Investigating EFL classroom interaction process in Iraqi intermediate schools

Abstract EN

In recent times, the traditional interaction structures of English both language classrooms and roles of teachers and students are gradually changing.

This marks the shift from the teacher-centered classrooms to student-centered classrooms; moving towards „student-centered learning‟ and„collaborative working modes‟.

The contemporary educational world views teachers and students as communicators.

In such situations students get more opportunity to „participate‟, „observe‟, „reflect on‟ and „practice social ways‟.

These opportunities expose the students to a more „meaning-making‟ and „knowledge construction processes‟.

The shift from traditional teaching and learning process to the contemporary one has posed great challenges for teachers, who are always working under pressure to complete the syllabus designed for the academic year.

In such a situation it is very important to ascertain if this idea of student-centered classroom is present in the recent classroom.

Educationally oriented research into classroom interaction makes it essential for further studies into the classroom interaction in the modern classroom.

Hence, this study aims to observe the interaction process that takes place in English classrooms of four government schools in Hilla (Centre of Babylon Governorate).

This paper also suggests measures to improve classroom interaction and language learning in the English classes.

The main findings from the study are as follows: (a) the classroom interaction is teacher- centered, (b) teachers partially facilitate learning, the classrooms are controlled by teachers (c) the ratio of the teacher-talk is more than student-talk."