✍️ Introductory Note to
the Reader As
someone with a strong academic background in linguistics, I have always
approached language teaching through a lens that extends far beyond
vocabulary lists and grammatical rules. One of the central focuses of my
linguistic studies was discourse analysis—a field that has equipped me to
look closely at the subtle, often “dusty” corners of language use that many
teachers, through no fault of their own, may overlook because such areas were
not emphasized in their own training. This perspective allows me to perceive not only how language functions as a system, but also how it operates dynamically in real-life interaction. I have found that linguistic theories—while often developed to explain how language works—can be readily adapted into the realm of applied linguistics, providing powerful tools for English Language Teaching (ELT). By integrating these insights into lesson planning, I aim to craft learning experiences that are both academically grounded and pedagogically relevant, ensuring that students are prepared for the full complexity of communication beyond the classroom. |
Framing Discourse in the ELT Classroom: Why Discourse Analysis Matters
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Abstract This
paper explores the application of Deborah Tannen’s concept of framing
within the context of English Language Teaching (ELT), emphasizing its value
for designing lessons that simulate authentic speech events. Drawing on
discourse analysis, the study argues that effective lesson planning must go
beyond lexical and grammatical instruction to integrate pragmatic, cultural,
and contextual dimensions of communication. By grounding classroom activities
in clearly defined speech events—such as service encounters, negotiations,
and social planning—teachers can foster communicative competence,
intercultural awareness, and learner agency. The paper also examines how
discourse-level features such as turn-taking, genre awareness, and speech act
management contribute to more authentic and purposeful language use,
preparing learners for the complexities of real-world communication. |
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Resumen Este
artículo analiza la aplicación del concepto de framing de Deborah
Tannen en la enseñanza del inglés (ELT), destacando su valor para diseñar
lecciones que simulen eventos comunicativos auténticos. A partir del análisis
del discurso, se sostiene que una planificación eficaz debe ir más allá de la
enseñanza léxica y gramatical, incorporando dimensiones pragmáticas,
culturales y contextuales de la comunicación. Al fundamentar las actividades
en eventos discursivos claramente definidos—como interacciones de servicio,
negociaciones y planificación social—los docentes pueden promover la
competencia comunicativa, la conciencia intercultural y la autonomía del
estudiante. Asimismo, se examina cómo características discursivas como la
gestión de turnos, el conocimiento de géneros y el uso de actos de habla
contribuyen a un uso del lenguaje más auténtico y con propósito, preparando a
los aprendientes para la complejidad de la comunicación real. |
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Resumo Este
artigo discute a aplicação do conceito de framing de Deborah Tannen no
ensino de inglês (ELT), ressaltando seu valor para o planejamento de aulas
que simulem eventos de fala autênticos. Com base na análise do discurso,
argumenta-se que um planejamento eficaz deve ir além do ensino lexical e
gramatical, integrando dimensões pragmáticas, culturais e contextuais da
comunicação. Ao estruturar as atividades em eventos discursivos claramente
definidos—como atendimentos ao cliente, negociações e planejamentos sociais—o
professor pode desenvolver a competência comunicativa, a consciência
intercultural e a autonomia do aprendiz. O estudo também examina como
aspectos do nível discursivo, como a gestão de turnos, o domínio de gêneros e
o uso de atos de fala, contribuem para um uso linguístico mais autêntico e
intencional, preparando os alunos para as complexidades da comunicação no
mundo real. |
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Language
instruction today must do more than cover lexical units and grammatical
structures; it must prepare learners to engage meaningfully in real-life
communication. One of the most insightful contributions to this goal is Deborah
Tannen’s concept of “framing”, where interlocutors rely on shared
expectations to interpret what is happening in a given communicative event
(Tannen, 1993). In the ELT classroom, this perspective becomes vital for
planning activities that simulate realistic contexts. Discourse analysis
enables educators to teach not just how language works structurally, but how it
works socially and pragmatically since the concept of framing is
especially relevant to ELT; it helps instructors design lessons that not only
teach language but also mirror authentic communication events.
