The versatility of assessments as an interactional resource in CSL classrooms

Abstract As an omnipresent social action, assessment-making has gained increasing attention in studies on teacher-student interaction. However, few studies have investigated the patterns, organization, and functions of assessment as a multimodal package in CSL classrooms. Drawing on data from 10 hours of teaching videos, this study examines the role of assessment as an interactional resource in CSL teaching contexts. The present study has three main findings. First, assessment in CSL teaching predominantly takes a positive valence. Second, positive assessments may be further divided into lower-grade or higher-grade levels, with each level constituting a multimodal package of lexico-grammatical structures, bodily-based actions, and orientation to the learning environment. Lastly, CSL teachers employ assessments of varying degrees to fulfill distinct pedagogical demands.