Silence in the communicative process is often viewed as the background to
speech patterns, or it is not viewed at all. Yet cultural and ethnic teachings concerning
the importance of silence, as well as appropriate uses of silence in communication,
aftect communicative processes in classroom contexts, and can thus affect teaching
and learning processes as well. In this study, silence in intercultural communication is
the main focus. This is a study about the meanings of silence in multi-ethnic
classrooms of older adults, as well as a study of signs and signals for breaking silence
which are used by participants in classroom contexts when they wish to speak.
A search of the literature revealed minimal information concerning meanings of
silences in classroom contexts and no information concerning meanings of silence, nor
about signs and signals for breaking silence in multi-ethnic classrooms of older adults.
Therefore, this qualitative research project was designed to answer some questions
about these intercultural communicative issues, which are vital aspects of teaching and
learning processes. The two main research questions were: 1) what are the meanings
of silence in multi-ethnic classrooms of older adults? 2) what are the signs and
signals for breaking silence in multi-ethnic classrooms of older adults?
A multiple case study approach was used with seven adults (four women and
three men) whose ages ranged from 65 to 82 years and who were from the countries
of Nigeria, Cuba, Greece, China, India, England, and Canada. These case studies
were supported by a triangulated methodological approach which used three
qualitative research methodologies in order to enhance the depth of understanding
concerning the research questions of the study. These three methodologies were:
ethnographies of communication; ethnomethodology; and interactional analysis of
discourse. Saville-Troike’s (1985) categories of silences were used as an initial
conceptual framework for analyzing and organizing the data which were gathered
from five different sources. This conceptual framework was then adjusted in order to
accommodate the various sub-categories and themes which emerged from the data of
this study. The five sources of data were: transcription of a video of the participants in
their classroom; transcriptions of audio tapes of stimulated recall interviews with
individual participants; researcher observations; first focus group discussion; and
second focus group discussion (where participants made additions and corrections to
tentative findings that were presented to them by the researcher). In order to avoid
stereotyping or unwarranted generalizations concerning various ethnic or cultural
groups, and in order to respect the communicative differences within cultural and
ethnic groups, meanings of silence were not categorized according to culture, but
rather, were categorized into communicative themes across cultures. As well, a
metaphor of a “patchwork quilt” was used throughout this inquiry as a vehicle for the
creative enhancement of insights, organization, connections, and descriptions of the
research process.
The findings of this study revealed a large variety of meanings of silence as
well as a number of signs and signals for breaking silence. These were organized into
the following categories: 1) institutionally-determined silences which included
locations, rituals, hierarchical / structural, and silence taboos; 2) group-determined
silences which included normative and symbolic silences; 3) individually-determined /
negotiated silences which included, interactive, socio-contextual, psycholinguistic,
sociocultural, psychological, sociophysical, noninteractive, contemplative and
reflective silences; and 4) signs and signals for breaking silence which included verbal,
nonverbal, and combined verbal and nonverbal signs and signals.
Various recommendations, which were inspired by the participants’
contributions concerning silences, were made in order to promote possibilities of
improved, and refined intercultural communication in classroom contexts. These
communicative approaches, in turn, may enhance improved teaching and learning
processes. / Graduate
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/8732 |
| Date | 27 October 2017 |
| Creators | Fenimore, Mary Ann |
| Contributors | Preece, Alison |
| Source Sets | University of Victoria |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | Available to the World Wide Web |
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