Discourse Analysis

Turn-Taking Role Within The Classroom

Foreign Language

July

2023

Abstract

The present article delves into the fascinating realm of turn-taking within the classroom,
shedding light on the intricate patterns of communication that unfold between students and
teachers. Turn-taking is a critical aspect of classroom discourse, as it influences not only the
flow of information but also student engagement, participation, and learning outcomes.
Through an intervention in a secondary school setting, this research aimed to explore the
dynamics of turn-taking and its potential impact on the overall learning environment. The
following discussion synthesizes the key findings, contextualizes their significance, and
presents implications for educators and policymakers.

El presente artículo se adentra en el fascinante reino de los turnos en el aula, arrojando luz
sobre los intrincados patrones de comunicación que se desarrollan entre estudiantes y
profesores. La toma de turnos es un aspecto crítico del discurso en el aula, ya que influye no
solo en el flujo de información, sino también en el compromiso, la participación y los
resultados del aprendizaje de los estudiantes. A través de una intervención en un entorno de
escuela secundaria, esta investigación tuvo como objetivo explorar la dinámica de la toma de
turnos y su impacto potencial en el entorno general de aprendizaje. La siguiente discusión
sintetiza los hallazgos clave, contextualiza su importancia y presenta implicaciones para
educadores y formuladores de políticas.

Research Question: What type of turn taking predominates within the ESL classes?

Methodology

In this study, we present the methodology employed to investigate turn-taking patterns within
a specific classroom context.

Research Design:
For this study, we adopted a research design. By maintaining an active participatory role, we
aim to provide an accurate representation of real-time turn-taking practices.

Participants:
The study was conducted in a secondary school, and the participants comprised a single
classroom of 40 students (Grade 10) and their teacher. The choice of this particular classroom
was based on convenience sampling, but efforts were made to ensure it is representative of
typical classroom settings in the school.

Data Collection:
Audio Recording: Audio recordings were obtained from individual electronic device
microphones. Audio data enhances the accuracy of transcriptions and facilitates the
examination of tonal cues and turn-taking strategies.

Observational Procedure:
The research role attended classroom sessions during regular school hours to minimize any
disruption to the participants' natural behavior. A pre-observation period was implemented to
familiarize the researchers with the classroom dynamics, the teacher's instructional style, and
students' responsiveness. Observations were conducted over a period of two hours, covering
multiple subject lessons to capture variations in turn-taking across different learning
activities.

Data Analysis:
A. Transcription: Audio recording was transcribed verbatim, including both verbal
utterances and non-verbal cues relevant to turn-taking (e.g., gestures, eye contact,
facial expressions).
 B. Coding: We employed thematic coding to identify and categorize different turn-taking
strategies and patterns. Coding categories were iteratively refined through constant
comparison and consensus among researchers.

Results: To determine the type of turn taking that predominates in the classroom, an
investigation and analysis was carried out to determine when the ones involucrated in a social
act permitted themselves to interact exchanging information which can be phrases, classes,
sentences, tone units, etc. The most frequent type of turn taking used within the classroom
was the allocated-turn, which happens when the turns are being given by the teacher to the
students to establish an order or sequence for them to express their opinions. Following that,
the second most presented was the non-allocated turn which is determined by the students
speaking in a dialogue without the teacher assigning roles and lastly, the usage of turn
initiation completion.

Both teacher and students were active during the class. Teacher establishes the majority of
chances for the students to take an active role, and the students participate by responding to
the questions asked by the teacher. And the positive outcome is noticeable since the turns are
equally balanced between teacher and students.

Extract 1
Teacher: *hush* At what age do you think it is reasonable to tell them? At what age? How
old should the..the…the adopted son should be? How old should they be? Mencionaste que a
la edad que estuviesen mentalmente preparados, ¿verdad? o mentalmente maduros, ¿que tan
grandes o a qué edad mas o menos?

The turn initiation and its selections were decided as the class was developed and the
students’ participation took place.

In turns 27 to 40, we can appreciate the teacher asking questions to the students and the
students actively answering them while using the topics and commands taught in class.

Extract 2
T27 Teacher: What do you think when you hear soul brothers? You already have a know for
blood related, adopted family. What about soul family? Soul family.
T28 Student: Yo me la ví
T29 Teacher: No, soul family.
T30 Student: familia del alma.
T31 Teacher: Yeah, what can you say, or what can you imagine with soul family?
T32 Student: I think blood related, I think es una familia que está tan unida que se llama
familia del alma.
T33 Teacher: Ok, what else?
T34 Student: este…*students noises*
T35 Teacher: What about…
T36 Student: Una familia que no es familia de sangre pero tú la consideras una familia que
te ha apoyado en los momentos cuando nadie lo ha hecho.
T37 Teacher: Ok, who else? *hush*
T38 Student: In my opinion
T39 Teacher: In your opinion..
T40 Student: In my opinion, son personas por las cuales te relacionas y intimaste tanto que
creaste un vínculo tan fuerte que es asemejante a nuestra familia, por ejemplo los amigos….

