From Monologue to Dialogue: Investigating Teacher Talk and Learner Participation in Pakistani Universities

Abstract

This study investigates the role of teacher talk in shaping learner output through a discourse analysis of classroom interaction in Pakistani universities. Recognizing that language learning depends on both input and opportunities for output, the research explores how teacher questioning, explanations, and feedback affect student participation in English-medium classrooms. Data were collected from four universities (two public and two private) through classroom observations, audio recordings, transcriptions, and field notes, amounting to 32 hours of recorded interaction. Analysis was conducted using Sinclair and Coulthard’s (1975) Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) model, supported by both qualitative interpretation and quantitative frequency counts. Findings reveal that teacher talk dominated classroom discourse, constituting nearly 70–75% of total interaction, especially in public universities. Teachers primarily relied on display questions and evaluative feedback, resulting in restricted learner output. In contrast, referential questions and facilitative feedback, more common in private universities, led to extended learner responses and negotiation of meaning. The study also highlights institutional differences, with private universities demonstrating relatively more interactive patterns of discourse. The results affirm Swain’s Output Hypothesis (1985) and Long’s Interaction Hypothesis (1996), underscoring the importance of meaningful interaction for second language acquisition. Pedagogically, the study recommends a shift from lecture-based to discussion-based teaching, with greater use of open-ended questions, scaffolding, and facilitative feedback to enhance learner participation. The findings carry important implications for teachers, institutions, and policymakers aiming to promote communicative competence and active learning in higher education. Keywords: Teacher talk, Learner output, Classroom discourse, Discourse analysis, Second language acquisition (SLA), Higher education, Pakistan