Strategies in Online English Lessons

POLITENESS STRATEGIES IN ONLINE ENGLISH LESSONS

An analysis of Gender Differences in Answering the Question How are you?

RATIONALE

This research is about variations of responses that some students who take online English lessons have to answer the conversation starter How are you? The researcher wanted to find out how Japanese students protect their face in an online classroom.

OBJECTIVESMain Objective:

To look for gender differences in the answers of twenty-eight (28) Japanese students when asked the question How are you or How have you been?

OBJECTIVESSpecific Objectives:

Find out who between males and females use the positive politeness strategies more Identify how many male and female respondents want to protect their negative faceDetermine what those respondents who used positive politeness strategies talk about to enhance their positive face

THEORIES AT WORKGEOFFREY LEECHS DEFINITION OF POLITENESS:

An action or utterance is polite if it does one of the two things: if the speaker expresses or implies meanings that associate high value with what pertains to [someone else- usually the addressee], or associate low value with what pertains to [the speaker her/himself].(as cited in Meyerhoff, 2011)

THEORIES AT WORK

The face is a personal attribute or quality that each of us works to protect o enhance.

(Meyerhoff, 2011)

THEORIES AT WORKBROWN AND LEVINSONS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE FACES:

Negative Face:the want of every competent adult member of a community that their actions be unimpeded by others.

Positive Face:the of every member that their wants be desirable to at least some others.

THEORIES AT WORKBROWN AND LEVINSONS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POLITENESS STRATEGIES:

NEGATIVE POLITENESS STRATEGY:

It is any action or utterance that indicates attention is being paid to the negative face wants of an interlocutor. It is often achieved through shows of deference. It is a type of action available to mitigate an inherently face-threatening act.

THEORIES AT WORKBROWN AND LEVINSONS POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE POLITENESS STRATEGIES:

POSITIVE POLITENESS STRATEGIES:

It is an any action, phrase or utterance that indicates attention is being aid to the positive face wants of an interlocutor. It s often achieved through shows of friendliness. It is a type of action available to mitigate an inherently face-threatening act.

(as cited in Meyerhoff, 2011)

THEORIES AT WORKBROWN AND LEVINSONS FACE THREATENING ACTS:

Somebodys positive or negative face wants will be threatened (speakers or hearers).

THEORIES AT WORKGender Differences in Self-Disclosure and Subject Matter (Wrench, et. al, 2008)

Differences between males and females in verbal communication are most evident in the type and amount of information they disclose, the language they use, and the subject matter they discuss.

METHODOLOGYMethod of Data Collection:

The material for this research consists of 28 recordings taken from an online English school where the researcher works. The researcher picked an equal number of male and female respondents. These respondents belonged to the pre-intermediate to Intermediate level.

The researcher only recorded the first few minutes of every 25-minute lesson.

METHODOLOGYII. Data

The data consists of communication exchange between the tutor (the researcher) and the student.

METHODOLOGYIII. METHOD OF DATA ANALYSIS

The researcher listened to the conversation twice before transcribing the recordings. The transcriptions were then analyzed and examined for gender differences in the use of politeness strategies. The analysis centered on the answers of respondents to the question How are you?

METHODOLOGYRespondents who used formulaic expressions (i.e. Im fine thank you, and you?) and those who gave very limited answers (i.e. ordinary day at work/ busy. nothing special) were categorized as respondents who wanted to protect their negative face.Respondents who gave more than the formulaic answers to the question were categorized as those who want to enhance their positive face.Answers were then analyzed and examined for common themes and topics (i.e. work, school, travel, feelings).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONFindings:

1. There is an equal number of females who used both of the politeness strategies while there is a four-point difference in the answers of the male respondents.

2. Seven females and nine males used positive face strategies.

3. The respondents who used PPS are found to be desirable and friendly by sharing information about the weather, their day, their feeling, their most recent trip, their family and even their disappointment. Fig. 1. Gender Differences in The Use of Politeness Strategies

Chart1

75

79

Females

Males

Sheet1

FemalesMales

Negative Politeness Strategies75

Positive Politeness Strategies79Category 33.51.83

Category 44.52.85

To resize chart data range, drag lower right corner of range.

Findings:

Most of the answers are variations of formulaic answers to the question How are you?

NEGATIVE POLITENESS STRATEGIES

1Shiho-sanFine, thank you, and you?

6Mayumi-sanGood. How about you?

