Ethnomethodological Conversation Analysis and Linguistic Education: Some contributions to teacher education

Abstract

As a research tradition that has developed in the search for the understanding of human actions through the observation and later systematization and analysis of everyday conversation, Ethnomethodological Conversation Analysis (CA) as a theoretical-methodological approach can also contribute to reflections on linguistic education and language teacher education. Although this is not CA’s core concern, several concepts, analyses and discussions can provide a broader understanding of language teaching and learning. In this paper, we address some of them: the description of some characteristics of classroom talkin- interaction; the concept of participation, its conversational modes and structures, and its relation to the construction of collaborative learning contexts. Based on microethnographic analysis of classroom interaction data (Bulla, 2007, 2014; Schulz, 2004, 2007), this paper aims at demonstrating how the teacher can rethink and broaden notions such as language use in the classroom, teaching methods, language learning, modes of participation and protagonism in learning, and collaboration. We aim at demonstrating how CA can be of extreme relevance both for experienced and in-service teachers to rethink pedagogical practices, to broaden the understanding of what is done in classroom and to envision ways of updating the conception of language education in classroom interactions.

Keywords: linguistic education, Ethnomethodological Conversation Analysis, teacher education.