Linguistic Competences and Contingency

Today we mostly worked with Contingency and some questions for the text by Leo Van Lier.

Linguistic competence

• Vocabulary
• Pronunciation
  Grammar

Pragmatic competence

How to use language to achieve

Socio-linguistic

Knowing the appropriate lannguage in different contexts

Strategic competence

Conversing

• Taking a risk - new word
• Not using new words but vocabulary you are comfortable with

Discourse competence

Ongoing conversation between two people

If a third person is able to infer the correct meanings without having been there in the beginning

Questions for the Van Lier text:

1. Describe the stages from transmission to transformation and the teacher's role in these.
First of, there is transmission; this is where one person shares knowledge with the learners. In this
stage, it is the teacher's job to give knowledge to the pupils and they are to listen – it is a monologue
from the one who knows, the ''knower''.


Then there's IRF questioning which shows the performance. The learner is being led on by the
knower.


Furthermore, there is transaction, which is an exchange of knowledge. Here it is possible to
compile groups and make group discussions, here the focus is studying in a group where both
parties recieve knowledge.


Transformation comes last. This is a co-construction of meaning and events.
As a teacher you have to fill out many shoes, among others, these are a few of a teacher's role:
- the teacher must be an authoritarian, a role model, a questioner, a controller, a facilitator, a guide.


2. What are the features in the IRF-exchange?
I: Initiation (or question, elicitation)
R: Response (or answer)
F: Feedback (or follow-up, evaluation)


So an IRF-exchange is an exchange between two individuals (for instance teacher/pupil), which contains both Initiation, Response and Feedback.


An example (from the text):
1: A "How many people are talking. Elly? … How many people?" I
2: B "Two people" R
3: A "Yes, that's right, two people." F


Also called the teaching cycle as it is very much used in the classroom.
Designed for instruction.


Main features:
1. It is three turns long.
2. The first and the third turn are produced by the teacher, the second one by the student.
3. The exchange is started and ended by the teacher.
4. As a result of b. and c. the student's turn is sandwiched between two teacher's turn.
5. The first teacher's turn is designed to elicit some kind of verbal response from a student. The teacher often already knows the answer (is "primary knower"), or at least has a specific idea "in mind" of what will count as a proper answer.
6. The second teacher's turn (the third turn in the exchange) is some kind of comment on the second turn, or on the "fit" between the second and the first. Here the student finds out if the answer corresponds with whatever the teacher has "in mind".
7. It is often clear from the third turn whether or not the teacher was interested in the information contained in the response, or merely in the form of the answer, or in seeing if the student knew the answer or not.
8. If the exchange is part of a series, as is often the case, there is behind the series a plan and a direction determined by the teacher. The teacher "leads", the students "follow".


Using this technique, the teacher can lead the students in the direction he wants, and the students will immediately know if the answer is correct. Also, the noise in the classroom will minimize, since the teacher would be talking to one student at a time.
The IRF-exchange allows the teacher to maintain control of the class.


Problems/disadvantages of IRF-exchange
• The response part from the teacher tends to be "rating" - not replying but evaluating, thus judging the students, and this could prove unmotivating.


Ways of initiate the IRF-exchange
1. The teacher asks a question to the room, expecting someone to volunteer the answer, and the teacher can choose someone, who wants to talk.
1. Advantages: Everyone thinks about the answer, and no one is forced to answer.


2. Disadvantages: Some students may get more turns, if they are eager, or they will try to answer it simultaneously -> noise.


2. The teacher asks a specific person to answer his question.
1. Advantages: equality - each pupil has the same chance of getting picked to answer, and the participation will be more orderly - making less noise.


2. Disadvantages: Maybe only the student asked tries to think of the answer (the teacher could of course ask the question before choosing a student), or a student who is not ready or able to answer, could be forced.




3. What are the characteristics of dialogue and conversation?
Dialogue
In dialogue what I say correlates to what you're saying, and the other way around. We connect when
talking, when I speak, your response is a reaction to what I say and the other way around. In
dialogue and discussion, you exchange views and opinions, it's not about agreeing about everything,
but to give and take, and for dialogue partners to consider new views. Dialogue is an ongoing
communication, you don't have to reach a definite conclusion. You don't know what the outcome of
a dialogue will be, the dialogue has it's own outcome and conclusions. It has a 'spirit of its own'. We
can become very involved in the conversation. You co-operate, not compete, so you both enjoy the
experience. The outcome is a good time together.


Conversation
Between two or more people. You are given a topic to discuss, and engage in conversation about the
topic. There is no script to use, you develop the conversation entirely on your own. Conversation is
where you attempt to reach some conclusion or to express some viewpoints among two or more
persons.


4. Describe contingency in a classroom and the different components therein (see figure 20).
The theory concerning contingency revoles around a behavioral theory: this theory says that there is
no opportune way to lead a company, make decisions or organize a corporation.. There is not ONE
right solution for any problem; instead, there has to be accounted for several factors when addressing
a problem.
In a classroom, contingency is a setting where the pupils are:


• Self-determined: motivated, critically thinkers,
• Exploratory: everybody is equal in all aspects
• Prolectic: Invites the less competent with the more competent
• Process-oriented: engaging the students and letting them grow academically
• Symmetrical: rights to speaking are equally shared


Conversational: Unpredictability of sequence and outcome and superficial markers.
There are two extremely important components related to the classroom interaction, which are
equality and symmetry. The teacher, of course, is the one in charge, but then how can you ensure
equality? It is hard. interactional symmetry between unequal partners, has to be a focus point.
Everybody is equal and everybody is entitled to their own opinion.


5. Analyze the cases below by applying Van Lier's contingency interaction theory. Consider what you would have done differently if you were the teacher in this scenario and why. How could the topics have become more conversational?