8: The Potions Master

Professor Severus Snape is addressing a class for the first time: ‘You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,’ he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word – like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. ‘As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the soft simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death – if you aren’t as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.’

From Chapter 8: The Potions Master

‘Potter!’ said Snape suddenly. ‘What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?’

Powdered root of what to an infusion of what? Harry glanced at Ron, who looked as stumped as he was; Hermione’s hand had shot into the air.

‘I don’t know, sir,’ said Harry.Snape’s lip curled into a sneer.‘Tut, tut – fame clearly isn’t everything.’He ignored Hermione’s hand.‘Let’s try again, Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me

a bezoar?’… ‘I don’t know, sir.’‘Thought you wouldn’t open a book before coming, eh, Potter?’

From Chapter 8: The Potions Master

Snape was still ignoring Hermione’s quivering hand.‘What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and

wolfsbane?At this, Hermione stood up, her hand stretching towards

the dungeon ceiling.‘I don’t know,’ said Harry quietly. ‘I think Hermione does,

though, why don’t you try her?’A few people laughed; Harry caught Seamus’s eye and

Seamus winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.‘Sit down,’ he snapped at Hermione. ‘For your information,

Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful…’ etc etc…

Questions re IRE (Anstey 2003)

1. Did my initiating questions and statements contain enough information to direct students in the task?

2. Did I ask a lot of pseudo questions (questions that did not require an answer)?

3. When giving feedback did I simply accept an answer or did I provide praise and/or feedback?

Reading 13 contains lots of advice…

Influence of classroom discourse on literary learning (Anstey 2003)

What constitutes knowledge and learning; what constitutes literacy and literate practice?

• How discourse can influence understanding about what constitutes knowledge and learning

• How discourse can influence understanding about literacy and literate practice• How social and cultural aspects of discourse can influence participation in learning • How patterns of discourse can aid or hinder learning

– Role of question and answer exchanges– Managing the function of classroom discourse and learning– Maintaining the focus of discourse on the learning objective– Discourse around an imaginary learning context

• Lesson Phases

Patterns can advantage and disadvantage

Relation to Assignment questions

Q1: How is the talk organised in the classroom? For example,

1. Did my initiating questions and statements contain enough information to direct students in the task?

2. Did I ask a lot of pseudo questions (questions that did not require an answer)?

3. When giving feedback did I simply accept an answer or did I provide praise and/or feedback?

Also see Reading 14.

Relation to Assignment questionsQ2: How does that organisation illustrate the

social relationships among speakers? For example,

• How social and cultural aspects of discourse can influence participation in learning

Also see Reading 15, 16 and 17.

Relation to Assignment questionsQ3: What kinds of knowledge are being constructed?

What constitutes knowledge and learning; what constitutes literacy and literate practice?

• How discourse can influence understanding about what constitutes knowledge and learning

• How discourse can influence understanding about literacy and literate practice

• How patterns of discourse can aid or hinder learning– Role of question and answer exchanges– Managing the function of classroom discourse and learning– Maintaining the focus of discourse on the learning objective– Discourse around an imaginary learning context

• Lesson Phases

Relation to Assignment questions

Q4: What kinds of interactive trouble occur?

See Reading 18 (Freebody, Ludwig and Gunn)

Relation to Assignment questions

But, this is a rough guide…you’ll find bits and pieces here and there that will help you analyse your transcripts.

The introduction

• Identify the transcript• Provide what background you can• What are your overall contentions (at an

immediate and conceptual level)? • Preview your essay

The conclusion

P12 of the course profile:

3. Write a summarising statement that demonstrates

• Your understanding of the issues about classroom teaching that have been raised by your analysis [generalisability and transferance – despite limited sample]

• Your understanding of the importance of undertaking the analysis of classroom interactions for teachers [generally]

Conversational analysis (CA) v Discourse analysis (DA)

Planning analysis of text:1. discourse is shaped by the world, and shapes the world2. discourse is shaped by language, and shapes the language3. discourse is shaped by participants, and shapes participants4. Discourse is shaped by prior discourse, and shapes prior

discourse5. Discourse is shaped by its medium, and shapes the

possibilities of the medium6. Discourse is shaped by purpose, and shapes possible

purposes (Gillen and Peterson 2004)

Discourse analysis (DA)Planning analysis of text:1. discourse is shaped by the world, and shapes the world2. discourse is shaped by language, and shapes the language3. discourse is shaped by participants, and shapes participants4. Discourse is shaped by prior discourse, and shapes prior

discourse5. Discourse is shaped by its medium, and shapes the

possibilities of the medium6. Discourse is shaped by purpose, and shapes possible

purposes

Conversational analysis (CA)Planning analysis of text:1. discourse is shaped by the world, and shapes the world2. discourse is shaped by language, and shapes the language3. discourse is shaped by participants, and shapes participants4. Discourse is shaped by prior discourse, and shapes prior

discourse5. Discourse is shaped by its medium, and shapes the

possibilities of the medium6. Discourse is shaped by purpose, and shapes possible

purposes

Conversational analysis (CA) v Discourse analysis (DA)

(C)DA researchers say: CA researchers bring too little reflexivity into their own approach to data

CA researchers say: DA researchers too explicitly bring ideological positions into their approach to data

Implications of CDA for teachers

Why bother?

Would it help you become a better teacher?

Culican (n.d.): ‘My research so far indicates that working with teachers on analysis of lesson transcripts is both a useful analytic and generative process for my research and also a useful pedagogic process for teachers’

Text analysis

• Possible benefits?

Text analysis: some ideas

Possible benefits?• Selection of texts• Teaching critical reading skills to students• Understanding documents that impinge on

your job – and the world beyond• Empowering teachers?

Text analysis

Critical discourse analysis v Positive discourse analysis

Critical discourse analysis and Positive discourse analysis

Classroom discourse analysis

• Your understanding of the importance of undertaking the analysis of classroom interactions for teachers

Think-Pair-Share Forward snowball

Conclusions

Conclusion

• Tutorials today are optional – focus on assignment preparation

• Who is planning to attend?• So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, goodbye…

ReferencesAnstey, M. 2003, ‘Examining classrooms as sites of literate

practice and literacy learning’, in The literacy lexicon second edition, eds G. Bull and M. Anstey, Prentice Hall, Frenchs Forest NSW, pp. 103-121.

Culican, S. J. (n.d.), ‘Troubling teacher talk: The challenge of changing classroom discourse patterns’. Retrieved 14 September 2009 from http://www.aare.edu.au/05pap/cul05592.pdf

Gillen, J. and Peterson, A. (2005). Discourse analysis. In Somekh, B. and Lewin, C. Research methods in the social sciences. Sage, London.

Rowling, J. K. (date unknown)*, Harry Potter and the philosopher’s stone, Bloomsbury, London.