A deeper look at how teachers say what they say: A quantitative modality analysis of teacher-to-teacher talk

Analysis of teacher-to-teacher talk provides researchers with useful information regarding the teaching profession and teachers’ perspectives. This article provides a description of a method, with accompanying example, examining teacher-to-teacher talk by incorporating semantic modality and examining trends of its usage in a quantitative manner. Analysis of the example presented showed a tendency for teachers to use normative and probability modality, signaling a prevalence of assertions concerned with normative ways of teaching. The example analysis provides a replicable framework for other researchers to apply and adapt the analysis method described. Specifications and discussion of this method are provided in detail.

► Semantic modality is a useful tool to examine teacher-to-teacher talk.
► Quantitative analysis of modality usage helps characterize teacher conversations.
► Math teachers used normativity and probability modals in reacting to an animation.