Types of Conversation THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
familiar and pragmatic; dialogue is also pragmatic but less common. Dialectic and design conversation are more disciplined orientations.
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1. Dialectic Conversation
Dialectic conversation focuses on framing a logical argument for searching the truth. It is a scientific approach, a disciplined inquiry into whatever is being
examined. In dialectic conversation, participants are often rigid in their beliefs and debate for what they perceive as truths.
2. Discussion Conversation
Discussion conversation is the forum in which many of us advocate for our own individual position. Unlike the logical argument expressed by dialectic,
discussion is more subjectively influenced by opinion and supposition. Discussion conversations are transactional in nature, one participant negotiating with others
with the advocacy and preservation of personal assumptions as the center of the discourse.
3. Dialogue Conversation
Dialogue conversation is a conversation where meaning is constructed through sharing. It is a community-building form of conversation. Its purpose is to
create a setting where conscious collective mindfulness can be maintained. This form of discourse transforms the individual thinking and thought processes,
creating collective thought. It requires that individuals first examine their personal assumptions or opinions and then suspend these assumptions before the entire
group. They must step out of their advocacy for personally held assumptions as well as those of others. This type of conversation recognizes variously held
common experiences. According to Mary Finocchiaro and Michael Bonomo, dialogues in which
individuals listen to a speaker and react, either by speaking themselves or by performing some action, are especially well suited for practicing language in
realistic communication situations. Dialogues permit students to practice whole statements, questions, or formulas of the language rather than items or bits of
language which, by themselves, do not duplicate the real communication or
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http:carbon.cudenver.edu~lsherrycoursesjenlink.html.
interaction which goes on among individuals. The study and dramatization of dialogues helps students gain insight into the various cultural aspects of the
foreign community. Dialogue may be used effectively as an approach or introduction to the
learning of aspects of grammar, vocabulary, or pronunciation. On the other hand, we may prefer to use the dialogue as a “culminating” activity, that is, as a learning
experience which recombines in a normal, conversational exchange many of the language features that had been presented and practiced in individual utterances
and in drill activities. Dialogues should be prepared for each unit work in our text if none are
included and for each large socio-cultural category such as Identification names, addresses, School, and People and Places in the community. Dialogues themes
may be further subdivided-where relevant and essential-into such topics as Shopping for Food, Clothing, and Travel. As is obvious, many of the dialogues
could be placed under different headings, since they could include vocabulary common to several possible situations.
Within each category, three types of dialogues should be practiced: a.
Conversational exchanges of two single utterances. b.
Sustained dialogues. c.
Spiral dialogue.
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4. Design conversation
Dialogues help the design participants create collective consciousness as well as clear the minds of distorting or conflicting assumptions that lead to
incoherence of thinking. Through creating coherence of thinking, a community evolves where in collective thought is possible and the creative consciousness
may emerge to focus outside the constraints of old mindsets on the process of designing a new educational system. Design conversation goes beyond the
suspension of personal opinions and moves into a suspension of mindsets themselves.
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Mary Finocchiaro and Michael Bonomo, The Foreign Language Learner: A Guide for Teacher
, New York: Regents Publishing Company, Inc., 1973, p.111- p.114
Fernando Flores states 8 types of conversation in order to maximize the effectiveness of the conversation in interaction among people.
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These 8 types of conversation and it examples are:
a. Conversations for stories and assessments.
These conversations that share experiences or your understanding of what has happened.
b. Conversations for clarity.
This post is a conversation for clarity about Conversation Types. c.
Conversations for co-ordination of action. Typically planning meetings where the objective is to understand
everybodys role on the team. You do this. Ill do that. d.
Conversations for speculation or possible action. Example of this type are brainstorming, scenario planning.
e. Conversations for possible conversations.
A simple form but often necessary to set up a conversation at a later date. Usually of the form Lets meet on Monday to have a conversation for clarity
about... f.
Conversations for relationship. Conversations that build shared experience with others and improve your
relationship. g.
Conversations for appreciation complaint. Predominantly of the latter form, this type of conversation is all about
feedback. h.
Conversations for second order learning. It reflective conversations in which we learn.