Applied Linguistics and Language Teacher Education by Nat Bartels

BALOCCO, CARVALHO AND SHEPHERD 125First, it was hoped that, in peer-mediated discussion groups, research participants wouldbe more forthcoming in terms of what they perceive as the impact of the DA modules ontheir classrooms, since “focus groups are ideal for exploring people’s experiences,opinions, wishes and concerns” (Barbour & Kitzinger, 2001: 5). A second considerationrefers to genre expectations: the essay-like format of the written text, handed in to one ofthe course tutors, may have constrained what could be said. It was thus decided to use amethod of data collection which would ensure texts resulting from reaction, orspontaneous response.Another very important decision was made, at this point, regarding the analyticalfocus of the research. As the exclusive concern with the language of Attitude, in the firststage of the research, yielded limited results, it was felt that a broader focus wouldensure more enlightening findings. It was thus decided to widen the scope of theresearch to include the study of the respondents’ representations of discourse, ofdiscourse analysis (as a discipline), and of what it takes to use discourse analysis in theclassroom.The methodological decision meant going beyond analysis of how respondentsverbalize their perceptions of eventual changes in their classrooms, and tackling theissue of what is verbalized in their speech. This required a theoretical framework for thestudy of social representations and a methodological framework for content analysis,both found in the work of social psychologist Mary Jane Spink.Social representations, to Spink (1994:118), are a form of practical knowledgethrough which we make sense of the world, and on the basis of which we interact withothers. It is through analysis of individuals’ concrete social and discursive practices thatwe have access to these representations, or practical knowledge.Thus, in the second stage of the research, we set out to probe into FL teachers’practical knowledge, or representations of discourse and discourse analysis. It wasbelieved that analysis of these representations would throw light on the factors involvedin the perceived changes in their classrooms (if any), among other relevant issues.4.1 - Compiling the spoken dataThe eleven students enrolled in the Diploma course were invited to take part in a 15-minute Focus Group discussion session, to which they should bring pedagogicmaterials/coursebooks adopted at their schools. In order to ensure more spontaneousinteraction, the sessions were mediated by one of the STs, specially trained by theresearchers. This training was an attempt to ensure that the discussants did not stray fromthe topic suggested in the prompt (see below) and also that they illustrated, as often aspossible, the points they were making.The STs were allocated in two separate groups according to whether they taught atsecondary schools or at private language schools. This was yet another ploy to ensureplenty of opportunity for the participants to exchange ideas, this time delving into apossible relationship between the kind of school where they worked and the nature of the