2Hiro-sanYes, Im fine, thank you and you?

3Yoshi-sanYes, Im good; thank you.

Findings:

2. Students who did not ask the question back to the teacher are assumed to be uninterested in building rapport. Instead, they want to proceed to the lesson proper (i.e. article discussion, TOEFL, conversation questions) immediately.


7Jasmine-sanOrdinary day. I worked.

Kenta-sanBusy. Nothing special.

Findings (Females):

Female respondents talked about their trips abroad (work-related or for pleasure), the weather, work and studies.

POSITIVE POLITENESS STRATEGIES

Satoko-sanI was in India for a month and I came back 3 weeks ago. Still enjoying the summer vacation and today is the last day.

Findings (Females):

2. Three respondents shared negative information about themselves.


Saki-sanToday, I am tired from the work because these two weeks I travelled in Italy and I came back to Japan last Sunday and I started to work yesterday, so I am tired from the work today.

Yuko-sanFine, fine. Im little bit tired to study for the TOEFL test.

Bunbun-sanIm a bit tired. Friday.

Findings (Females):

3. Two respondents introduced themselves to answer the question.


Chiemi-sanOk, my name is Chiemi. Im 60 years old. I live in Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. So Oita is very country side. Especially my place is very rural area. Im a housewife now. I retired this march. This march. Since then, Ive been in home. And then, I have a one daughter and husband. Today, they went out. They have something to do. And now Im alone. Now, we are Japanese autumn. Its a very comfortable season. I like autumn.

Akemi-sanFine day today. Very very nice condition. From now I introduce myself, ok?

Findings (Males):

Most male respondents who made use of the positive politeness strategies talk about their work.


4Kanto-sanIm good. Today, was a normal day. I went to the office and work until 6oclock. I went to play tennis in a tennis school. And thats it.

Kazu-sanIve been pretty good. Well, Ive been just working and yeah, last week, I went to Boston for my business. ..

Findings(Males):

2. Two (2) out of the 9 male respondents related their well-being to the weather.


1Shinichi-sanToday is usual day. However, the temperature was very high. Maybe its around over 33 or 35 degrees.

6Mori-sanToday is holiday, so I have relaxed time and I feel comfortable, very good. And climate is very fine. And the weather is very fine. Not cold, not hot. It was very comfortable day, today. Thats good.

Findings (Males):

3. One respondent disclosed information about his private life- his family.


3Atsuo-sanOhhh, yes today is Sunday. I took my wife and child just go shopping and watching. Usual day; it was fun.

Findings (Males):

4. One respondent used conversational implicature to establish connection with the tutor.

5. One respondent asked a question to establish rapport and show cooperation with the teacher.


9Koji-sanIm good. Today, I will go to Hokkaido.

8Yoko-sanIm fine. Yesterday, do you know yesterday is Japanese holiday?


No.FEMALES1Shiho-sanFine, thank you, and you?2Machiko-sanIm good.3Ayako-sanIm fine, thank you. How are you?4-5Moeka-san and Liri-sanIm fine.6Mayumi-sanGood. How about you?7Jasmine-sanOrdinary day. I worked.No.MALES1Tomo-sanAs usual. Its good.2Hiro-sanYes, Im fine, thank you and you?3Yoshi-sanYes, Im good; thank you.4Kazu-sanIve been fine. Yes, theres no problem.5Kenta-sanBusy. Nothing special.


Satoko-sanI was in India for a month and I came back 3 weeks ago. Still enjoying the summer vacation and today is the last day.Kayoko-sanIm fine, thank you. Its sunny and not so hot. I feel good.Saki-sanToday, I am tired from the work because these two weeks I travelled in Italy and I came back to Japan last Sunday and I started to work yesterday, so I am tired from the work today.Yuko-sanFine, fine. Im little bit tired to study for the TOEFL test.Bunbun-sanIm a bit tired. Friday.


Chiemi-sanOk, my name is Chiemi. Im 60 years old. I live in Oita Prefecture in Kyushu. So Oita is very country side. Especially my place is very rural area. Im a housewife now. I retired this march. This march. Since then, Ive been in home. And then, I have a one daughter and husband. Today, they went out. They have something to do. And now Im alone. Now, we are Japanese autumn. Its a very comfortable season. I like autumn.

Akemi-sanFine day today. Very very nice condition. From now I introduce myself, ok?

Strategies in Online English Lessons

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