Abstract
This study explores how collaborative dialogue occurred among nine English language learners in a university writing class. Classroom discourse was analyzed qualitatively and the paper highlights the functions of reciprocal questioning with “open-ended question starters”, such as “what” and “how,” spoken in Japanese within three small groups. Findings reveal that: 1) while both “what” and “how” questions were expressed, the students did not consider “how” questions, until they obtained answers for their “what” questions; 2) “how” questions promote deeper thoughts among students than “what” questions; 3) both questions ultimately provide the teacher and students with new knowledge; and 4) collaborative dialogue in small groups enables the students to share their uncertainty. The paper concludes that regardless of how intentionally the teacher listens to students’ interactions, it is difficult to engage in each group’s processes. This suggests that a model explaining discourse pattern in collaborative learning within a foreign language class will be beneficial, thus providing implications for classroom practice design.
