INSTRUCTIONAL COMMUNICATIONS IN AN ENGLISH CLASSROOM AT PHATSIMO JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, TUTUME, BOTSWANA

Abstract

Teacher–student instructional interaction (TSII) is essential for evaluating teaching and
learning effectiveness. This qualitative study utilized the Flanders Interaction Analysis
Categories (FIAC) to analyse TSII in a junior secondary English classroom where English is a
second language. Data were collected over four class sessions through classroom observations,
video recordings, and note-taking. Analysis indicates a pronounced dominance of teacher-led
interaction, primarily through lecturing and questioning, with teacher discourse occupying
79.4%, 96.2%, 94.1%, and 73.2% of interactions across sessions one to four meetings,
respectively. These findings reveal a persistent teacher-controlled communicative pattern, with
minimal peer-to-peer exchanges among students, thereby constraining their opportunities for
linguistic advancement and content mastery. The implications call for instructional strategies
that foster more balanced and interactive classroom discourse