Abstract
Changing daily practices, especially from one based on one-way lecturing into a more dialogic one is a challenging task for many teachers. This is strongly applicable in the case of Vietnamese teachers across various subjects. This case study aims to investigate the experience of two young primary school teachers in Vietnam trying to adopt a more dialogic approach in daily Vietnamese reading lessons. The results show that despite the previous dominance of teachers’ questions, classroom interactions became more dialogic with a significant increase in both students’ questions and the quality of classroom talk during whole-class discussions. This happened when the teachers delegated the authority to the students to ask and choose their preferred questions and facilitated the discussions with more open questions. The changes in both teachers’ daily practices suggest a shift in classroom power and identity—the students became co-generators of knowledge. Further, disappointment with current practices, rather than their efficacy, and the search for better ones motivated the two teachers to change their pedagogies.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
This is not to completely negate all forms of authoritative discourse. In certain disciplines such as science and medicine and in certain contexts, authoritative information is deemed necessary, particularly to save lives.
References
Appova, A., & Arbaugh, F. (2018). Teachers’ motivation to learn: Implications for supporting professional growth. Professional Development in Education, 44(1), 5–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2017.1280524.
Bakhtin, M. (1981). Discourse in the novel (M. Holquist & C. Emerson, Trans.). In M. Holquist (Ed.), The dialogic imagination (pp. 259–422). Austin: University of Texas Press.
Bakhtin, M. (1986). The problem of speech genres (V. McGee, Trans.). In C. Emerson & M. Holquist (Eds.), Speech genres and other late essays (pp. 60–102). Austin: University of Texas Press.
Beauchamp, C., & Thomas, L. (2009). Understanding teacher identity: An overview of issues in the literature and implications for teacher education. Cambridge Journal of Education, 39(2), 175–189. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640902902252.
Bonner, P. J. (2006). Transformation of teacher attitude and approach to math instruction through collaborative action research. Teacher Education Quarterly, 33(3), 27–44.
Borko, H., Jacobs, J., & Koellner, K. (2010). Contemporary approaches to teacher professional development. In P. Peterson, E. Baker, & B. McGaw (Eds.), International encyclopedia of education (pp. 548–556). Oxford: Elsevier.
Clark, C. M. (2001). Talking shop: Authentic conversation and teacher learning. Williston, VT: Teachers College Press.
Cochran-Smith, M. (2003). Learning and unlearning: The education of teacher educators. Teaching and Teacher Education, 19(1), 5–28.
Corrigan, D., & Loughran, J. (2008). Mentoring for the teaching profession: Snapshots of practice. Paper presented at the British Educational Research Association annual conference, Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.
Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Davies, M., Kiemer, K., & Meissel, K. (2017). Quality talk and dialogic teaching—An examination of a professional development programme on secondary teachers’ facilitation of student talk. British Educational Research Journal, 43(5), 968–987. https://doi.org/10.1002/berj.3293.
Douis, V. (2017). Develo** positive teacher relationships with students. In K. Smith & J. Loughran (Eds.), Quality learning: Teachers changing their practice (Vol. 22, pp. 79–84). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.
English, A. R. (2016). Dialogic teaching and moral learning: Self-critique, narrativity, community and ‘blind spots’. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 50(2), 160–176. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12198.
Feeney, E. J. (2016). How an orientation to learning influences the expansive–restrictive nature of teacher learning and change. Teacher Development, 20(4), 458–481. https://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2016.1161659.
Fisher, R. (2007). Dialogic teaching: Develo** thinking and metacognition through philosophical discussion. Early Child Development and Care, 177(6), 615–631. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430701378985.
Garet, M. S., Porter, A. C., Desimone, L., Birman, B. F., & Yoon, K. S. (2001). What makes professional development effective? Results from a national sample of teachers. American Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 915–945.
Gillies, R. M. (2016). Dialogic interactions in the cooperative classroom. International Journal of Educational Research, 76, 178–189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijer.2015.02.009.
Hennessy, S., Dragovic, T., & Warwick, P. (2018). A research-informed, school-based professional development workshop programme to promote dialogic teaching with interactive technologies. Professional Development in Education, 44(2), 145–168. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2016.1258653.
Hennessy, S., Rojas-Drummond, S., Higham, R., Márquez, A. M., Maine, F., Ríos, R. M., et al. (2016). Develo** a coding scheme for analysing classroom dialogue across educational contexts. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 9, 16–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2015.12.001.
Hicks, D. (1996). Contextual inquiries: A discourse-oriented study of classroom learning. In D. Hicks (Ed.), Discourse, learning, and schooling (pp. 104–141). New York: Cambridge University Press.
Korthagen, F. (2004). In search of the essence of a good teacher: Towards a more holistic approach in teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 20(1), 77–97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2003.10.002.
