An Examination Characterizing Teacher Talk in Book Club Discussions for Diverse Middle School Students

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Teacher Education Across the Disciplines

Abstract

This presentation investigates the types and content of talk teachers and students employ during in-class book club discussions. Three book club discussions from a sixth grade English language arts classroom were examined using descriptive statistics and discourse analysis. These analyses revealed how different participants—teachers, native English speakers, and emerging bilingual speakers—were able to engage in the discussions. The results revealed that the teacher altered her level of participation and the type and content of her talk based upon the English language proficiency of each book club’s student membership. This study illustrates that teachers who do not carefully examine their discourse may hinder the continued development of literary competence for all learners.

Authors

• Mark A. Lewis, Loyola University Maryland

• Margarita Zisselsberger, Loyola University Maryland