Understanding Communication in Second Language Classrooms

The author constructs a conceptual framework that clarifies patterns of classroom communication. The paperback edition offers an integrated view of communication in second language classrooms - one that acknowledges the importance of what teachers and students bring to the class environment, as well as what actually occurs during face-to-face communication within the classroom. Drawing on actual classroom transcripts from a range of instructional settings, Johnson constructs a conceptual framework through which teachers can recognize how patterns of classroom communication are established and maintained, how these patterns affect students' participation in classroom events, and how their participation shapes the ways they use language for learning and their opportunities for second language acquisition. Relevant research is presented from the areas of classroom discourse, language in communities, teacher cognition, classroom learning, and second language acquisition.