Rich talk: An ethnographic study of how grade one students respond and react to current best practice oral communication teaching methodologies

Abstract

This thesis documents the teacher-researcher's efforts to implement best practice oral communication in her Grade One classroom, over a period of 5 months. In an introduction to oral communication pedagogical theory, the author highlights a gap between academic theory and current recommendations for implementation in English speaking Boards of Education worldwide. Challenging the traditional ideal of a silent classroom, this study examines how students respond and react to a range of learning activities aimed at producing meaningful oral interaction. The study provides commentary on those daily realities of classroom life that may support or hinder the development of oral communicative competence and the implementation of academic theory. Findings link oral communication teaching to elevated reading proficiency, student empowerment and the creation of community in the primary classroom.