The Concept of Framing and Its Pedagogical Implications
Tannen
defines framing as the cognitive structures that individuals bring to a
communicative situation, structures shaped by culture, experience, and context.
In her work, particularly in Framing in Discourse (1993), Tannen
explains how speakers interpret and negotiate meaning based on shared or
contrasting frames. When applied to the English classroom, this means that
every speaking activity, be it a conversation, debate, or role-play, should
always be grounded in recognizable speech events that learners might
encounter in real life.
Understanding
framing helps educators recognize that what may seem like a simple language
exchange (e.g., ordering food or disagreeing politely over a meal at a
restaurant) is embedded in complex socio-cultural expectations. Thus, effective
lesson planning must go beyond vocabulary lists or grammar drills to include
the pragmatic and contextual nuances that shape communication.
The Role of Framing in ELT
Framing
must be seen as the interpretive lens through which speakers understand the
nature and purpose of an interaction. When an ELT lesson incorporates framing,
it moves beyond the “mastery of grammatical structures,” and it builds communicative
competence (Canale & Swain, 1980). Tannen emphasizes that "every
utterance is framed by assumptions about what is happening" (Tannen, 1993,
p. 5), which makes it crucial to teach learners how to detect and respond to
these frames as naturally as they do it in their first language.
Framing
is helping learners do exactly what they can do in their mother tongue through
communication activities where language students participate in simulated real-life
dialogues and true social interactions. These activities are built around
clearly defined speech events (Hymes, 1974), like phone inquiries or
weekend planning, making the context and roles of participants explicit.
Discourse Analysis as a Tool for Authenticity
Discourse
analysis enables teachers to move away from artificial or decontextualized
language models. Instead, the use of framing encourages the integration of
spoken and written genres that reflect how language is naturally used in
real-life contexts. For instance, analyzing authentic service encounters, TED
talks, or customer complaints allows learners to see how tone, turn-taking,
hedging, and politeness strategies function in real-time interaction. Framing
goes beyond the mere usage of lexical and grammatical units.
When
teachers use discourse analysis to inform lesson planning and task design for
their plans, they can create lessons that better align with real-world speech
events such as interviews, meetings, academic discussions, or casual chats.
These tasks help learners rehearse not just words, but also roles, intentions,
and responses embedded in contextually rich communicative acts.
From Sentence to Speech Event
Delving
deeper into speech events, where traditional ELT lessons focused on isolated
sentences or vocabulary sets, discourse analysis shifts the spotlight to cohesive,
contextual communication. According to Celce-Murcia and Olshtain (2000),
lessons should incorporate “discourse-level organization, including coherence,
sequencing, and role expectations,” which are like the true building blocks of
communication in a first, second, or foreign language.
In one’s
lesson, learners will move from guided questions (e.g., asking about a
relative’s hobby), to semi-scripted calls to a hobby shop, and finally to
collaborative planning dialogues. This sequence reflects framing development,
gradually building toward autonomy in constructing meaningful discourse and
true communication.
Designing Lessons with Speech Events in Mind
Incorporating
speech events into lesson planning ensures learners are not just
acquiring language but are developing communicative competence. A speech event,
defined as a culturally recognized activity with a predictable sequence and
purpose (e.g., giving a presentation or making a complaint), provides a clear
framing for classroom interaction.
For example:
- A lesson framed around a doctor's visit
teaches modal verbs ("You should take this pill") within the
discourse frame of patient-doctor interaction, which includes turn-taking,
topic control, and power dynamics.
- A negotiation activity mirrors the
structure and politeness strategies of workplace interactions, preparing
students for real business contexts.
Discourse
analysis thus helps teachers script, structure, and scaffold these events
meaningfully.
Discourse and Cultural Literacy
Discourse
analysis also highlights pragmatic and intercultural competence.
Learners must understand not just what is being said, but how and
why, recognizing indirect refusals, hedging, or tone shifts. Tannen
notes, “we tend to interpret others’ intentions through the frames we bring
with us” (1993, p. 16), and this can lead to miscommunication if students are
unaware of such cultural cues or differences when their culture is compared to
the target culture.
