ABSTRACT

In this conversation analytic study, we investigate requests for assistance in the third-age (65+) language classroom. Seven Dutch seniors participated in a one-month course of English as a foreign language. We found that these seniors asked many language-related questions which fell into one of three categories: (1) production-oriented questions, (2) comprehension-oriented questions and (3) wonderment questions. These questions differ in the ways the sequences are shaped: (a) what precedes the request for assistance, (b) the person who is recruited to provide the assistance, (c) the person who offers the assistance, and (d) the response to the provided assistance and the subsequent interaction. We found wonderment questions to be the most prevalent category. Our findings suggest that the senior learners in our data show clear ownership and agency over their own learning process, demonstrated by their active participation and frequent (wonderment) questions in the classroom.

摘要

在此对话分析研究中，我们调查了第三年龄（65 岁以上）语言课堂中的协助请求。七名荷兰高年级学生参加了为期一个月的英语外语课程。我们发现这些老年人问了许多与语言相关的问题，这些问题属于以下三类之一：(1) 生产导向的问题，(2) 理解导向的问题和 (3) 好奇问题。这些问题在序列形成方式上有所不同：(a) 在请求帮助之前发生了什么，(b) 被招募来提供帮助的人，(c) 提供帮助的人，以及 (d) 回应提供的帮助和随后的互动。我们发现好奇问题是最普遍的类别。