Author(s)

Yue ZHOU

Corresponding Author

Yue ZHOU

ABSTRACT

The current study endeavored to investigate micro contexts or modes in Chinese EFL classes. It undertook to identify which kinds of modes can be found in Chinese EFL classes. And a further question the author explored was: what is the relationship between pedagogic goals and interactional features in the modes. In the study, the database comprised transcripts of approximately 90 minutes of interaction video-recorded during three lessons in three EFL classrooms at the intermediate level. To answer the first research question, the author observed classroom video recordings, and attempted to identify various types of modes in Chinese EFL classes, the results of the research revealed that the three types: skills and systems mode, managerial mode and materials mode were found in the examination. Furthermore, this article addressed the research question two, examining the relationship between teaching purposes and teachers’ use of language, by analyzing some extracts from Chinese EFL lessons based on some principles and theoretical underpinnings of conversation analysis (CA) methodology. The findings indicated that language teachers tended to use some communicative devices, such as repair and correction, non-corrective repetition, discourse markers, display questions to enable learners to engage in the lessons and grasp the target language so as to achieve the teaching purposes. It is hoped that the present study can serve to raise teachers’ awareness of their classroom language use.

KEYWORDS

Classroom modes; pedagogic goals; interactional features; Chinese EFL classrooms