Creating space for learning through ‘Mm hm’ in a L2 classroom: Implications for L2 classroom interactional competence

Promoting extended student talk in an EFL classroom

“…This interactional path is a systematic sequential organization co-constructed by the participants and managed by the teacher. Drawing from the earlier micro-analytic studies in similar instructional contexts such as alternative questions (Bozbıyık, 2017), elaboration questions (Can-Daşkın, 2015), distinctive minimal response tokens (Girgin & Brandt, 2019), and positive evaluations (Fagan, 2014;Margutti & Drew, 2014), this study contributes to the classroom discourse literature presenting a sequential organization of extended learner talk through those interactional resources when the pedagogical focus is on meaning and fluency. The sequential unfolding of extended learner talk in meaning and fluency contexts involves alternative questions in the first pair part as a sequence opener.…”

“…5, lines 62 & 64) and withheld evaluation turns. Initiation of okay and um um shows teacher's listenership and opens space for interaction (Girgin & Brandt, 2019;Walsh, 2006). Withholding evaluation turns and postponing assessments are suggested by Waring (2008) and Wong and Waring (2009) in order not to suppress learning opportunities.…”

“…In line 12, the instructor initiates a minimal response token (hmm) which is a clear evidence of her listenership. This token functions as a continuer to withhold third turn evaluation of the teacher (Girgin & Brandt, 2019) and apparently encourages s5 to participate and continue to provide the account as the unfolding interaction shows. In line 13, she takes the turn without being invited and confirms her classmate's account.…”

“…One of the agendas of this line of classroom research is to study teacher talk and to unearth the facilitative and supportive classroom environment in which students participate and talk more. A growing number of conversation analytic studies focus on learners who take initiative to participate (Garton, 2012;Jacknick, 2011;Waring, 2011) and facilitative teacher talk that encourages learners to participate and speak more (Girgin & Brandt, 2019;Sert, 2015Sert, , 2017Walsh, 2002), and conversation analytic studies bring concrete interactional evidence from classroom interaction in different contexts.…”

Editorial

“…The topics investigated include minimal response tokens (e.g. mm hm) and how they create space for learning (Girgin and Brandt 2020), epistemic positioning in online discussion forums (Warren and Paulus 2020), the use of indexical expressions in elementary classes (Jadallah et al 2020), coordinating attention for achieving collaboration (Tapio 2020) and topic management in Chinese as a foreign language classrooms (Dolce and van Compernolle 2020). In addition to the methodological diversity represented by the articles (i.e.…”