The Power of Teaching Discourse: A Case Study of the Students at West Virginia State University

Language, which reflects a civilization, is unique for human beings. Teaching discourse also plays an important role in the classroom. This paper intends to answer this research question through analysis of a questionnaire survey and three video clips: How does English function in university classes? With the assistance of Professor Barbara Ladner for her questionnaire distribution at West Virginia State University, the questionnaire was designed to survey the students at West Virginia State University. The result shows that English used in a class does the same function as a kind of teaching discourse. Teachers are suggested to employ proper strategies in vocabulary and expression to make the class effective and efficient. Additionally, three teaching video clips were explored for the investigation of teaching discourse, which shows that a well-structured teaching discourse can help a teacher conduct a successful class.