Which pattern of classroom talk is commonly criticized for encouraging learners to say what the teacher wants to hear rather than true communication?

Which pattern of classroom talk is commonly criticized for encouraging learners to say what the teacher wants to hear rather than true communication?

• A. Initiation Response Feedback
• B. Presentation Practice Production
• C. Question-Answer-Review
• D. Lecture-Feedback-Assessment

Answer: (A)

The pattern being tested is one where the teacher starts the exchange, the student answers, and the teacher then gives feedback. This cycle often curtails true communication because students tailor their responses to fit what the teacher is looking for, rather than expressing their own meaning or negotiating ideas.

In practice, turn-taking is tightly controlled, and student responses tend to be brief, focused on correctness, and quickly redirected by the teacher’s feedback. That can make the interaction feel like a check of recall rather than a genuine conversation, so learners end up saying what they think will please the teacher rather than exploring ideas or clarifying understanding.

This contrasts with more communicative approaches where learners produce longer, meaningful language through tasks, discussion, or open-ended activities, and with other patterns that include different structures of questioning and feedback. While those patterns can involve more student talk, the Initiation–Response–Feedback sequence is the one most commonly criticized for limiting real communication to the surface of correct answers.