Abstract:
This study examines the possibility of using of IRF (Initiation-
Response-Follow-up) sequence of teacher-student interaction in Sri
Lankan ESL (English as a Second Language) classes for developing
longer interactional exchanges which are believed to be useful for
language development. Usually, in Sri Lankan ESL classes, teachers ask
more display questions and a few referential questions. As a result,
teacher-student interaction occurs only occasionally and they follow the
traditional IRF pattern with an evaluation at the third move. Teachers
could develop longer interactional exchanges by giving follow-up
questions or prompts at the third move of the IRF sequence so that
students respond, elaborate, explain or prolong their responses. This
study examines how the teacher trainees on their teaching practice of a
TESL degree programme at a university interacted with their students in
ESL classes and how they changed their pattern of interaction to sustain
more student interaction. Using lecture discourse data as the basis of the
analysis, this study evaluated the changes after an intervention that
focussed on training the teacher trainees in developing longer
interactional episodes. The results revealed that there was only a slight
improvement in the way teacher trainees maintained interactions in the
lessons after the intervention. Hence, this study enlightens the
possibility of utilizing interaction for language development through
intensive teacher training.
