An Investigation Into Teacher Talk In Effective EFL Classroom Context

The fundamental role of language is to serve interaction.To acquire the language,comprehensible input is a must.The EFL learning in China is mainly achieved from classroom teaching and learners get most of their TL input from language teachers.Thus what teachers say become the focus.Since TT in EFL classrooms are both tools of teaching and content to teach and learners receive instructions in the TL and follow TT as models of the TL,more and more classroom research began to shift to the specific research on TT.But research combining TT and effective teaching are rare and what are distinctive features of effective TT and what in the TT facilitates effective language acquisition still ask for more investigation.This paper was written on the basis of SLA theories,borrowing Krashen’s Input Hypothesis,Swain’s Output Hypothesis and Long’s Interaction Hypothesis for support,and took close account into fresh requirements in the new curriculum.By investigating into two effective EFL classes in the Attached Middle School of Huazhong University of Science and Technology(HUST),the writer hopes to find out the distinctive features of effective TT and explore the motivating factors that facilitate effective language acquisition.This study began with classroom observation,and then what were observed were transcribed into written texts for further analysis.Questionnaires collected from students offered data for reference.The focus of the research is mainly on the amount,the quality of TT and since both the classes were under the framework of IRF,interactional modifications,questioning behavior including types of questions,questioning strategies and wait-time,and teachers’ feedback all experienced close investigation and analysis.What were found from the research can be classified into five aspects in the light of research questions and focuses.Firstly,the amount of TT has a quite balanced portion and more time were left for ST.Secondly,teachers were aware of effective TT and dedicated to improving comprehensibility of their TT through repetition,authentic talk and normalized language patterns.The utilization of polite expressions was also a distinguishing feature.Thirdly,checks for comprehension and confirmation equally had high incidence while clarification checks had a tiny increase among competent students.Types of questions raised in the two classes were found no advantage,but questioning strategies were found in a skillful and diversified use.Numerous probing and increasing chaining helped cultivate deep thinking and elevated involvement in students.The wait-time for students’ answers was also found longer than that in previous research,which showed teachers patience and tolerance and gained confidence and anxiety-free in students.Lastly,both teachers had expertise in offering timely,accurate and diversified feedback to students’ responses and their attitudes towards students’ mistakes were conducive to students’ self-development.