To investigate who speaks and how much during a seminar or tutorial
Aim
To investigate who speaks and how much during a seminar or tutorial
Reflection
We recommend that you begin with an audio recording of part of the session. You may want to gather data on your own teaching.
Now sit back, relax and listen …… Consider:
How much speaking is there?
Who is doing the speaking?
Which students speak?
When does the tutor speak?
When do the students speak?
Information of this kind can highlight the pattern of talk in a seminar room. It can often reveal aspects which surprise us, because it is so difficult to be aware of how much we talk, to whom and when, whilst we are engrossed in the process of teaching itself.
Having identified the pattern of talk we need to decide whether what we do is consistent with our aims. You might like to see if you can change the way you teach in the light of what you have learned in this activity. You could also use a similar approach to investigate different aspects of your interactions with students
