Call for proposals

Classroom Interactions and the Construction of  Knowledge at School

Since the early 2000s, research data have shown the fundamental place of language in the scaffolding of knowledge at school, regardless of the subjects concerned (Babault, 2015; Bigot et al., 2017; Gajo, 2007; Garcia-Debanc et al., 2009; Jaubert, 2007; Hache, 2019; Schneeberger & Vérin, 2009, Volteau & Rançon, 2015). Paradoxically, teachers are generally not trained to consider the different aspects of language activity in their subjects (Babault, 2018). At the same time, other research has shown that a significant proportion of the school population is weakened by an insufficient mastery of the fundamentals of the language of education, whether they are migrant pupils or pupils whose first language is the language of education  (Klein, 2012; Mendonça Dias & Millon Faure, 2018).

These various studies highlight the need to reflect upon the linguistic aspects intertwined in the scaffolding of a subject. Within the language set, classroom interactions play a predominant role in learners' conceptualisation of knowledge (Filliettaz & Schubauer-Leoni, 2008; Munford & Zembal-Saul, 2002; Rivière, 2012; Silveira & Munford, 2020; Skovholt, 2017). However, classroom interactions in school subjects, other than modern foreign languages, are still insufficiently explored. It could be assumed that this is linked to their position at the intersection of several research fields. Thus, some relevant issues still need to be explored by further studies. We can ask ourselves the following questions : how do classroom interactions support the scaffolding of knowledge? What role does teacher discourse play in these interactions? Are classroom interactions characterised by specific features for each subject? How can students with very diverse profiles all benefit from these classroom interactions?

Furthermore, after two years of adapting classrooms to the conditions imposed by COVID, these questions also apply to distance classroom interaction situations. In response to time, location or sanitary constraints, distance learning tends to offer teachers numerous ways of developing their presence in distance interactions (Jézégou, 2010) so that they can maintain social and pedagogical interactions with their learners. However, due to multiple constraints, it is quite a difficult task  to "tame the distance" (Jacquinot, 1993) in order to achieve fruitful exchanges in the service of learning. As a matter of fact, distance changes and minimises non-verbal communicative activities (Develotte et al., 2011) or collaboration between learners (Crinon et al., 2003; Connac, 2017) to the point of increasing the degree of heterogeneity between students.

We need a multi- and interdisciplinary perspective in order to answer these questions. We invite interactionists, specialists in discourse analysis, researchers in educational sciences and didacticians from all disciplines (mathematics, history, geography, science, etc.) to contribute to a cross-sectional view of classroom interactions by comparing their conceptual and methodological tools.

During this conference, we welcome papers from multidisciplinary work. Papers may also be rooted in a specific disciplinary field, while opening the debate based on different points of view.

 The proposals for papers may be in one of the following areas:

 Axis 1: Classroom interactions and student heterogeneity

This axis aims to highlight the diversity of student profiles in classroom interactions, whether in terms of the varying forms of student involvement in interactions (Havik and Westergård, 2019) or the taking into account of 'socially differentiated difficulties' (Bautier, 2006). We will also consider all forms of collective discursive and conceptual constructions emerging in classroom interactions.

 Axis 2: The teacher in classroom interactions

The aim of this axis is to shed light on teaching itself by delivering analysis outcomes of fieldwork (corpus of interactions for example). We are interested in several dimensions :

●      The teacher's discourse: do classroom interactions modify the teacher's discourse? What kind of work can be noted on reformulating concepts ?

●      Teacher thinking during the interaction (Borg, 2003): what elements might influence "interactive thinking"?

●      Teacher training: how are teachers trained in order to manage classroom  interactions? What can be suggested in order to train teachers to interact / manage interactions? What can be developed in order to train teachers for classroom interactions ? (Zhang Waring & Chepkirui Creider, 2021)

 Axis 3: Interactions in the distance classroom

This axis will allow us to question the place and the influences (positive or not) of digital tools on interactions between teachers and students, and between pupils themselves. Virtual classrooms via videoconferencing facilities (Peraya & Dumont, 2003) and Digital Working Environments (Genevois & Poyet, 2010) are just a few examples of the various devices available to teachers for remote teaching and interacting. Papers may also focus on distance learning in times of pandemic and its influence on the continuity or disruption of interactive dynamics observed in schools (Ifé, 2020; Caron et al., 2020).

The plenary talks will reflect the multidisciplinarity and interdisciplinarity which are at the core of this conference. The keynote speakers will be :

●      Elisabeth Bautier, Université Paris 8

●      Laurent Gajo, Université de Genève

●      Karianne Skovholt, Universitetet i Sørøst-Norge

●      Annie Jézégou, Université de Lille

Bibliographical references

Babault S. (2015). L’éducation bilingue : enjeux de politique linguistique, appropriation par les acteurs sociaux, développement de compétences chez les apprenants. Habilitation à diriger des recherches, document de synthèse. Université Lille 3.

Babault S. (2018). Enseignement du français aux élèves allophones nouvellement arrivés en France : innover pour répondre au défi de l’inclusion scolaire. Le langage et l’homme, 53/2, 157-177.

Bautier E. (2006). Le rôle des pratiques des maîtres dans les difficultés scolaires des élèves. Une analyse de pratiques intégrant la dimension des difficultés socialement differenciées. Pratiques 143-144, 11-26. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/pratiques.1378

Bigot V., Leclère M., Romero M. (2017). Place des enjeux d’acquisition langagière dans le multi-agenda de l’enseignant de DdNL: l’exemple d’un cours d’histoire pour collégiens allophones. The Canadian Modern Language Review 73/2, 237-253.

