Critical Classroom Discourse Analysis of EFL Teachers and Students at the Department of English Language and Literature - Batna 2 University

This study sheds light on how English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers implement linguistic and paralinguistic features in the classroom. It also investigates students’ preferences and awareness related to the aforementioned characteristics. This investigation used a mixed-methods research approach, collecting data from teachers via observation grids and interviews, and from students via questionnaires. Fairclough’s approach to Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) was employed to draw findings about the use of modality, personal pronouns (PPs), teacher talking time (TTT), and teachers’ body language (TBL). The study reveals that the teachers in the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Batna 2 had varying approaches to using modal verbs and PPs. Additionally, they tended to establish a casual rapport with their students by dropping formality in their speeches on alternate occasions. Furthermore, they asserted their authority through their body language and the amount of time they spent speaking. Over 50% of students, accordingly, were aware of their teachers’ authority display in the classroom and generally preferred formal and polite communication. This emphasised that it is crucial to consider students’ viewpoints in this area of endeavour as education is not only about teachers and how they provide material, but also about students who reflect any teaching style, method, or technique. Additional investigation is required in the domain of classroom discourse as well as teachers’ use of linguistic and paralinguistic features and their relationship with power and authority to achieve more precise outcomes in the field of English as a foreign language.