Mapping silence onto English language classroom

Investigating silence in the language classroom helps expand our interpretation of silence in different educational and cultural contexts. This study examined teachers’ views on functions of both teachers’ and students’ silence in English as a foreign language (EFL) classroom in an Iranian University setting. Adopting ethnography, data were collected from 14 university teachers through diaries, narratives, interviews and observations. The triangulated analysis of the data highlighted teachers’ positive views on silence, their awareness of the multidimensional nature of silence, and their understanding of its important role in assisting teachers with their class objectives. A total of 33 functions emerged which were grouped under three categories of Aesthetic Fillers (functions promoting harmony and creating a relaxing environment), Floor Consigners (functions facilitating communication and interaction), and Pedagogic Conditioners (functions assisting teachers with their pedagogic aims and professional objectives). The results support recent research (King & Harumi, 2020) that challenges traditional views of perceiving silence as a problem in language classroom.