Introduction
Teachers should use proper strategies when focusing on English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms if positive results are to be recorded. These professionals should be in a position to connect with the targeted students, monitor both nonverbal and verbal cues, and check their level of understanding. For this analysis, the targeted level was that of learners in grade six. With the beneficiaries having diverse backgrounds, teachers need to make the classroom environment more comfortable, rely on the use of visual aids, and concentrate on the exhibited backchannels.
Narrative Analysis
The presented excerpt depicts an ESL classroom learning session intended to stimulate a sense of conversation while at the same time supporting the learners using visual aids. The teacher uses photographs to increase the level of provocation while at the same time being able to think deeper. The beneficiaries are expected to use the English language while having a sense of control in the classroom (Tang, 2020). As the individuals examine the photographs, they can develop their thought-processing patterns and learn how to interact with each other.
From the analysis, it becomes clear that the five subsystems of language are notable in the selected excerpt. For pragmatics, the emerging three theoretical concepts include speech acts, nonverbal, and physical context. The individuals appear to engage in various speech acts, such as stating their views and matching their words with the presented photographs. For nonverbal, the concept of backchannel is evident whereby some of the students raise their hands or nod in agreement (Tang, 2020). The physical context represents the favorable classroom setting whereby the learning process takes place.
When it comes to syntax, the teacher succeeds in providing the major guidelines that dictate the course of the class. The first theoretical concept is that of rules whereby the individuals are required to provide their response sentences based on what is displayed in the selected photograph. For principles, the teacher requires that the learners use simple words to present their views and thoughts (Demo, 2001). In terms of processes as a key theoretical concept, learners are guided to combine verbal and nonverbal elements in describing their observations and thoughts.
The subsystem of morphology is evident from the presented excerpt since the teacher wanted to increase the level of comprehension. The first theoretical concept is that of root or vocabulary knowledge whereby learners are exposed to a raincoat, dress, and gumboot (Singh et al., 2022). The second is derivational morphology depicts the connection between the presented images and vocabulary to expand the students’ knowledge. The third one is that of inflectional morphology and entails vowel change or affixation. In the excerpt, the teacher introduces the plural form of gumboots.
Several concepts of phonology are evident from the excerpt that the teacher uses to support or improve the level of comprehension in the ESL classroom. For instance, student 6 (S6) says: “it is beautiful” to describe how he/she likes the presented item. This presents the concept of prosody as a critical phonological attribute. The second theory is that of intonation since the teacher raises and lowers the voice used to convey the intended message (Anas & Zakaria, 2019). The third concept is that of stress whereby the teacher relies on the use of photographs to emphasize or guide the thoughts of the learners.
Semantics is evident in the selected excerpt as a powerful subsystem of language. The first concept is the use of object v. function whereby the students are introduced to gumboots and required to describe how people use them. The second concept is that of descriptive adjectives utilized during the conversation (Tang, 2020). The specific example is the use of the word “beautiful” to denote the attributes of the intended object. The third example is that of meanings whereby learners get to appreciate that fashion and attires could be used for clothing as well as personal protection purposes.
From the studied excerpt, it is evident that the selected learners are involved and willing to acquire additional insights about attires and PPEs. By focusing on the presented backchannels, the educator can pinpoint some of the students who might be having difficulties in acquiring the presented content (Anas & Zakaria, 2019). The teacher can respond to them by providing additional or personalized instructions (Singh et al., 2022). A proper analysis of the needs of every individual could be essential to reduce gaps and support the learning process. The use of discourse analysis becomes essential to investigate how the beneficiaries use and apply the presented language.
From the excerpt, it is evident that additional instructional improvements could be considered. For example, the teacher can identify other visual techniques to maximize the level of engagement. The teachers can go further to offer personalized guidelines while focusing on all the theoretical concepts associated with the major subsystems of the English language (Singh et al., 2022). The ultimate aim should be to improve comprehension and ensure that the beneficiaries can utilize the presented language most naturally.
