Cultural Framing in English Language (ESL) classrooms

How cultural difference operates in the second language classroom.

A frame within a frame

What is meant by ‘framing’?

Metaphor of picture frame Metaphor of camera frame Extended metaphor of lens

Michael Halliday

Malinowski -> Halliday

theory of context -> theory of text

context -> text

Halliday & Hasan, 1985, Language, context, and text: Aspects of language in a social semiotic perspective.

Claire Kramsch

Language teaching relies on our common humanity.

Cultural perspectives lead us to look for learning that emerges at points of difference.

Kramsch, 1993, Context and Culture in Language Learning.

Deborah Tannen

Related concepts: Schema (Bartlett, 1932) Script (Schank and Abelson, 1975) Frame (Bateson, 1955; Hymes, 1974;

Goffman, 1974; Frake, 1977) Structures of expectations (Ross, 1975)

Tannen, 1993, Framing in Discourse.

The English language classroom in Thailand

How is ‘language’ construed? Who has ownership?

How is ‘learning’ construed? Who has ownership?

C1 or C2? Who is teaching and who is learning?

How do cultural differences affect English language learning in Thailand?

The study so far …

Visits to universities in Thailand. Plans for involvement in an intensive

English course at RMUT. Application for position as

teacher/researcher at CMU. Methods: text analysis; notes and journal;

classroom recordings; interviews of students, teachers and others.

Methodology: grounded theory.