Abstract

In English class, teacher talk is a tool for organizing teaching activities, an important means of controlling students’ classroom behaviors, and the carrier of language input. As a normal rule of language use, politeness has become an important topic of pragmatic research, which aims to weaken conflicts and contradictions for improvement of interpersonal relationship and harmony among people. In the present study, the author analyzes politeness in teacher talk in junior English class from the perspective of politeness principle with the purpose to find out how the politeness phenomenon is manifested in instructions, questioning and feedback-giving. Besides, the thesis also involves a detailed data analysis concerning teacher talk in junior English class based on an empirical study, in which problems about the employment of teacher talk are reflected and then some suggestions are put forward for junior English teachers to improve the effectiveness of teacher talk and enhance the teaching quality. 

Keywords: teacher talk; politeness principle; junior English class

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1. Introduction-1

2. Literature Review-1

2.1 Teacher Talk-1

2.2 Politeness-3

2.3 Previous Studies on Politeness in Teacher Talk-5

3. Politeness in Teacher Talk-6

3.1 Politeness in Instructions-6

3.2 Politeness in Questioning-7

3.3 Politeness in Feedback- giving-8

4. Analysis on Politeness Principle in Teacher Talk in Junior English Class-9

4.1 Questionnaire on Politeness Principle in Teacher Talk in Junior English Class-9

4.2 Problems-13

4.3 Suggestions-14

5. Conclusion-15

Works Cited-17