The professional can realize that some of the students might be having difficulties expressing themselves. The best example is that of the learner who appears to keep quiet instead of responding. The consideration of the depicted backchannels could become a powerful strategy for identifying the existing gaps and opportunities (Anas & Zakaria, 2019). By considering additional classroom engagements, the teacher can be able to improve the offered content, improve the level of interaction, and maximize the level of freedom available to the beneficiaries. The result is that the process of teaching in an ESL environment will improve significantly.
Altering Classroom Discourse
ESL classrooms usually include more learners with diverse backgrounds and expectations. In a study by Demo (2001), it occurred that most of these individuals relied on the strategies associated with their first languages to pursue their second language goals. Consequently, the absence of proper support mechanisms and guidelines directly linked to the intended language led to communication misunderstandings and difficulties. The nature of these problems could explain why professionals in the field need to alter classroom discourse (Shinga & Pillay, 2021). The consideration of ideas and concepts emerging from different studies could be appropriate to improve the process.
The first change to facilitate the intended learning experience is to make ESL discourse analysis the norm. Teachers would need to embrace the four-step model to examine their activities and the gaps recorded in the classroom. The emerging insights should influence a paradigm shift whereby teachers would be able to observe the recorded backchannels and intervene accordingly (Demo, 2001). This approach will make it possible for the targeted students to overcome their worries while at the same time being empowered to pursue greater goals.
The second strategy revolves around the idea of ensuring that the targeted beneficiaries become skilled discourse analysts. This approach will guide them to monitor their conversations with others, identify recorded gaps, and consider how they can make significant improvements. This effort will make it possible for them to monitor the recorded discouraging patterns and eventually improve their abilities (Shinga & Pillay, 2021). These learners will be in a position to adapt to different settings, embrace additional activities, and eventually improve their mastery of the targeted secondary language.
The third approach revolves around the expansion of the initiatives and methods teachers apply to expand the comprehension of their learners. By considering the attributes of the presented excerpt, it is evident that educationists can improve the effectiveness of the learning environment and make it favorable (Shinga & Pillay, 2021). The professionals can go further to offer additional assistive devices, photographs, and visual aids to maximize the learners’ exposure (Demo, 2001). The teachers should consider emerging opportunities and offer personalized resources that can allow more individuals to have exposure to various discourse types. These attributes will make it easier for the targeted learners to practice widely, liaise with each other, and eventually, be ready to engage in the diverse world.
Conclusion
ESL teachers need to be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of their learners to support them accordingly. The described excerpt reveals how the developed content should be in tandem with the subsystems of the English language. The concept of discourse analysis becomes a powerful method for analyzing the adopted teaching methods and ensuring that the much-needed communicative objectives are realized. The continuous collaboration of teachers and learners remains critical to identifying gaps, pinpointing opportunities, and ensuring that timely outcomes are eventually recorded. The establishment of better learning environments, provision of additional resources, and creation of personalized content are some of the recommendations that could help more people achieve their proficiency goals in a second language.
References
Anas, F. A., & Zakaria, N. Y. K. (2019). ESL learners’ perceptions on English subtitled audio-visual materials. Creative Education, 10(12), 2796-2803. Web.
Demo, D. A. (2001). Discourse Analysis for Language Teachers. ERIC Digest. ERIC Development Team.
Shinga, S., & Pillay, A. (2021). Why do teachers code-switch when teaching English as a second language? South African Journal of Education, 41(1), 1-7. Web.
Singh, C. K. S., Singh, H. K. J., Singh, T. S. M., Moneyam, S., Abdullah, N. Y., & Zaini, M. F. (2022). ESL teachers’ assessment literacy in the classroom: A review of past studies. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 18(1), 1-17. Web.
Tang, K. N. (2020). Challenges and importance of teaching English as a medium of instruction in Thailand International College. English as an International Language, 15(2), 97-118. Web.