Bachman
(1990) reinforces this by identifying sociolinguistic competence, the
ability to use language appropriately in context, as one of the core components
of communicative ability. In one’s lesson plans, students must find themselves
negotiating, e.g., preferences and politely reject suggestions, crucial skills
for real-world fluency in communication.
Planning with Discourse in Mind
When
ELT planning integrates discourse analysis, it encourages:
- Speech act awareness
(e.g., suggesting, refusing, confirming)
- Genre and register control
(formal inquiry vs. casual chat)
- Turn-taking and interaction norms
(e.g., asking follow-up questions)
- Pragmatic fluency
(e.g., softening disagreements)
When
these elements are clear, students aren’t just practicing vocabulary; they’re
rehearsing roles, building context-awareness, and co-constructing meaning
within defined frames.
Benefits for Learner Agency and Cultural Awareness
By
planning lessons that reflect discourse-level features, learners gain awareness
of how meaning is constructed beyond grammar. They also become attuned to the
cultural assumptions that underline certain interactions, such as indirectness
in requests or the use of silence in conflict management. This kind of
awareness enhances their intercultural competence and empowers them to adapt
their communication strategies appropriately.
Furthermore,
understanding framing encourages reflection: learners can analyze their own
interactional styles and learn how these may align or clash with those in
English-speaking contexts.
Conclusion
Discourse
analysis, and particularly the notion of framing, offers ELT practitioners a
rich framework for designing lessons that foster real communicative competence.
By focusing on speech events and contextual meaning, teachers can create
learning experiences that mirror the complexities of actual language use. As
Deborah Tannen has shown, communication is not merely about words and
sentences; it is about shared understandings, expectations, and frames.
Integrating this insight into ELT planning elevates classroom instruction from
linguistic accuracy to communicative authenticity.
Discourse
analysis, particularly through Tannen’s lens of framing, equips ELT instructors
to design lessons that simulate the complexity and nuance of authentic
communication. Rather than treating language as a code, this approach sees
it as action shaped by expectations, roles, and interactional purpose. By
grounding instruction in realistic speech events and teaching learners to
navigate frames, we teachers foster not only linguistic accuracy, but genuine
communicative competence and cultural agility.
📚 References
- Bachman, L. F. (1990). Fundamental
Considerations in Language Testing. Oxford University Press.
- Canale, M., & Swain, M. (1980).
Theoretical Bases of Communicative Approaches to Second Language Teaching
and Testing. Applied Linguistics, 1(1), 1–47.
- Celce-Murcia, M., & Olshtain, E.
(2000). Discourse and Context in Language Teaching: A Guide for
Language Teachers. Cambridge University Press.
- Hymes, D. (1974). Foundations in
Sociolinguistics: An Ethnographic Approach. University of Pennsylvania
Press.
- Tannen, D. (1993). Framing in Discourse.
Oxford University Press.
Sample Lesson using a Frames-Based Approach
Analysis of my lesson through the lens of 'Framing in Discourse'
Assessment of My Lesson Plan by Jonathan Acuña
Nine Reflective Questions for
Teacher Trainers (for newbies)
1. How
would you explain Deborah Tannen’s concept of framing to a group of
language learners in simple terms?
2. What
are the most common speech events your students might encounter outside
the classroom? How can these be brought into lesson planning?
3. In
what ways can discourse analysis help avoid overly artificial or
decontextualized language practice?
4. How
can framing be used to teach not only language accuracy but also intercultural
communication skills?
5. Think
of a recent lesson you taught—what was the frame of that lesson, and was
it clear to students?
6. How
would you adapt the same speech event (e.g., ordering food) for different
proficiency levels while maintaining authenticity?
7. What
challenges might arise when teaching students to recognize indirectness or
politeness strategies from another culture?
8. How
can framing and speech events be integrated into skills-focused lessons
(reading, writing, listening, speaking)?
9. After
observing a peer’s lesson, how would you evaluate whether the framing
was clear, authentic, and effective?
Framing Discourse in the ELT Classroom by Jonathan Acuña
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