L’actuació discursiva d’un mestre novell en una classe de llengua catalana: gestió de l’aula i construcció del coneixement

Abstract

This article presents a case study analysing interaction in the classroom in Catalan language teaching and learning in the fourth year of primary school. In specific terms, the analysis focuses on the oral discursive behaviour of an inexperienced teacher, and considers the classroom management and knowledge building strategies used. Using the analysis tool discussed by Castellà et al. (2007), which classifies discursive social relationship strategies in the classroom and discursive knowledge building strategies, this research considers whether during the session observed, the teacher is an effective teacher from the discursive point of view, and the didactic implications of his discursive behaviour. The results show that the teacher uses more classroom management strategies than knowledge building strategies, and that the knowledge built is scarce, superficial and repetitive. Indeed, the conclusions show to what extent interaction builds knowledge, and the nature of the knowledge that is built. Based on the assumption that interaction is a means for building knowledge rather than an end in itself, the predominance of classroom management strategies throughout the session shows that the teacher basically uses interaction to create knowledge, i.e. his skill in classroom management facilitates the teaching and learning of new knowledge. However, the knowledge that is built is characterised by the introduction of little content, the absence of metalinguistic reflection and little explanatory discourse. The conclusion of the article is that the teacher acts as a strategic inexperienced teacher, in that his skill in classroom management alleviates his lack of expertise in building knowledge. This research is of interest due to its analysis of the discursive performance of an inexperienced teacher. This may contribute to the improvement of teacher training and practice.