The Speech Acts of the Language of Teachers' Criticism in EAP Classes: A Pragmatic Analysis

Abstract

Exploring speech acts within the realm of language instruction has consistently been a captivating subject. Limited research has delved into the analysis of speech acts employed by English teachers for criticism during classroom interactions. This study primarily aims to identify the classifications of speech acts used most frequently by teachers in English for Academic Purpose (EAP) courses for criticism. Additionally, it examines the rationale behind selecting a particular type of speech act for criticism by EAP course instructors and assesses how this classification of speech acts may influence teaching strategies and student performance. The research employed classroom observations and interviews for data collection, utilizing purposive sampling to select five teachers and forty students from the English department's EAP 009 course. Observational guidelines and situational questionnaires served as research instruments. Qualitative thematic analysis and data coding were applied for data analysis. Classroom observations indicated that EAP teachers predominantly used directive criticism, with a comparatively low utilization of commissive criticism, aligning with the principles of communicative language teaching. Conversely, teacher interviews unveiled that, while direct criticism was prevalent, declarative criticism was also employed. This suggests a need for greater consistency in teachers' selection of specific criticisms, minimizing potential impacts on teaching strategies. The study recommends that EAP teachers diversify their criticism approaches based on student needs and contextual factors.

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