A Comparative Study Of Teachers' Classroom Discourse Between Pre-service And In-service English Teachers In Senior High School

As an important part of class,classroom discourse is always composed of teacher talk and student talk.Teachers' classroom discourse is an indispensable source of students'second language input,which supports development of students' language competency.As National English Curriculum Standards for General High School(2017 edited)more emphasizes students' English core competency especially the ability of using English to think and express;teachers' classroom discourse plays more and more important role as a crucial carrier of imparting teaching content and carrying out teaching activities.Teachers'classroom discourse is also an important embodiment of teaching methods,which is closely related with their professional development.In order to promote teaching quality and teachers' professional development,this study,based on Long's interaction hypothesis,Krashen's comprehensible input hypothesis,and Swain's comprehensible output hypothesis,will discuss teachers' classroom discourse and ten pre-service and in-service English teachers in senior high school will be participants of this comparative study,so that a reference framework of effective teachers' classroom discourse will be given.Through classroom observation,audio-recording and interview,this research is aimed at discussing the following four questions:(1)Are there any similarities or differences in their oral directives between pre-service and in-service teachers in senior high school?If yes,what are they?(2)Are there any similarities or differences in their questioning between pre-service and in-service teachers in senior high school?If yes,what are they?(3)Are there any similarities or differences in their oral feedback between pre-service and in-service teachers in senior high school?If yes,what are they?(4)What are reasons causing similarities or differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in their classroom discourse?The major findings of research are shown in the following:Firstly,there are similarities and differences in oral directives between pre-service and in-service teachers.Their oral directives are accurate,and centered on direct directives in the form of imperative sentences supplemented by indirect directives in the form of declarative sentences,and focused on self-repetition strategy.Differences are mainly shown that in-service teachers' oral directives are more explicit,logical and authoritative than pre-service teachers'.Secondly,there are similarities and differences in questioning between pre-service and in-service teachers.Questions that pre-service and in-service teachers put forward are centered on display questions with supplementation of some referential questions in the form of shortened-form' special/wh-and general/yes-no.Repetition is the main tactic of questioning.But in-service teachers' questioning is more normative,various,and logical than pre-service teachers',while pre-service teachers' questioning is more interactive than in-service teachers'.Thirdly,there are similarities and differences in oral feedback between pre-service and in-service teachers.Pre-service and in-service teachers tend to give evaluative feedback through simple positive feedback and repetition of students' answers.But in-service teachers' oral feedback is more diverse,explicit and logical than pre-service teachers'.Fourthly,possible reasons causing similarities and differences between pre-service and in-service teachers in their classroom discourse are concluded.Current educational environment,education background of teachers,and interaction effect among teachers may bring similarities,while teaching experience,educational belief and professional competency may lead to differences.Combined with descriptions of similarities and differences and possible reasons behind them,a reference framework of effective teachers' classroom discourse is built to provide relevant suggestion for pre-service and in-service teachers so that they can continuously reflect and improve form and content of their classroom discourse to promote the mutual development of teachers and students.