Face and Enactment of Identities in the L2 Classroom

By (author) Joshua Alexander Kidd

Publication date:

03 March 2016

Publisher

Multilingual Matters

Dimensions:

210x148mm
6x8"

ISBN-13: 9781783094998

This book examines student identities as revealed through the pragmatics of face as observed in the context of English L2 classroom interaction between Japanese students and a native speaker teacher. Classroom recordings together with retrospective interviews reveal specific points during learning activities when the students’ and their teacher’s interpretations of classroom communication deviate from what was intended. This research study is a potent reminder that what students and teachers may consider as standard and conventionally acceptable language use and behaviour within the classroom context can differ dramatically according to social, cultural and individual frames of reference. The book outlines an innovative teacher professional development programme which encourages teachers to reflect on and, where desired, modify or discontinue existing pedagogic practices.

Foreword

Research Origins

Part 1

Chapter 1: The Research

Chapter 2: English Education in Japan

Chapter 3: Pragmatics

Chapter 4: Face/Identity and Politeness Theory

Part 2

Chapter 5: Methodology and Data Collection

Part 3

Chapter 6: Results

Chapter 7: Face and Student Collaboration

Chapter 8: Alignment to Japanese Identities

Chapter 9: Teacher Use of L1 Japanese

Chapter 10: The Right to Silence: Silence As An Act Of Identity

Part 4

Chapter 11: Professional Development Conclusions and Implications

References

This timely book offers a theoretically engaging, deeply insightful and richly illustrated argument for the need in second language teaching and learning, teacher education and research, to (re)consider the construction of student identities as revealed through the pragmatics of face. It highlights the ways in which the students and their teacher interpret in diverse ways what it is that is going on and who it is that learners can be in classroom interaction, with consequences for the negotiation of face and the construction of identities.