(In)forming Formal Evaluation

Analysis of a Practicum Mentoring Conversation

Authors

  • Jayne Keogh Griffith University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/japl.v7i1.51

Keywords:

CONVERSATION ANALYSIS, MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIZATION ANALYSIS, INSTITUTIONAL TALK, MENTOR RELATIONSHIPS, ASYMMETRY, PRESERVICE TEACHER EDUCATION

Abstract

Practicum is a highly valued component of teacher education programmes, providing opportunities for preservice teachers to observe, learn and trial effective teaching in partnership with experienced mentor-teachers. To date, little research has investigated how school-based practicum relationships are interactively achieved, turn-by-turn, in situ. Employing a single case study, this paper analyses a conversation between a mentor teacher and a preservice teacher about high-stakes assessment of the teacher-mentee’s practices. Methods derived from conversation analysis and membership categorization analysis reveal that the participants assemble a pleasant but asymmetrical mentoring relationship by means of a continuing three-part conversational structural arrangement in this particular educational site, talking-into-being mutually acceptable versions of teachers and of teacherly practices. However, opportunities for mutually mediated learning and relational knowing were lost. These findings suggest the need to examine additional examples of similar school-based mentoring conversations about evaluation to see whether the analytic phenomena revealed here are typical or atypical of such institutional interactions.

Author Biography

  • Jayne Keogh, Griffith University

    Jayne Keogh received her PhD from Griffith University, Queensland, Australia and is currently a Lecturer in School of Education and Professional Studies at Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus). Her current research interests focus on beginning teacher experiences, in particular the interactive achievement of institutional roles and relationships pertaining to educational settings. Her most recent publications include a chapter in Prendergast and Bahr, Teaching Middle Years: Rethinking Curriculum, Pedagogy and Assessment (2nd edn) (2010, Allen & Unwin) and ‘Plugging the leaky bucket: The need to develop resilience in novice middle years teachers’ in The Primary and Middle Years Educator 8 (2): 17–26. Address for correspondence: School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University (Gold Coast Campus), Parklands Drive, Southport, Q4222, Australia. Email: [email protected]

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Published

2011-03-27

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Keogh, J. (2011). (In)forming Formal Evaluation: Analysis of a Practicum Mentoring Conversation. Journal of Applied Linguistics and Professional Practice, 7(1), 51-73. https://doi.org/10.1558/japl.v7i1.51