Focus on the Teacher

Focus on the Teacher

1. Reasons

   • It is the teacher who makes the major contribution to L2 discourse.
   • Theoretical theories of L2 acquisition emphasize the role of input in the language learning process.
   • It allows for detailed examination of a number of key aspects of language use in the L2 classroom and reflects what have been a common approach to researching the L2 classroom.

2. Teacher Talk

   • Subvariety of Foreigner talk
     • Speacial register
       • It assists effective communication by making it easier for the interlocutors to understand.
       • It signals, implicitly or explicitly, the NSs attitudes towards the NNS
       • It teaches the target language implicitly.
     • Modifications
       • Affect all level of language.
         • Grammatical
         • Ungrammatical
   • Characteristics
     • Teachers take up about two-thirds of the total talking time.
     • Teacher dominance where teachers explain, question, and command and learners to respond.
     • Ts tend to slow down their rate of speech.
     • Ts tend to make use of longer pauses.
     • They tend to speak more loudly.
     • Ts tend to use high-frequency words resulting in a lower type-token ratio.
     • Ts tend to use more self-repetitions

3. Teacher Questions

   • Control that it gives the teacher over the discurse. Context involves 'recitation' or 'discussion'.
     • Display Questions
     • Referential Questions

4. Metalanguage

   • The technological terminology needed to describe language.
     • Semi-technical Terms
     • Highly technical terms

5. Corrective Feedback

   • is contextually determined.
     • Adjusted to the individual learner.