Three examples of classroom talk with accompanying transcripts
On this page you can see three extracts from classroom activities that have been recorded and transcribed by one of the participants in the activity.Listen to the recordings and read through the transcripts. You will notice differences between the transcripts in the way the notation symbols have been used. You may also notice places where the transcript does not represent what you hear in the recording.
These differences don't matter for the purposes of this activity. In all these cases, the group members would meet to compare their transcripts, with any differences providing a useful topic for discussion.
1. What are we supposed to do?
In this extract, four students (two male - C and D, and two female - A and B) are working on a task in class. A and B are trying to work out what they are supposed to do. C teases B and talks to D in Greek and B in English. D translates from Greek into English.
What are we supposed to do?
A: eh the definition
B: what eh
A: and we find something (.) what do they share?
C: Tha tin neuriaso simera (translation: I will make her angry today)
B: don't gossip (h.)
C: ha ha
B: ha ha
B: what did he say Ilias?
D: what?
C: pest is (translation: tell her)
D: to say
C: pest is (translation: tell her)
D: he said eh (.h) that he eh wants to make you eh angry today
B: hmmm (h.)
C: you'll see at the end of the lesson
A: ha ha ha
C: you'll want to kill me
B: what are we supposed to do just ignore him
A: here
B: it's the table
A:.. read the definitions?
C: haha
A: and what ehm think
B: all the definitions?
2. Are you reflective?
In this extract, three students (one male - C, and two female - A and B) discuss a self-diagnosis 'learning styles' questionnaire they have completed. They talk about whether they consider themselves to be 'reflective' or 'active' learners, or both.
Are you reflective?
A: I think [if you yes]
B: [Yea ]
C: [ha ha]
A: if you are o:n en the extreme end of any of these scales↑. It
means you: are: only reflective↑. You can't do anything which
[involves action. ]
C: [Yea, that's that's the way I am.]
A: but if you are:: (0.5), like somewhere in the middle, it means
you can reflect=
B: yes=
A: but when there's a need and you need to take action↑ (.) or there
are tasks that involve [action↑]
C: [you can handle it]
A: yo- yea, [you can do that too.]
B: [O:K: maybe (.) you mean (.) more refle- (1.3) ]=
A: [=reflective as well as active. (.) both.]
B: [=reflexible. °yeah°]
C: yeah. (0.4) which is (.) erm useful but (0.7) kind of (1.8) boring really, () isn't it? ()=
B: =[he he he]
A: [no, I (1.5)]=
C: [=ha ha ha ha ]
A: [=actually when I was: trying to solve this: er er
questionnaire] doing wh (.) whatever the test↑
3. Studying 'British culture'
In this extract, three students are talking. Student A (male) asks student B (male) about the value of studying 'British culture' as part of his pre-undergraduate English for academic purposes programme. Student C (female) briefly interjects to clarify A's answer.
Studying 'British culture'
A: What- what di- what've you- err what did you think about ermmm ((LS)) the cultural (.) s- studies was it- British cultural?
B: British cultural.
A: Yeah.
B: (.hhhhh( Eea::h When we started- when we start this lesson (.) it's really boring because you say ((LS)) I came here to learn some English and to learn some- in business management n- not to learn about errr culture in England because ((LS)) you think that I will stay here ((LS)) at least four years so I will learn it. ((LS)) Bu:::t no::w I think that is very useful this errr subject because (.) you have to learn this (.) from the first year,
A: Hmm.
B: and errrm (.) now we know about the government of England, we know about the territory of England, we learn about Shakespeare and other things so it's very useful.
A: Do you think it errm (.) like does it make you feel more confident in like going out and speaking to people? I mea:::n (.) I guess (.hhh( (.) ya know if yo- if you (.) spoke- went and spoke to someone on the street and asked them about the government (.) you know (.) they- they wouldn't really (.) have much to say probably about it ya know they- they wouldn't- wouldn't be too interested in it.
B: (Yea(=
A: =ya know- do y- do you think that's kind of been- h- how important do you think it's been for like ya know m- making ya English bedder?
B: (.) [((X)(]
A: ((LS)) [or- or- or kind of making- making you feel more confident about (.) like jus' go- like going out you know a:nd >I (d'know(< speaking to people, ya know going and doing- doing things.
C: That class he's taking British civilization? No British: er culture? Is that what your talkin' about?
B: ((LS)) Yeah I don't er[r under- understand.
C: [How tha- that course has helped him (0.0) develop his English?
A: (0.0) Errr well yeah I mean if it has (0.0) ya know if you- you think it has at all.
B: (0.0) ((LS)) I don't understand (what you XXX)=
A: =Yeh-yeah no that's fine that's fine.
((A switches to new topic))
