An Empirical Study On Classroom Silence In Teaching Chinese As A Foreign Language

Classroom silence, as non-verbal communication behavior, its meaning is uncertain and unstable. Teacher’s understanding about classroom silence will effect not only class atmosphere, but also the attitude or emotions from teacher and student. This article is focused on ordinary class in The College of International Cultural Exchange, Central China Normal University. We have observed and recorded52classes of35teachers to ascertain the types of classroom silence in different stages and different lesson types. At the same time, we analysis the function, pragmatic features and pedagogical implications of classroom silence.Chapter2focuses on types and pragmatic features of classroom silence in different stages. How teacher and student behavior themselves when they are silent is described. The types of classroom silence are the same in different stage. But some difference in number shows, students of primary stage perform better than that of intermediate stage because of Cross-cultural Adaptation. The silent times of teacher in primary stage which indicates politeness principle is more than that in intermediate stage, while the silent times of student which indicates politeness principle in intermediate stage is more than that in primary stage. Chapter3contrasts the difference between four lesson types. The kinds of classroom silence are the same in four lesson types, except the number of some kinds because of different course nature. Teacher and student follow the cooperative principle and the politeness principle in classroom communication. The number of silence behavior, which implys teacher and student following the politeness principle but violating cooperative principle, is the most in reading class and the least in speaking class.Chapter4analyses the kinds, functions and pragmatic feature of teaching subjects’ silence, and the reason why student keep negative silence as well. Classroom silence can be classified into2kinds, that is positive silence and negative silence. In classroom communication, teacher is initiative and controlling, while student is obeyed and passive. Classroom silence can indicate one’s psychological states and emotional attitude. The essence of negative silence is that student obeys politeness principle, and they does not want to interact with the others. This phenomenon will effect teacher’s mood and class atmosphere. There are some causes for student’s negnative silence, including anxiety in language, teacher’s teaching manner and interactive mode, different cultural view in inter-cultural communication. These analysis come out2pedagogical implication, that is class is controlled by teacher and interactive mode should be diversity.Chapter5summaries this peper, and points out innovation and deficiency. The first innovation, this article definites the classroom silence types of teacher and student. The second, it contrasts the similarities and differences of silence in different stage and lesson type, and finds out some pragmatic features in classroom communication.