Framing bilingual classroom discourse: Lessons from Hong Kong secondary school English classes

Framing bilingual classroom discourse: Lessons from Hong Kong secondary school English classes

• Pennington, Martha C. Spires Research Centre, University of Luton, Great Britain

International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2(1), 53-73, 1999

Routledge

1999

• F Learning & Teaching
  • FE Medium of Instruction, Language of Teaching, Bi-& Multilingual Education, Problems of Bilingualism, Code-mixing & Code-switching
• G Curriculum, Teaching & Learning: Specific Disciplines
  • GB English Language
• F Learning & Teaching
  • FH Classroom Communication

Classroom Communication Discourse Analysis English (Second Language) Foreign Countries Models Second Language Instruction Second Language Learning Secondary Education Hong Kong

• Hong Kong

• 1997.7 onwards

• Secondary Education

A model of bilingual classroom discourse is presented as a set of communicational frames illustrated by data from secondary English classes in Hong Kong. The 'innermost' frame, where the second language, English, is most likely to occur, is that in which the lesson is conducted. Linked to this lesson frame is a lesson-support frame which functions to structure communication and behaviour. The teacher is the main participant in this frame, though students may also participate. Institutional messages which are not directly related to communication in the lesson frame are conveyed in an institutional support frame characterised by primary use of the mother tongue rather than the second language. The 'outermost' frame is that in which non-lesson talk occurs, generally in the mother tongue. This commentary frame may be exploited by students to develop a counter-discourse in opposition to the institutional agenda and other sorts of new discourses. The discussion addresses the difficulty faced by teachers in second language contexts in trying to encourage communication and participation in a way which does not marginalise the second language. It also suggests similarities and differences in students' off-lesson talk in other bilingual and non-bilingual school contexts.
[Copyright of International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13670059908666246]

• English

Journal Articles

• 13670050

• 10.1080/13670059908666246

https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/bibs/c0caa8ac

2010-11-24