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Chapter 7. Transitions with “Okay”

Managing language alternation in role-play preparations
  • Tetyana Reichert and Grit Liebscher
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Conversation Analysis and Language Alternation
This chapter is in the book Conversation Analysis and Language Alternation

Abstract

This chapter discusses language alternation and the use of “okay” in peer interactions among German as a foreign language learners at a university in the English-speaking part of Canada. In these peer interactions, learners composed and rehearsed a role-play in German that was subsequently performed in class. A conversation analytic approach, together with positioning theory, is applied to examine learners’ use of these linguistic resources in the sequential organisation of the interaction and in the management of the learning task. We find that “okay” plays a specific role in marking transitions between languages as well as navigating the task and the students’ relationships.

Abstract

This chapter discusses language alternation and the use of “okay” in peer interactions among German as a foreign language learners at a university in the English-speaking part of Canada. In these peer interactions, learners composed and rehearsed a role-play in German that was subsequently performed in class. A conversation analytic approach, together with positioning theory, is applied to examine learners’ use of these linguistic resources in the sequential organisation of the interaction and in the management of the learning task. We find that “okay” plays a specific role in marking transitions between languages as well as navigating the task and the students’ relationships.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Notations used in the transcripts ix
  5. Part I. Overview
  6. Chapter 1. Transitions in the language classroom as important sites for language alternation 3
  7. Chapter 2. Analysing bilingual talk 15
  8. Chapter 3. Overall order versus local order in bilingual conversation 35
  9. Part II. Language alternation in the language classroom
  10. Chapter 4. Language alternation in peer interaction in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) 61
  11. Chapter 5. What is it in Swedish? 83
  12. Chapter 6. L1/L2 alternation practices in students’ task planning 107
  13. Chapter 7. Transitions with “Okay” 129
  14. Chapter 8. Recurring patterns of language alternation practices by EFL novice teachers in Vietnam 149
  15. Chapter 9. Language alternation during L2 classroom discussion tasks 165
  16. Chapter 10. Making teacher talk comprehensible through language alternation practices 183
  17. Part III. Conclusions
  18. Chapter 11. From research to applications 205
  19. References 225
  20. Author index 255
  21. Subject index 259
https://doi.org/10.1075/pbns.295.07rei

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgements vii
  4. Notations used in the transcripts ix
  5. Part I. Overview
  6. Chapter 1. Transitions in the language classroom as important sites for language alternation 3
  7. Chapter 2. Analysing bilingual talk 15
  8. Chapter 3. Overall order versus local order in bilingual conversation 35
  9. Part II. Language alternation in the language classroom
  10. Chapter 4. Language alternation in peer interaction in content and language integrated learning (CLIL) 61
  11. Chapter 5. What is it in Swedish? 83
  12. Chapter 6. L1/L2 alternation practices in students’ task planning 107
  13. Chapter 7. Transitions with “Okay” 129
  14. Chapter 8. Recurring patterns of language alternation practices by EFL novice teachers in Vietnam 149
  15. Chapter 9. Language alternation during L2 classroom discussion tasks 165
  16. Chapter 10. Making teacher talk comprehensible through language alternation practices 183
  17. Part III. Conclusions
  18. Chapter 11. From research to applications 205
  19. References 225
  20. Author index 255
  21. Subject index 259
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