There are other examples of turn conversational units that contains a word, a phrase, or an
statement in turns 17 to 21 the teacher ask a question and there are various students who
answer

T17 Teacher: Palabras claves más que todo…

T18 Students’: Family
T19 Student1: Sold.. (soul)
T20 Student2: Good.
T21 Student3: Very good. *laugh*

The teacher in turn 8 tries to maximize the opportunities for the students to participate by
asking them questions related to the topics taught in class, and even further, makes it more
accessible for the students using the code switching from English to Spanish.

T8 Teacher: *hush* At what age do you think it is reasonable to tell them? At what age?
How old should the..the…the adopted son should be? How old should they be? Mencionaste
que a la edad que estuviesen mentalmente preparados, ¿verdad? o mentalmente maduros,
¿que tan grandes o a qué edad mas o menos?

The bulk of opportunities for students to participate actively are set up by the teacher.
Teacher establishes the majority of chances for the students to take an active role, and the
students participate by responding to the questions asked by the teacher. And the positive
outcome is noticeable since the turns are equally balanced between teacher and students.
When these interactions are effectively managed and encouraged, they can significantly
enhance the learning process and contribute to overall academic and personal growth within
the classroom.

We can better tune the activities we design or choose in order to suit both students’ needs and
the demands that the language learning process poses. An appealing research path to follow
would be to look for pedagogical strategies to engage both teachers and students in learning
to generate conversations in English within the classroom.
The students are the ones who do end up being put in a situation where they are set to have
less participation than the teacher when it comes to turn-taking. Since the teachers are
responsible for initiating the interactions and finishing them with feedback, this leaves the
students to just respond when they are asked, with no further participation on their part.
 C.

The pedagogical implications that can be appreciated during the class is that students
are given a space where they can give their point of views, furthermore, be part of the
different opinions of their classmates taking into account the topic. Therefore they can
expand their knowledge and discuss current issues. Developing their communicative
skills and creating a participative environment.

Discussion

This study delved into the intricate dynamics of turn-taking among ESL learners within the
classroom environment. The findings shed light on how ESL students navigate conversational
interactions and contribute to classroom discourse. In this discussion, we will interpret the
implications of these findings, consider their significance for language instruction, address
limitations, and suggest directions for future research.

Our investigation revealed distinct patterns of turn-taking among ESL learners. While the
overall turn-taking process aligned with established norms of communication, certain
nuances emerged. ESL participants often displayed more hesitation before contributing,
possibly due to linguistic processing demands. This observation supports the notion that
language proficiency influences turn-taking dynamics.

It is possible that turn-taking during students’ discussions in language classrooms often

involves students accepting in the turn the role of primary speaker or that this is what happens
during students discussions in certain types of language classroom and/or certain types of
students and/or certain types of tasks. In spite of certain appearances, turn-taking during these
discussions is locally managed and party administered. Primary speakership can also be seen
as the outcome of how participants oriented to the rules for turn allocations (Nguyen &
Kasper, 2009, pp. 236-237).

Interestingly, our findings also showcased a greater emphasis on non-verbal cues, such as
gestures and facial expressions, among ESL learners during turn transitions. This suggests a
compensatory strategy used to navigate potential language barriers.

The observed turn-taking patterns hold implications for ESL pedagogy. Educators should
recognize the role of language proficiency in shaping students' participation in classroom
discussions. Strategies that encourage active listening, scaffolded language practice, and
targeted vocabulary development may enhance ESL students' confidence in contributing to
conversations.

Additionally, the prominence of non-verbal cues suggests the need for incorporating
multimodal communication exercises in ESL curricula. By fostering proficiency in both
verbal and non-verbal aspects of communication, educators can empower students to engage
more effectively in turn-taking within diverse linguistic contexts.

The classroom environment plays a pivotal role in shaping turn-taking behaviors among ESL
learners. Instructors should cultivate an inclusive atmosphere that values diverse linguistic
backgrounds and encourages equal participation. Group activities that emphasize
collaboration and peer interaction can create opportunities for ESL students to practice turn-
taking and build conversational competence.

Conclusion

In conclusion, turn-taking is not merely a procedural aspect of classroom interactions; it is the

heartbeat of effective communication and transformative learning experiences. As educators,
researchers, and stakeholders in the realm of education, we must recognize and harness the
power of balanced turn-taking to create classrooms that inspire curiosity, foster inclusivity,
and ignite a lifelong passion for learning in the hearts of our students. By embracing this
fundamental element of communication, we can build educational ecosystems that empower
the next generation to shape a brighter and more harmonious future for all.

Referencias
Nguyen, H., & Kasper, G. (2009). Talk-in-interaction: Multilingual perspectives,. Honolulu HI:
National Foreing Language Resource Center. July 03, 2023
Appendix