Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Discourse analysis is interested, among other things, in the organizational structures of texts, how conversations are managed, and how different modes of communication combine with words to make meaning. Other areas of interest include the critical evaluation of texts and how people’s language use reflects particular identities.

Appendices

The Research Questions

• 1. Choose examples of a written genre you would use in your classroom and analyse the discourse structures of the texts. How could you use your analysis in your teaching?

• 2. Choose a spoken text you would use in your classroom and analyse it from the point of view of conversation analysis. How could you use your analysis in your teaching?

• 3. Look at a textbook that is commonly used in language teaching classrooms. What genres are focused on in the textbook and how do these relate to the target students’ learning needs?

• 4. Look at a textbook that is commonly used in language teaching classrooms. What identities are portrayed in the textbook and how are they constructed through the use of language?

• 5. Choose a text which contains images or other multimodal elements. Analyse the text from a multimodal perspective. How could you use this analysis in the classroom?

• 6. Choose a text you would use in your classroom and analyse it from a critical perspective. How could you use this analysis in your classroom?

• 7. Choose a spoken and written text on the same topic. What are some of the differences in the use of discourse between the two texts and how could you use this kind of analysis in the classroom?

• 8. Ask students to keep a diary focusing on their use of language in the classroom. How does their use of language index their identity as a learner?

• 9. Keep a diary focusing on your use of language in the classroom. How does your use of language index your identity as a teacher?

• 10. Find an example of discourse analysis in published research and consider how you could draw on this analysis in the classroom.

Suggested Resources

Flowerdew, J. (2013). Discourse in English language education. London: Routledge

Discourse in English Language Education discusses major concepts and questions in discourse studies and their applications to language education. Topics covered include systemic functional linguistics, genre, register, speech acts, politeness, conversation analysis, critical discourse analysis and corpus linguistics. Texts that are analysed include casual conversation, newspapers, fiction, radio programs, classroom interactions, blogs and real-life learner texts. There are discussion questions at the end of each chapter which are designed to encourage reflection and engagement with the topics covered in the book.

Gee, J. & Handford, M. (Eds.), (2011). The Routledge handbook to discourse analysis. London: Routledge

This handbook contains chapters on a wide range of areas including conversation analysis, genre analysis, corpus-based studies, multimodal discourse analysis and critical discourse analysis. Educational and institutional applications of discourse analysis are discussed as well as topics such as identity, power, ethnicity, intercultural communication, cognition and discourse. The chapters are written by contributors from around the world, each a leading researcher in their respective field.

Hyland, K., Paltridge, B. & Wong, L. L. C. (Eds.), (2021). The Bloomsbury handbook of discourse analysis (2nd ed.). London: Bloomsbury.

This set of specially commissioned chapters discusses a range of approaches and issues in researching discourse. Assumptions underlying methods and approaches are discussed as are research techniques and instruments appropriate to the goal and method of the research. The second part of the book provides an overview of key areas of discourse studies such as genre analysis, conversation analysis, narrative analysis, multimodal analysis and critical discourse analysis. In each chapter the authors include a sample study which illustrates the points they are making and identify resources for further reading on the particular approach or issue under discussion.

Jaworski, A. & Coupland, N. (Eds.), (2014). The discourse reader (3rd ed.). London: Routledge.

The Discourse Reader covers the foundations of modern discourse analysis and represents major methods and traditions. Seminal pieces of work are republished in the book as well as new readings by Jan Blommaert, Norman Fairclough, James Paul Gee, Barbara Johnstone, Ron Scollon and Don Zimmerman, among others. In the introduction to their book, Jaworski and Coupland provide definitions of the term ‘discourse’ and discuss traditions in the analysis of discourse. Strengths and limitations of discourse studies are also discussed.

Paltridge, B. (2021). Discourse analysis (3rd ed.). London: Bloomsbury.

In a series of eleven chapters this book examines different approaches to discourse, looking at discourse and society, discourse and pragmatics, discourse and genre, discourse and conversation, discourse grammar, corpus-based approaches to discourse, multimodal discourse analysis, discourse and digital media, and critical discourse analysis. The final chapter presents a practical approach to doing discourse analysis. The book includes chapter summaries which outline the key areas that have been covered. Technical terms are explained in each chapter and examples are drawn from films, television, newspapers, the classroom and everyday life. Each chapter ends with tasks, suggestions for student projects, and recommendations for further reading.