A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF LECTURER-STUDENT INTERACTION IN ENGLISH MEDIUM SCIENCE LECTURES

Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 2013, 7(2), 117-136. A STUDY ON PERCEPTION OF LECTURER-STUDENT INTERACTION IN ENGLISH MEDIUM SCIENCE LECTURES Abdul Majeed Mohamed NAVAZ1 Abstract: This paper, which is a part of a thesis, investigates the perception and practice of lecturers and students with regard to lecturer-student interaction in English medium science lectures of a university in Sri Lanka where English is a second language. This paper argues that dialogic lecturer-student interaction, which enables students to take a more active role in discussions compared to the use of recitation scripts (questions-answers-evaluations) developed in non-dialogic interactions, is likely to be beneficial for students’ content (lecture comprehension) and language development. The study revealed the complexity of the perception-practice dynamic, and the multi-faceted sub-set of factors which influenced students’ and lecturers’ behaviour in class, and their perception of that behaviour. Students’ lecture comprehension and classroom interaction were influenced by their language proficiency, though the students considered the lecturers’ lecture delivery style to be more important than their own language proficiency. This study also revealed that a culturally-embedded behaviour perpetuated by senior students, known as ragging (a kind of bullying), restricted the classroom interaction of the students. Keywords: Interaction, English Medium Instruction, dialogic, non-dialogic Özet: Bir tezin bölümü olan bu çalışma, İngilizce’nin ikinci dil olarak kullanıldığı Sri Lanka’da bir üniversitenin İngilizce olarak sürdürülen bilim derslerinde öğretmenlerin ve öğrencilerin öğretmen-öğrenci etkileşimine dair algılarını ve uygulamalarını incelemektedir. Bu araştırma, diyalojik olmayan etkileşimlerdeki ezbere senaryoların (soru-cevap-değerlendirme) kullanılmasıyla karşılaştırıldığında öğrencilerin tartışmalarda daha aktif bir rol almalarını sağlayan diyalojik öğretmen-öğrenci etkileşimlerinin öğrencilere içerik (dersi anlama) ve dil gelişimleri için daha faydalı olabileceğini ileri sürmektedir. Bu makale algı-uygulama dinamiğinin karmaşıklığını, sınıfta öğrencilerin ve öğretmenlerin davranışlarını etkileyen çok yönlü faktörleri, ve öğretmen ve öğrencilerin bu davranışları nasıl algıladıklarını ortaya koymaktadır. Her ne kadar öğrenciler öğretmenlerin ders verme tarzlarının onların dil yeterliğinden daha önemli olduklarını düşünseler de, öğrencilerin dersi anlamaları ve sınıf etkileşimleri onların dil yeterliğinden etkilenmektedir. Bu çalışma aynı zamanda ortaya çıkarmaktadır ki zorbalık veya bir tür sataşma olarak da bilinen son sınıf öğrencileri tarafından gösterilen kültürle iç içe geçmiş bir davranış öğrencilerin sınıf etkileşimlerini sınırlamaktadır. Anahtar sözcükler: Etkileşim, Öğretim Dili Olarak İngilizce, diyalojik, diyalojik olmayan 1. Introduction This study was undertaken in the context of English medium science lectures at a small faculty in a Sri Lankan university where English is spoken as a second language (ESL). This study focuses on investigating lecturer-student interaction as a remedial measure to overcome the problems faced by students in ESL science lectures, in particular the students’ lecture comprehension difficulties and limited oral language proficiency in their second language (i.e. English). In this study, I argue that dialogic lecturer-student interaction is likely to be beneficial to both students’ content and language development. Dialogic interaction can be defined simply as a mutual dialogue that takes place between a lecturer and students. In other words, an interaction in which 1 Dr., Senior Lecturer, English Language Teaching Unit, South Eastern University of Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka, Navaz both the lecturer and the students mutually contribute to the discourse with a view to exploring or developing a concept in a lesson. This study is not experimental in nature, nor does it aim to find a direct relationship between variables, for example, between interaction and content learning. Rather, it collects evidence to investigate the feasibility of practising dialogic interaction in ESL science lectures at the Faculty of Applied Sciences (hereinafter referred to as FAS) of a Sri Lankan university as a pioneer study in the South Asian region. For this purpose, this study examines the extent of dialogic interaction practised and the factors that influence interaction in ESL science lectures at FAS, by analysing data relating to both (i) student and lecturer perceptions about ESL science lectures and (ii) the actual practice and discourse of a sample of such lectures. This analysis helps to explore the nature of the existing situation and make recommendations for future changes, having given due consideration to political, institutional and personal factors. Within the scope of this paper, I include the methodology and findings pertaining to the student and lecturer perceptions of lecturer-student interaction and the factors that influence interaction. 2. Context of the study This study is undertaken in an English Medium Instruction (EMI) context in tertiary level science undergraduate classes, with students whose entire school study has been conducted in L1 (Tamil), and who now have to study in the university through English. English is used as a medium of instruction in the tertiary institutes in Sri Lanka to teach different subjects/courses to undergraduate and postgraduate students, while L1 instruction is also widely available for courses, especially in the Arts and Humanities. All universities have a mandate to develop the language competency of the students by means of teaching them through English. 3. Locating this study Classroom interaction is considered to be important for learning, so any attempt to improve teaching and learning should consider classroom interaction as a potential area for development (Walsh, 2011). This claim is made based on the assertion that language is the medium of acquiring new knowledge and also, in language classes, language is used as both the medium as well as the goal of the study (ibid.). Similarly, oral interaction that occurs between teacher and students and among students is deemed to be important in creating a suitable learning environment and for learners’ development (Hall & Verplaetse, 2000). In addition, interaction in content classes may help students’ academic L2 competency (Verplaetse, 2000) by giving them the opportunity to practise the language to reach fluency and hear the academic talk and later appropriate it. Hence, it is generally believed that through interaction, not only students’ academic communication skills, but also their second language develops (ibid.). On this basis, the argument developed in this study is that dialogic interaction could enhance the students’ content as well as language development in tertiary level ESL science lectures. In order to provide a solid basis for this argumen (...truncated)