Reactive and Pre-Emptive Language-Related Episodes and Verbal Communication in the ESL Classroom

Abstract

Studies have shown that most Nigerian secondary school students exhibit gross deficiency in verbal communication. Scholars have attributed this problem mainly to the non-use of reactive and pre-emptive language related episodes (LRE’s) in the instructional process. Hence, this study investigated the impact of reactive and pre-emptive language related episodes on verbal communication of secondary school students. The study sample comprised 156 SSS.3 students drawn randomly from three secondary schools in Ogun State. The study adopted an ex-post facto research design, while the instruments used included a self-designed observation schedule, designed to determine the extent to which different language related episodes occurred in the language classroom and a verbal ability test. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data for the study. The findings of the study revealed that there is a significant impact of reactive and pre-emptive language related episodes on students’ verbal communication; there is a significant difference in the occurrence of reactive and pre-emptive LREs; there is a significant difference in the occurrence of teacher-initiated and learner-initiated Language Related Episodes (LREs). A number of recommendations are suggested in light of these findings.

Keywords: pre-emptive language episodes, reactive language episodes, verbal communication, form -focussed instruction, teacher-initiated episodes, learnerinitiated episodes