Classroom discourse and teacher education: taught or intuitive? John

Introduction Early ideas stressing independence of learners Later ideas prioritise the interaction between teachers and learners-dialogic practice One teacher, one class, Alexander (and others) dialogic practice is more than ‘interactive’teaching

Using talk study Our work in the England with successful teachers transcription of videos of whole lessons. Examples of complex strategies experienced teachers employ. Nomination to produce individualisation and differentiated pace

Working with colleagues in St Vincent and the Grenadines Independent Eastern Caribbean state committed to ‘the Education Revolution’ UWE in collaboration with Ministry of Education programme on educational leadership and management and pedagogical reform Engagement by teachers with educational management and leadership and with dialogic pedagogy

SVG outcomes 48 teachers working on classroom and school improvement Participants focus on examining own practice and embed action research in practice Examining in detail the way talk is used in classrooms.

Discussion Experienced UK teachers liked – transcripts – using video to look at individual pupil participation – reassured by the positive detailed analysis of their practice – no desire to repeat experience Saw practice as intuitive not springing from downward pressure of government intervention SVG teachers identified programme as key to the changes in pedagogy they had made.

Discussion2 Dickinson et al (2009) working with less experienced US teachers noted importance of informing teachers of their progress in practice SVG teachers wanted constructive evaluations but were less interested in micro analysis-like UK teachers Enormous effort into developing approaches, less work on supporting teacher change

Discussion 3 SVG Optimism, teachers grasping the opportunity for change Dickenson, cautious optimism, willingness of teachers to develop practice through a detailed analysis of classroom discourse UK teachers producing dialogic practice claim it as intuitive