classroom challenge episode
Request for Classroom Challenges | James Hobbs | February 9 th , 2001
Dear All,
I've been given the go-ahead for an IIC assignment in the area of student challenges, under the provisional title "Face Threatening Acts in Teacher-Learner Interaction". A big problem, though, is that I don't have much direct access to relevant classroom data. I teach mainly private students who have personally chosen me as their teacher, most of my students are also my friends, and as such it's proving very difficult to find any examples of challenges in my classes that would fall outside the "polite query" category.
This message is an appeal to anyone who would be kind enough to help me in either of the following ways:
1 Transcribed examples.
From your own data do you have any transcribed examples of students in any way showing disapproval or disagreement with something the teacher says or does?- If so, would you be willing to e-mail me it (them) to use for my assignment?- In return I will email you an attachment of all the examples I collect, organized into categories, once the assignment has been submitted.
2 Longer transcriptions.
The same applies if you have any lengthy classroom transcriptions which may or may not contain challenges, but which you don't have time to sift through by yourself.
I have my fingers crossed and hope to hear from you soon!
Finally, there are too many names to mention, but a big thank you to everybody who posted comments on this subject - they helped me form a much clearer picture of this whole area.
Best,
James Hobbs
Re: Request for challenges | Pinkie | February 12th , 2001
James:
You ask for transcripts of FTAs. D'you mean transcripts strictly speaking, or will you accept more or less hazy recollections?
Best,
Pinkie
Re: Request for challenges | Pinkie | February 15th , 2001
James:
Following your request for challenge episodes from our classes, here's a "reconstructed" challenge from a class the other day: by reconstructed I mean I didn't record it, and have tried to reconstruct as best I can from memory. Don't know whether it'll be of any use to you?
[First day of a short academic writing course]
S1: Is "Most of the people..." OK?
T: Yeah, that's fine.
S2: And what about "Most of people..."?
T: No, it must be either "Most people..." or "Most of the people..."
S2: Why's that? I mean, when do we have to use the article?-
T: OK, that gets us into a very complicated issue, about when we use "the" and when we don't, and it's something we're going to look into it during the course, but we really can't today - is that OK?
S2: (politely, smiling) But I have problems with the definite article, I mean I don't know when to use it.
T: Yes, I know, that's normal, everybody has problems with it, even people with a very high level ...really, I promise we'll look at it, but not today, OK? (apologetic body language)
S2: (smiles, signaling acceptance; we move on).
Like I say, don't know whether this sort of reconstruction is any use to you. I'm afraid transcription's not my strong point.
By the way Aleka, Darin - very many thanks for the homework stuff, you've got me counting on my toes!!!- Only need another 8 responses and then I can start on the parts that other discussion groups don't reach!
Best,
Pinkie
Re: Request for challenges | James Hobbs | February 16th , 2001
Thanks Pinkie. That sort of thing is just what I'm looking for. For the real meaty analysis I hope to get enough data from actual recordings, but I don't see any problem with using a 'reconstruction' to illustrate something general (e.g. potential challenge to the lesson procedure). As I see it there's a clear distinction between invented data and an honest attempt to reconstruct something that actually occurred. Thanks again.
Jonathan: Many thanks for the transcripts you sent. I'm sure I'll find some useful stuff in there, and I'll be in touch again when I've had a good look through.
Still counting on fingers at the moment, but hope to move onto toes before too long!
James
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