TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF TEACHER SPEECH ACTS IN CLASSROOM DISCOURSE: A PRAGMATIC PERSPECTIVE

Аннотация

This paper explores the types and functions of teacher speech acts within classroom discourse from a pragmatic and pedagogical perspective.The study analyzes how each type contributes to classroom management, instructional delivery, student motivation, and learning assessment. Drawing on relevant literature and empirical findings, the article highlights the dominance of directives and representatives in instructional contexts, while underscoring the strategic role of expressives and commissives in fostering a supportive learning environmentThe article concludes that a balanced, conscious use of speech acts enhances both teaching efficiency and learner outcomes in educational settings. Keywords: Teacher talk, speech acts, classroom discourse, pragmatics, pedagogy, directives, classroom communication. Language plays a central role in the educational process, particularly in classrooms where teachers use verbal communication as a primary medium for instruction, management, and interaction. Teacher talk not only facilitates knowledge transmission but also shapes classroom dynamics, social relationships, and the emotional climate. Among various linguistic approaches to classroom discourse, speech act theory offers a powerful framework for analyzing how teachers use language to perform actions. This paper investigates the types and functions of teacher speech acts, drawing on pragmatic theory to understand how different utterances serve pedagogical functions. The study of speech acts originates in the work of J. L. Austin (1962), who proposed that language is not only used to convey information but also to perform actions. His concept of "performative utterances" laid the groundwork for speech act theory, later developed by John Searle (1969), who classified illocutionary acts into five types: representatives, directives, commissives, expressives, and declarations. In educational contexts, teacher speech acts have been examined for their role in instruction (Cazden, 2001), classroom management (Sinclair & Coulthard, 1975), and student engagement (Walsh, 2011). While many studies highlight the dominance of directive acts in teaching, others emphasize the importance of expressives and commissives in creating a supportive learning environment. Theoretical Framework Searle's taxonomy of speech acts forms the theoretical basis for this study: Representatives: statements that convey belief or describe reality (e.g., explanations, descriptions) Directives: attempts to get the listener to do something (e.g., instructions, commands) Commissives: commitments to future action (e.g., promises, offers) Expressives: expressions of psychological state (e.g., praise, encouragement) 50 YOSH OLIMLAR ILMIY-AMALIY KONFERENSIYASI in-academy.uz/index.php/yo Declarations: utterances that bring about a change in institutional status (e.g., assigning grades) These categories help analyze the various functions teacher utterances serve in the classroom.