Transfer of responsibility in novice and experienced Iranian EFL teachers’ scaffolding: interactional characteristics

Abstract

Transfer of responsibility for learning from the teacher to the learner has been considered the final aim of successful scaffolding. Despite this importance, few studies have been conducted in this area. The present conversation analytic study examined the scaffolding interactions of a sample of Iranian English language teachers to identify how responsibility for learning was transferred in scaffolding interactions. The teachers were divided into two groups of novice and experienced based on the criteria proposed in the extant literature. The results showed that the novice and experienced language teachers enacted transfer differently. The novice teachers used more high-support moves, like models and questions with scarce use of low-support moves, thereby mostly curbing the transfer process. However, the experienced teachers used a wider range of scaffolding strategies especially low-support moves to encourage learners to use their learning potentials. The novice teachers mismanaged repair-initiations while experienced teachers mainly ended repair-initiations in self-repairs. The study suggests that the teachers’ experience level can significantly impact their scaffolding interactions with students. Further, it highlights the significance of providing ongoing professional development and training opportunities for language teachers to improve their ability to provide effective scaffolding. Overall, the study highlights the need for continued research in this domain.