Borg, S. (2003). Teacher cognition in language teaching : A review of research on what language teachers think, know, believe, and do. Language Teaching, vol. 36, n° 2. pp. 81-109.

Caron, J., Gaudreau, N., Harvey,C., Sicard, S., Robitaille, S., Arbour, M. et Brochu, T. (2020). La gestion de classe au primaire en contexte de pandémie. Formation et profession. 28(4 hors-série). 1-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.18162/fp.2020.674

Connac S. (2017). La coopération entre élèves. Paris: Canopé.

Crinon, J., Marin, B. & Legros, D. (2003). L’impact de la collaboration à distance sur l’apprentissage des temps du récit au cycle 3. Environnements Informatiques pour l’Apprentissage Humain, Strasbourg, France. pp.103-114.

Develotte, C., Kern, R., & Lamy, M.-N. (Éds.). (2011). Décrire la conversation en ligne : Le face à face distanciel. ENS.

Fillietaz L., Schubauer-Leoni M.L. (2008) (eds.). Processus interactionnels et situations éducatives. Bruxelles: De Boeck.

Gajo L. (2007). Enseignement d’une DNL en langue étrangère: de la clarification à la conceptualisation. TREMA, 28, 37-48.

Garcia-Debanc C., Laurent D., Galaup M. (2009). Les formulations des écrits transitoires comme traces du savoir en cours d’appropriation dans le cadre de l’enseignement des sciences à l’école primaire. Pratiques 143-144, 27-50. DOI : 10.4000/pratiques.1384

Genevois, S. & Poyet, F. (2010). Espaces numériques de travail (ENT) et « école étendue »: Vers un nouvel espace-temps scolaire ?. Distances et savoirs, 8, 565-583. https://doi.org/

Hache C. (2019). Questions langagières dans l'enseignement et l'apprentissage des mathématiques. Histoire et perspectives sur les mathématiques. Habilitation à diriger des recherches. Université Paris Diderot.

Havik T., Westergård E. (2019). Do Teachers Matter? Students’ Perceptions of Classroom Interactions and Student Engagement. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research 64(1):1-20. DOI:  10.1080/00313831.2019.1577754

Ifé. (2020). Les effets du confinement sur l’activité des enseignants du primaire et secondaire : Synthèse des résultats.

Jacquinot, G. (1993). Apprivoiser la distance et supprimer l'absence ? ou les défis de la formation à distance. Revue française de pédagogie, volume 102, pp. 55-67. DOI : https://doi.org/10.3406/rfp.1993.1305

Jacquinot-Delaunay, G. (2002). Chapitre 6. Absence et présence dans la médiation pédagogique ou comment faire circuler les signes de la présence. In : Roger Guir éd., Pratiquer les TICE: Former les enseignants et les formateurs à de nouveaux usages (pp. 103-113). Louvain-la-Neuve: De Boeck Supérieur. https://doi.org/10.3917/dbu.guir.2002.01.0103"

Jaubert M. (2007). Langage et construction de connaissances à l’école : un exemple en sciences. Bordeaux : Presses universitaires de Bordeaux.

Jézégou, A. (2010). Créer de la présence à distance en e-learning: Cadre théorique, définition, et dimensions clés. Distances et savoirs, 8, 257-274. https://doi.org/

Klein C. (ed.). (2012), Le français comme langue de scolarisation. Accompagner, enseigner, évaluer, se former. Paris : Canopé.

Mendonça Dias C., Millon Faure K. (2018). French as an Additional Language for Mathematics’ Purposes. Languages for Specific Purposes in History. Cambridge : Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Munford D., Zembal-Saul C. (2002). Learning Science through Argumentation: Prospective Teachers' Experiences in an Innovative Science Course. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching (New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2002).

Peraya, D. & Dumont, P. (2003). « Interagir dans une classe virtuelle : analyse des interactions verbales médiatisées dans un environnement synchrone », Revue française de pédagogie, 145, p. 51-61

Rivière V. (2012) (dir.). Spécificités et diversités des interactions didactiques. Riveneuve éditions.

Schneeberger P. et Vérin A. (2009). Développer des pratiques d’oral et d’écrit en sciences. Quels enjeux pour les apprentissages à l’école ? Paris : INRP.

Silveira L., Munford D. (2020). Aprendizagem de ciências: uma análise de interações discursivas e diferentes dimensões espaço-temporais no cotidiano da sala de aula. Revista Brasileira de educação. 25. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1413-24782020250015

Skovholt K. (2017). Anatomy of a teacher-student feedback encounter. Teaching and Teacher Education : An International Journal of Research and Studies.  Volume 69, 142-153. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.09.012

Volteau S., Rançon J., (dir.) (2015): La reformulation : usages et contextes. HS 18 – CORELA. corela.revues.org.

Zhang Waring H., .Chepkirui Creider S. (2021). Micro-Reflection on Classroom Communication. A FAB Framework. Equinox Publishing Ltd..

Modalities 

The conference will take place in the University of Lille, except if sanitary conditions do not allow it.

It will consist of plenary talks (40 minutes presentation + 20 minutes discussion) and papers (20 minutes presentation + 10 minutes discussion)

Proposals for papers

Proposals for papers must be submitted on the conference website by 30 May 2022 at the latest. They should not exceed 2500 characters (including spaces). They may be in French or in English.