Talking foreign language study into being: a case study of pedagogical interaction in a Year 8 French classroom Presentation given by Signe Ernist at AFMLTA conference Sydney 2009

1. Macquarie University Department of Education ‘Talking foreign language study into being’:pedagogical interaction in a Year 8 French language classroom by Signe Ernist 10 July 2009

2. Overview of the Presentation About me, the presenter (Introduction) Why I am doing it (Rationale) What is my research about (Topic and aims) What have others said (Previous research) How I am doing it (Theory and Methodology) What I am working on at present 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 2

3. About me, the presenter: Introduction Philologist (philo+ logos) Estonia, University of Tartu Teaching French and other languages (K-uni) In Australia since 2004 Dip Ed in Macquarie University 2007 PhD in MQ and French/ESL in KHHS 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 3

4. Why I am doing it: Rationale Languages teaching in Estonia Humanist socio-cultural view (Heidegger, Vygotsky) Second language acquisition in educational context should be continuous and meaningful (Clyne, Lo Bianco, Liddicoat) Languages teaching in Australia: crisis (Clyne) Solution offered by experts: introduction of compulsory language study throughout (at least) the secondary schooling years = uphill battle Present state of affairs in NSW government schools: how to make the most of it Signe Ernist Macquarie University 4 10 July 2009

5. What is my research about: Topic Students tend to drop languages study in Year 9 after completing the 100 compulsory hours (NSW)  Subject selection: decisions depend on experiences in Year 8  Classroom interaction: communication between teacher and students / students and students influencing the decision to continue languages study in Year 9  Signe Ernist Macquarie University 5 10 July 2009

7. How does classroom talk influence students decision to continue or discontinue languages study in Year 9how? (pragmatics) instead of what? 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 6

8. What I want to achieve: Aims Greater awareness on how classroom talk influences student selection of French as an elective subject in the transition from Year 8 to Year 9 Insights on the effective use of classroom talk in Year 8 language classroom with an aim to engage learners to continue language study throughout high school 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 7

9. What have others said: Previous research Language policies Lo Bianco: National Policy on Languages (1987) Australian Languages and Literacy Policy (1991) NALSAS Strategy Plan (1994) The School Languages Programme 2005-2008 Language learning and teaching in NSW No policy 100 mandatory hours (Board of Studies NSW) Signe Ernist Macquarie University 8 10 July 2009

10. What have others said: Previous research Research – main concerns Clyne Liddicoat Lo Bianco Signe Ernist Macquarie University 9 10 July 2009

11. What have others said: Previous research Factors influencing subject selection Macro level - policy Micro level – teacher/student dependent  Are these factors addressed in classroom talk? How are they treated? How does this influence subject selection? 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 10

12. How I am doing it: theory and methodology Ethnomethodology researches the ways in which people interact to create social orderliness through mundane everyday practices (Garfinkel, 1967; Heritage, 1984; Freebody, 2003) Conversation Analysis most conducive inquiry method for investigating the interactional organisation of language classrooms in order to develop an understanding of how the pedagogical intentions are implemented (Seedhouse, 2005) Signe Ernist Macquarie University 11 10 July 2009

14. Talk in interaction is systematically organised, deeply ordered and methodic (Harvey Sacks)10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 12

15. Conversation Analysis (CA) Principles: Interaction has order at all points Interaction is context-shaped and context-renewing Order of details is paramount Analysis is data driven 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 13

16. Conversation Analysis (CA) Analysis: Adjacency pairs (paired utterances) Preference organisation Turn taking Repair 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 14

17. What I am working on at present Institutional talk  goal (Seedhouse, 2004) Asymmetries of participation and know-how Genuine communication ≠ communicative approach CA as a useful tool for both researchers and teachers in classroom interaction Possible mismatch between task-as-workplan and task-in-process (Seedhouse, 2004) Pedagogically undesirable negative evaluation creating problems on interactional level Signe Ernist Macquarie University 15 10 July 2009

18. "Those who know no foreign language know nothing of their mother tongue.“Goethe Signe Ernist Macquarie University 16 10 July 2009

19. Selected references Clyne, M. (2005). Australia's Language Potential. Sydney: UNSW PRESS. Curnow, T. J., & Kohler, M. (2007). Languages are important: but that's not why I am studying one. Babel, 42(2), 20-24,38. Heritage, J. (1984). Garfinkel and Ethnomethodology. Oxford: Polity Press. Liddicoat, A. J., Scarino, A., Curnow, T. J., Kohler, M., Scrimgeour, A. & Morgan, A.-M. (2007). An Investigation of the State and Nature of Languages in Australian Schools. Canberra: DEST. Lo Bianco, J. (2006). Arguing for Perspective in LOTE: Reflections on public debate, language and the public interest. Languages Victoria, 10(1), 16-29. Seedhouse, P. (2004). The interactional architecture of the language classroom: a conversation analysis perspective. Oxford: Blackwell. Seedhouse, P. (2005). Conversation Analysis and language learning. Language Teaching, 38, 1-23. 10 July 2009 Signe Ernist Macquarie University 17