Common ground and positioning in teacher-student interactions: Second language socialization in EFL classrooms

Abstract This study aims to present how intercultural and intracultural communication unfolds in EFL classrooms with NNESTs NESTs who constantly negotiate common ground positionings their students. Three NEST three NNEST teaching partners were observed audio recorded during the first fifth weeks of a new course they taught turns. Data transcribed analyzed through conversation analysis using Kecskes Zhang’s socio-cognitive approach (Kecskes, István & Fenghui Zhang. 2009. Activating, seeking, creating ground. A approach. Pragmatics Cognition 17(2). 331–355) Davies Harré’s positioning theory (Davies, Bronwyn Rom Harré. 1990. Positioning: The discursive production selves. Journal for Theory Social Behaviour 20(1). 43–63). findings revealed several differences ways established positioned themselves social interactions. NESTs’ lack shared background students them as outsiders foreign country enabled establish more core (i.e., building knowledge between students). maintained already existing activating students) while insiders. difference-driven, cultural mediator helped create meaningful contexts language socialization which not only learned target but also culture. On other hand, adopted commonality-driven, insider that was transmission-of-knowledge oriented, focusing on accomplishing pedagogical goal rather than socialization.