What de Teacher Say? Talk as a Mode of Inquiry in Curriculum Enactment in a Technical-Vocational Classroom

Authors

  • Sharmila Nisha Harry The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus
  • Tricia Lorraine Smith The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Point Lisas Campus

Keywords:

Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Vocational Education Teachers, Secondary School Students, Classroom Communication, Senior Comprehensive Schools, Language Usage, Discourse Analysis, Trinidad and Tobago

Abstract

This article examines the modes or triadic dialogue that emerged between a technical-vocational teacher and a group of 14 fifth form students at a senior comprehensive school in Trinidad. It also explores the teacher's perspectives of the factors that influenced his talk during the practical sessions. Data collection techniques involved the use of classroom observations, as well as semi-structured follow-up interviews. Data analysis included discourse and conversation analysis, as well as the coding of data into themes and categories. The findings reveal that whole-class discussions dominated the hands-on practical sessions. In addition, greater monologic applications of the Initiation-Response-Evaluation (IRE) mode of triadic dialogue took precedence over Initiation-Response-Feedback/Follow-up (IRF) dialogic discourse. However, there was only one instance where dialogic engagement emerged from the IRF mode. Furthermore, the findings revealed that the lack of resources, time constraints, poor physical conditions, ineffetive teacher training and professional development, lack of teacher knowledge and skills, and the examination structure were the factors that influenced the teacher's classroom talk.

Author Biographies

Sharmila Nisha Harry, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine Campus

School of Education, Lecturer - Curriculum & Teacher Education

Tricia Lorraine Smith, The University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Point Lisas Campus

Lecturer in Communications/English Studies

Downloads

Issue

Vol. 21 (2013)

Section

Articles

License


Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

    1. Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

    1. Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

  1. Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).