How EFL Teachers Engage Students: A Multimodal Analysis of Pedagogic Discourse During Classroom Lead-Ins

Abstract

Classroom lead-in is the initial stage for motivating students to become engaged in-class interaction. However, little research, to our knowledge, has analyzed the role of teachers’ multimodal competence reflected through their multimodal pedagogic discourse in the realization of the ultimate goals of classroom lead-ins. Based on the data collected from a teaching contest in China, this paper explores how two-winner teachers utilize their multimodal ensembles of communicative modes to engage students during classroom lead-ins. The analysis shows that different communicative modes construct the higher-level action of lead-in, and they are orchestrated into multimodal ensembles for the specific function of each lead-in move. The findings indicate that EFL teachers’ high multimodal competence plays a decisive role in performing classroom lead-ins, and different lead-ins strategies influence the different orchestration of communicative modes. In constructing multimodal pedagogic discourse, teachers build up their professional image and display their personal charm as well. Future research for multimodal discourse analysis and pedagogic research is suggested in the paper.

The quality enhancement of action research on primary school English instruction in Chinese rural areas: An analysis based on multimodality

“…We probed into these questions from two aspects: the teachers’ choice of multimodal ensembles in their English teaching and the quality enhancement of action research on their English teaching. Our findings corroborate the previous point of view that classroom teaching is a multimodal experience that happens through orchestration of spoken language and an array of other communicative modes, such as gesture, gaze, and facial expression ( Kress et al, 2005 ; Jewitt, 2006 ; Peng, 2019 ; Lim, 2021 ; Qin and Wang, 2021 ). The ensemble of the actions, or the sum of chains of different single actions, belong to the higher-level actions ( Norris, 2004 , 2020 ), which make the actions interdependent ( Zhang and Wang, 2016 ).…”

“…Some empirical evidence demonstrates a significant role of MDA in teacher’s performance or practice. Recently, Qin and Wang (2021) implement a case study including two-winner teachers utilizing their multimodal ensembles of communicative modes to engage students during classroom lead-ins, involving facial expression, gaze, distance, spoken language, print, gesture, head movement, and posture. EFL teachers’ high multimodal competence plays a decisive role in performing classroom lead-ins, and different lead-ins strategies affect the different orchestration of communicative modes ( Qin and Wang, 2021 ).…”

“…Recently, Qin and Wang (2021) implement a case study including two-winner teachers utilizing their multimodal ensembles of communicative modes to engage students during classroom lead-ins, involving facial expression, gaze, distance, spoken language, print, gesture, head movement, and posture. EFL teachers’ high multimodal competence plays a decisive role in performing classroom lead-ins, and different lead-ins strategies affect the different orchestration of communicative modes ( Qin and Wang, 2021 ). Taking the teacher’s facial expression as an example, the role of teachers’ facial expressions in students’ learning is helpful to improve online teaching ( Wang, 2021 ).…”

“…Taking the teacher’s facial expression as an example, the role of teachers’ facial expressions in students’ learning is helpful to improve online teaching ( Wang, 2021 ). Teachers’ facial expression is a direct indicator showing their attitudes toward students ( Qin and Wang, 2021 ). So, teacher’s facial expression could affect students’ learning attitude, motivation, and the qualities of interaction between teacher and students.…”

Analyzing textbook requirements to create physics learning resources

“…Pedagogic competence is one of the competencies that prospective teachers must master [6] because this competency is the main requirement for organizing effective learning in achieving educational goals [7]. Pedagogic competence in managing, designing, and implementing learning [8], evaluating learning outcomes, and developing students to actualize their various potentials.…”