LINGUISTIC MARKERS OF THE ROLES ON THE CLASSROOM STAGE

Raluca Galia Elena Bonta

1. Roles on the classroom stage

roles = actors parts, their functions in the economy of a play roles = peoples every day performances, the different parts they play during their social encounters, conforming to certain norms of behaviour

roles describe what people are supposed to do the English class = the setting (the stage) in which the participants occupy certain ascribed positions, assuming their roles of teacher and learners, respectively

the protagonists on the classroom stage - two purposes: 1. a pedagogical purpose achieving certain learning objectives: - the teacher - expected to control, instruct and help learners; - the learners - expected to pay attention to the explanations and to work as instructed

2. an interactional purpose shaping certain social attitudes: - the teacher - expected to guide and discipline learners; - the learners - expected to adopt a proper attitude towards the teacher and their colleagues.

Jeremy Harmer (teachers are like actors because they feel they are always on stage ) - the central role of the teacher in the English class is that of a facilitator of the learners progress this role triggers other sub-roles:

a) serving the pedagogical purpose

controller the teacher controls the activities of the learners by lecturing and explaining organizer the teacher designs various activities that fit the learners level of understanding, assigning tasks, organizing learners in pairs/groups and instructing them

assessor the teacher provides feedback, corrects and grades the learners resource-provider the teacher is a resource of knowledge for learners, offering guidance regarding various sources of information

observer the teacher notices the learners performances and the (lack of) success of different materials and activities used

b) serving the interactional purpose

prompter the teacher monitors the learners individual/pair/group activities, providing help if necessary participant the teacher joins the pair/group activities of the learners, stepping aside from his authoritative role and becoming an ordinary participant

tutor the teacher combines the roles of prompter and resource provider, helping learners acquire new things

2. Method

qualitative analysis of the outcomes of a sentence completion task In my opinion the (ideal) teacher is In my opinion the (ideal) learner is

a)
b)

two categories of participants: 25 pre-service teachers 25 in-service teachers

3. Aims of the study

how the respondents linguistically constructed the teachers roles; the degree to which these roles approach the theoretical background; whether there exist any corresponding roles for the learners; whether the perceptions linguistically differ depending on the (lack) of teaching experience.

Analysis: two categories: a) roles serving the pedagogical purpose b) roles serving the interactional purpose

a) roles serving the pedagogical purpose

1. teacher = source of information = resource-provider (Harmer) learners = receivers of information = responsible persons

2. teacher = inventive, creative person = organizer (Harmer) = provider of fun

b) roles serving the interactional purpose

1. teacher = guide/mentor/model = prompter and tutor (Harmer) learners = people who need guidance and help from the teacher

2. teacher = a cooperative person, a friend and partner of his/her learners = prompter and participant (Harmer) learners = cooperative persons, partners for the teacher

3. teacher = helper = tutor (Harmer) learners = beginners

Conclusions
Harmer: a) roles serving the pedagogical purpose: controller - 0 organizer teacher as an inventive, creative person; provider of fun assessor 0; resource-provider teacher as source of information observer - 0

b) roles serving the interactional purpose: prompter teacher as a guide/mentor/model; a cooperative person, a friend and partner of his/her learners participant teacher as a a cooperative person, a friend and partner of his/her learners. tutor teacher as a guide/mentor/model; a helper

Teacher learner a) roles serving the pedagogical purpose teacher as source of information learners as receivers of information; responsible persons

b) roles serving the interactional purpose - teacher as a guide/mentor/model; a cooperative person, a friend and partner of his/her learners learners as people who need guidance and help from the teacher; cooperative persons, partners for the teacher - teacher as a helper learners as beginners

Linguistic choices the pre-service teachers shape the same roles as the in-service teachers, but use more general terms the teaching experience does not modify opinions, but refines and completes them

more roles serving the interactional purpose than the pedagogical one