Page 193 - Silence in Intercultural Communication

180 Silence in Intercultural Communication

(75) [Interview: Ms. Hardy]
If I ask them a question, [they would respond] but it would be a total sort of a
factual recall type question. It wouldn’t be about - it wouldn’t be a nuts and
bolts type question - it wouldn’t be about an issue that was an educational or
something. I don’t recall except Wong Young when I was talking about Korea -
but I don’t recall any Japanese schooling ever been mentioned.

In the Curriculum and Examinations class, where more participation by Tadashi
was observed, his contributions concentrated on responses to the teachers’ ques-
tions that checked the facts and figures which had been provided in earlier lec-
tures, in other words, responses to “total sort of factual recall type” questions. For
example, on one occasion, he responded to Mr. Fuller’s question about what the
key subjects in the School Certificate were. On another occasion, as shown in
example (12) (Section 5.4.2), he explained the differences between two “reference
systems.” All of these contributions are to do with facts or labels for categories
which require a search of one’s memory or notes.
A couple of occasions on which Tadashi unusually self-selected to ask a ques-
tion appear to reflect his orientation to participation focusing on administrative
or practical issues. In the interaction excerpt below, he asks a question regarding
the availability of the material which Mr. Fuller has introduced to him in the Cur-
riculum and Examination class.
(76) [Interaction: Tadashi, Curriculum and Examinations]

1 Lect: So it looks at the- (0.4) what constitutes
2 an excellent answer. (0.3) you know, (0.5) a
3 little bit less: an:d (.) low quality (.)
4 answer. (0.3) from actual examination
5 papers. (0.4) so it’s uh it’s a very good
6 training for the beginning teacher (.) to
7 understand (0.2) what happens at the high
8 school certificate exams. (1.2) u:m=
-> 9 Tadashi: =Around what time of the year can we get
10 this document? (0.3) June? or:=
11 Lect: =U:m no well actually: this one’s only
12 just come out.
13 Tadashi: Just [now.]
14 Lect: [now.]
15 (0.2)
16 Tadashi: [It must be ( )].
17 Lect: [So: it’ a bit of a prob]lem.
18 (0.2)