The classroom has become a rich source of data In the analysis of classroom processes and behaviors . Hence, there have been attempts to device appropriate data gathering inadequately describe what goes on in the classroom. The analysis of the classroom communication normally focuses on the nature of the teacher talk and the learner’s language to describe the type of communications that is typical in the classroom and communication analysis primarily concentrates on verbal communication, that is, on communication which is carried out by means of language. This system of analysis, the object of which is to describe the structure of language functions taken in full context.
The most obvious characteristics of classroom communication is that it adopts a central communication system. That is, the type of interaction taking place most of the time is highly teacher centered. Everybody else listen to the single speaker. The teacher is normally central to the interaction both physically and both communicatively. Over two decades ago, it was observed that the teacher did the talking in the classroom two-thirds the time, and two-thirds of the teacher talk was direct influence. There is little reason to believe that this scenario has changed after 20 years. The central communication system is indeed prevalent in most classroom. It reflects and arises from the teacher’s right to make most of the decisions necessary to secure orderly interaction. Since a teacher’s discipline is judge largely by his/her ability to hold a class the students full and individual attention is to be demanded at the start and at the end of the lesson. Consequently, teachers are very likely to own classroom interaction, in so far as students are willing to be taught.
Teacher talks is characterized by exposition and questioning, expounding facts and interpretations which are then tested , with students joining in by invitation only to risk wrong answer to what is on the teacher’s mind .
The traditional classroom settings have been both a symbol and reinforcement of centrally controlled interaction. The conventional groupings of desks channel communication to and from the teacher, who is the obvious focus of attention if and when the teachers have to stop teaching to give way to the students participation the predominant teaching technique is still that of question and answer, However, the number of potential participant can also present some managerial problems. Normally, the problems like how turns are taken, how the rule of one speaker at a time is maintained and who to call on to answer a question are decided upon by the teacher. Turns, therefore, are allocated they are not bid appropriately for the right to speak.
Looking into some teacher’s managerial strategies apparent in classroom interaction and describing the teacher’s questions as predominantly of the closed nature will show how much of the communicative work is done by the teacher, and how limited are the communication roles normally allocated to students . This in effect will prove that most participant structured are centered on the teacher, who within the limit of the lesson proper either talks or decides since, it is the teacher’s responsibility to carry through the official business. It is the teacher talk that essentially constitutes the lesson. Teachers make most of the communicative moves, forcing the students to respond rather than allowing them to launch initiatives of their own. Their allocation of turns maintains an orderly interaction, their questions enable them to maintain topical coherence by persistently evaluating students’ answers, and their commentary provides authoritative definitions of what is taking place Knowledge is there to pass on; the teacher knows how much he intends to transmit in a given time, and interaction is organized to facilitate such reception of knowledge.
By: Mr. Renato Bustillos | Master Teacher I | Magsaysay National High School, Dinalupihan, Bataan
