A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence

This article develops a proposal for a Critical Second Language (L2) Classroom Discourse Competence (CDC) for (English) language teachers. The proposal takes the comprehensive competence model as a starting point which Thomson (2022) presents in her volume on Classroom Discourse Competence, and arg...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Peter Schildhauer
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Wissenschaftliche Einrichtung Oberstufen-Kolleg der Universität Bielefeld 2023-06-01
Series:PraxisForschungLehrer*innenBildung
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.pflb-journal.de/index.php/pflb/article/view/6282
_version_ 1797627085516177408
author Peter Schildhauer
author_facet Peter Schildhauer
author_sort Peter Schildhauer
collection DOAJ
description This article develops a proposal for a Critical Second Language (L2) Classroom Discourse Competence (CDC) for (English) language teachers. The proposal takes the comprehensive competence model as a starting point which Thomson (2022) presents in her volume on Classroom Discourse Competence, and argues that the existing model is highly valuable yet lacking in two aspects: 1) It does not yet consider the interconnectedness of classroom discourse with discourses outside the classroom. 2) In its focus on L2 acquisition (in the sense of language structures), it neglects the fact that another key task of 21st-century L2 teaching is fostering inclusion and, hence, social justice in and beyond the classroom. Consequently, this contribution argues that today’s L2 teachers’ classroom performance should not only provide a model of language structures, but also of inclusive and empowering discourse practices. To provide such a model, L2 teachers need a Critical L2 CDC. Hence, this article proposes to add knowledge, skills, and awareness elements to Thomson’s L2 CDC model, turning it into a Critical L2 CDC model. These considerations are specified by a multimodal interaction analysis of classroom videos from (inclusive) English lessons (years 5, 6, 9) that employ learner-centred methods. This analysis reveals the use of power-asymmetrical turn-taking practices and a potentially exclusive use of gender categories for classroom management. The article concludes by pointing out the potential role of teacher education in fostering Critical L2 CDC.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T10:19:21Z
format Article
id doaj.art-2496d1f0612041bdbab66f3a93911bb1
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2629-5628
language deu
last_indexed 2024-03-11T10:19:21Z
publishDate 2023-06-01
publisher Wissenschaftliche Einrichtung Oberstufen-Kolleg der Universität Bielefeld
record_format Article
series PraxisForschungLehrer*innenBildung
spelling doaj.art-2496d1f0612041bdbab66f3a93911bb12023-11-16T06:40:46ZdeuWissenschaftliche Einrichtung Oberstufen-Kolleg der Universität BielefeldPraxisForschungLehrer*innenBildung2629-56282023-06-015310.11576/pflb-6282A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse CompetencePeter Schildhauer0Universität Bielefeld This article develops a proposal for a Critical Second Language (L2) Classroom Discourse Competence (CDC) for (English) language teachers. The proposal takes the comprehensive competence model as a starting point which Thomson (2022) presents in her volume on Classroom Discourse Competence, and argues that the existing model is highly valuable yet lacking in two aspects: 1) It does not yet consider the interconnectedness of classroom discourse with discourses outside the classroom. 2) In its focus on L2 acquisition (in the sense of language structures), it neglects the fact that another key task of 21st-century L2 teaching is fostering inclusion and, hence, social justice in and beyond the classroom. Consequently, this contribution argues that today’s L2 teachers’ classroom performance should not only provide a model of language structures, but also of inclusive and empowering discourse practices. To provide such a model, L2 teachers need a Critical L2 CDC. Hence, this article proposes to add knowledge, skills, and awareness elements to Thomson’s L2 CDC model, turning it into a Critical L2 CDC model. These considerations are specified by a multimodal interaction analysis of classroom videos from (inclusive) English lessons (years 5, 6, 9) that employ learner-centred methods. This analysis reveals the use of power-asymmetrical turn-taking practices and a potentially exclusive use of gender categories for classroom management. The article concludes by pointing out the potential role of teacher education in fostering Critical L2 CDC. https://www.pflb-journal.de/index.php/pflb/article/view/6282classroom discourseEnglish language teachingsocial justiceteacher competenceCritial Applied Linguisticsinclusion
spellingShingle Peter Schildhauer
A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
PraxisForschungLehrer*innenBildung
classroom discourse
English language teaching
social justice
teacher competence
Critial Applied Linguistics
inclusion
title A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
title_full A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
title_fullStr A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
title_full_unstemmed A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
title_short A Critical Approach to L2 Classroom Discourse Competence
title_sort critical approach to l2 classroom discourse competence
topic classroom discourse
English language teaching
social justice
teacher competence
Critial Applied Linguistics
inclusion
url https://www.pflb-journal.de/index.php/pflb/article/view/6282
work_keys_str_mv AT peterschildhauer acriticalapproachtol2classroomdiscoursecompetence
AT peterschildhauer criticalapproachtol2classroomdiscoursecompetence