ENGAGING UNMOTIVATED EFL LEARNERS IN CLASSROOM TALK

 

Haifa Alnofaie

Asst. Prof., Taif University, Saudi Arabia, haifa.alnofaie@gmail.com

 

 

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the teacher’s efforts in engaging her unmotivated EFL learners in classroom talk. The paper identifies elicitation techniques that the teacher used in the third turn of the triadic exchange for extending turn-taking. It also identifies the types of learner initiatives that create learning opportunities. The teacher, who is the author, introduced 8 Saudi learners of EFL (aged 18) to a mystery, and they were required to take turns in classroom talk. 40 minutes of classroom interaction were recorded and analysed qualitatively. The analysis was informed by CA methodology. The paper shows that the teacher role moved beyond giving negative or positive feedback. Her role entailed extending learners’ responses through inviting disagreement, suggesting alternatives, paraphrasing and shaping learners’ responses, linking learners’ contributions and increasing wait-time. As a result of her efforts, learners were engaged in different types of turn taking, including presenting new ideas, building on others, disagreeing with others and extending one’s turn. Another finding was that, during interaction, learners were not only engaged in turn-taking, but they were also learning the use of the new language. These findings add to the small body of available literature on elicitation techniques that involve learners in extended turns and create space for learning.  It is hoped that the findings in this paper could inform EFL teaching practices. More investigations that address the issue of engaging unmotivated EFL learners in classroom interaction are needed, and more teaching techniques that would facilitate their engagement need to be identified.          

Keywords: unmotivated learners, EFL, elicitation techniques, turn taking, learner initiatives, learning opportunities