The Partıcıpatory Role of Cooperatıng Teachers Durıng Practıcum Teachıng in Pre-School L2 Classrooms

Abstract

There has been a growing body of research that investigates L2 classroom interaction with micro analytic approach. However, few studies addressed the pre-school L2 interaction from micro analytic perspective. Besides, there is a need for further research on pre-service teachers’ practicum teaching experiences, their use of interactional practices and the role of cooperating teachers. In this sense, this study aims to unearth the interactional domain of common involvement by cooperating teachers during L2 teaching led by pre-service teachers. Data of the study come from the video recordings of actual teaching practices conducted by 50 PSTs. Each pre-service teacher presented lessons of 20 minutes while cooperating teacher was present in pre-school L2 classrooms. Conversation analysis was employed with a focus on multimodal aspects of interaction. The findings of this study show that cooperating teachers initiate non-assigned self-selective turns in order to maintain classroom order, ensure student involvement, give instructions to students, respond to PST turns on behalf of students and give suggestions to the PST. Cooperating teachers also utilize a number of interactional resources oriented to the students such as using address terms (as a verbal alert to the student), hushing and physical contact with the students. This study also presents the overall picture of interactional organization of the participatory role of cooperating teachers during practicum teaching in pre-school L2 classrooms. The findings of the study have implications for teacher training and education and L2 classroom discourse.