Exploring the dialogic space in teaching: A study of teacher talk in the pre-university classroom in Singapore

Inspired by Bakhtin's theory of dialogism and framed within the paradigm of 'dialogic teaching', this article focuses on teacher talk and its potential for encouraging student discussion, dialogue and debate. Through a close analysis of lessons taught by 18 teachers in 7 schools, it examines the teachers' attempts to initiate and stimulate discussion among pre-university students in Singapore. The findings point to a pattern of teacher talk that stifles student participation and cognitive engagement, producing a predominantly monologic and transmissive classroom culture. The article closes with a discussion of the implications for teachers, teacher educators and educational policy makers.