Interaction in the Team-taught Classroom: An Investigation of HRTs, ALTs, and Learners

抄録

The number of team-taught classes with assistant language teachers (ALTs) has been increasing year by year. While team teaching has been practiced at elementary schools for over 15 years, there have been few empirical investigations of classroom practice to inform theory and policy. The present research sought to address this gap by applying conversation analysis to examine interaction in the classroom. Analysis revealed three classroom contexts (classroom management, form-and-accuracy, and content-centered) and several trends in interaction, including a hierarchal structure. Furthermore, a link between active involvement in interaction by HRTs and student engagement in lessons was suggested. Results were contrasted against four proposed benefits to team teaching, and, if top-down policy is intended to achieve concrete pedagogical aims, the necessity for a clearer outline of the ALTs' roles was highlighted.