INSTRUCTIONAL CONVERSATIONS IN SYNCHRONOUS ENVIRONMENTS: MULTIPLE CASE STUDIES OF ESOL INSTRUCTORS

Abstract

Inspired by the sociocultural theory (SCT) for language learning, this qualitative multiple case study examines the implementation of instructional conversations (ICs) of instructors of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) teaching novice adult learners in online synchronous environments. It addresses the lack of research, informed by teachers themselves, on the implementation of ICs with ESOL adult learners in synchronous environments, and how their beliefs and second language acquisition theories (SLA) influence that. The purpose of this study is to explore how SLA manifests in ICs, how they are demonstrated, and how instructors apply ICs in a synchronous online classroom. This study employs a qualitative multiple case study methodology using semi-structured interviews, recordings of synchronous sessions and follow- up interviews to investigate the beliefs and attitudes as well as the synchronous classroom actions of three ESOL instructors regarding SLA, and how ICs may be used to mediate language learning. This qualitative study is grounded in the social and ecological constructivist paradigms to learning and teaching. It builds on existing theories of assistance through language mediation and is guided by SCT of second language learning. The findings show that orchestration of ICs in the synchronous online environment reflects an ecological approach that recognizes the holistic nature of language learning and values the interconnected aspects including pedagogy, task, purposeful use of the affordances of the digital technology and that the way these depend on and influence one another. These findings further support an SLA-informed and teacher-inspired language pedagogy and contribute to refining synchronous online language instruction that mediates language learning and development.