Exploring Student Subjectivity Through Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis: Classroom Dynamics and Interactional Strategies

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Sunday 9:50 am Four Seasons Ballroom 2-3
  In Roundtable Session: Climate, Chronotopes, and Conversations: Interrogating the Logics of Critical Inquiry (Table 12)

Abstract

This study investigates student subjectivity within classroom discourse using Post-Structuralist Discourse Analysis (PDA). Traditional classroom interactions often center on teacher-led Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) structures, limiting student agency. By examining classroom interactions and the strategic use of discourse, this research reveals how students assert their subjectivity and navigate power dynamics. Two interactional extracts highlight strategies such as preemptive hand-raising and shifting discourse layers, showing how students engage with and challenge teacher authority. The findings underscore the importance of recognizing student subjectivity in fostering more inclusive and responsive teaching practices.

Authors

• Yiting Wang, East China Normal University

• Tingting Gu, East China Normal University