Krasny, K. A. (2003). Dialogic spaces: Bakhtin’s social theory of utterance in reader response (Order No. MQ79968). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (305300190). (Master). University of Manitoba Retrieved from https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.library.uq.edu.au/docview/305300190?accountid=14723
Le, H. M. (2018). Another textbook project? The implementation of Escuela Nueva in Vietnam. Educational Research for Policy and Practice, 17(3), 223–239. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10671-018-9230-x.
Littleton, K., & Mercer, N. (2013). Educational dialogues. In T. C. K. Hall, B. Comber, & L. C. Moll (Eds.), International handbook of research on children’s literacy, learning, and culture (pp. 291–303). Oxford: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mercer, N., Dawes, L., & Staarman, J. K. (2009). Dialogic teaching in the primary science classroom. Language and Education, 23(4), 353–369. https://doi.org/10.1080/09500780902954273.
Merriam, S. B. (2009). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Ngo, V. T. H., Meijer, M. R., Bulte, A. M. W., & Pilot, A. (2015). The implementation of a social constructivist approach in primary science education in Confucian heritage culture: The case of Vietnam. Cultural Studies of Science Education, 10(3), 665–693. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11422-014-9634-8.
Nguyen, V. K. (2014). Dạy học theo phương pháp “tìm kiếm câu trả lời đúng” tại các trường phổ thông [“Seeking correct answers” teaching approach in general schools]. Retrieved from https://sgd.bacgiang.gov.vn/chi-tiet-tin-tuc/-/asset_publisher/ygLgruflAjDS/content/day-hoc-theo-phuong-thuc-tim-kiem-cau-tra-loi-ungtrong-cac-truong-pho-thong-
Norris, K. S. (2009). Making sense of teaching: A holistic approach to teacher reflection about practice. Denton, TX: University of North Texas. (Doctoral dissertation).
Nsibande, R. (2007). Using professional dialogue to facilitate meaningful reflection for higher education practitioners, enhancing higher education, theory and scholarship. In: Proceedings of the 30th HERDSA annual conference, Adelaide, 8–11 July 2007.
Rashid, R. A. (2018). Dialogic reflection for professional development through conversations on a social networking site. Reflective Practice, 19(1), 105–117. https://doi.org/10.1080/14623943.2017.1379385.
Renshaw, P. D. (2004). Dialogic learning teaching and instruction: Theoretical roots and analytical frameworks. In J. v. d. Linden & P. D. Renshaw (Eds.), Dialogic learning: Shifting perspectives to learning, instruction, and teaching (pp. 1–15). Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Reznitskaya, A., Kuo, L.-J., Clark, A.-M., Miller, B., Jadallah, M., Anderson, R. C., & Nguyen-Jahiel, K. (2009). Collaborative reasoning: A dialogic approach to group discussions. Cambridge Journal of Education, 39(1), 29–48. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640802701952.
Saito, E., Tsukui, A., & Tanaka, Y. (2008). Problems on primary school-based in-service training in Vietnam: A case study of Bac Giang province. International Journal of Educational Development, 28(1), 89–103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2007.08.001.
Saldaña, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. London: Sage Publications.
Scholl, R. (2013). Transforming pedagogy through philosophical inquiry. Brisbane, QLD: The University of Queensland. (Unpublished doctoral thesis).
Schon, D. A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. London: Basic Books.
Sedova, K., Salamounova, Z., & Svaricek, R. (2014). Troubles with dialogic teaching. Learning, Culture and Social Interaction, 3(4), 274–285. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lcsi.2014.04.001.
Sedova, K., Sedlacek, M., & Svaricek, R. (2016). Teacher professional development as a means of transforming student classroom talk. Teaching and Teacher Education, 57, 14–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2016.03.005.
Shulman, L. S. (1987). Knowledge and teaching - foundations of the new reform. Harvard Educational Review, 57(1), 1–22.
Skidmore, D. (2006). Pedagogy and dialogue. Cambridge Journal of Education, 36(4), 503–514. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057640601048407.
Tan, Y. S. M., & Nashon, S. M. (2013). Promoting teacher learning through learning study discourse: The case of science teachers in Singapore. Journal of Science Teacher Education, 24(5), 859–877. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10972-013-9340-5.
Tracy, S. J. (2012). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Webb, P., & Treagust, D. F. (2006). Using exploratory talk to enhance problem-solving and reasoning skills in grade-7 science classrooms. Research in Science Education, 36(4), 381–401. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11165-005-9011-4.
Wegerif, R. (2011). Towards a dialogic theory of how children learn to think. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 6(3), 179–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2011.08.002.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Khong, T.D.H. (2021). Teacher Learning Through Dialogue: The Cases of Vietnamese Teachers. In: Bao, D., Pham, T. (eds) Transforming Pedagogies Through Engagement with Learners, Teachers and Communities. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 57. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0057-9_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0057-9_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-16-0056-2
Online ISBN: 978-981-16-0057-9
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)