September 1998 and July 2000. In Chapters 3-4, 1 focus on the analysis of the data collected in my teacher-researcher diary and in my focus group interviews between September 1999 and July 2000.
My research focus, examining teacher and learner descriptions of classroom interaction in order to analyse the support and challenges framework developed in my BFC classroom as a means to promote foreign language learning, has emerged gradually over the research period. This is the result of combining and developing my own and the learners' thinking about my BFC classroom. Due to my positioning as teacher- researcher in my classroom, I have used several tools as 'estrangement devices' (van Lier, 1988: 37). I have described these tools in the previous sections. The analysis of my data needs to be considered in this context. The analysis process has been an on- going, continuous process that I have illustrated in the previous sections when using my diary excerpts for describing the development of my methodological tools.
During the data collection itself, I have adopted a jazz metaphor (discussed in section 3) in order to detach myself from my BFC classroom by considering the familiar (my classroom) in terms of the unfamiliar (the jazz club). This has led me to reconsider some of my theories about interaction in the BFC, which I discuss in Chapters 3-4. Although the adoption of the jazz metaphor has contributed considerably to the further development of my understanding, the use of metaphor also constitutes a danger of over-interpretation. In order to avoid this, I have focused for the systematic data analysis on the content of my teacher-researcher diary and my interviews.
Due to my positioning as a teacher-researcher within a theory of practice model, I have approached my data through 'context-based analysis' (van Lier, 1988: 2). This positioning implies 'my own way of seeing a situation' (Bolton, 2001: 107). Therefore, the analysis of my data is very much determined by my previously described teacher- researcher roles (see Chapter 1). This does not mean that my data analysis is not 'valid.' The opposite is the case: Because of my positioning as teacher-researcher, I recognise the richness of my data and the complexities of analysing teacher and learner
descriptions of BFC classroom interaction. As importantly, this positioning requires both criticality (discussed in Chapter section 5) and in particular self-criticality as a teacher-researcher, as 1 have illustrated in particular in section At the same time, my positioning as teacher-researcher prevents me from using Discourse or Conversation Analysis to analyse my data, especially my interview data. Such analytical methods would focus on interaction in the interviews or discourses in my diary, instead of focusing on descriptions of interaction in my BFC classroom.
In practical terms, my systematic data analysis can be summarised as follows:
• I have started my data analysis by identifying recurring themes in my teacher- researcher diary.
• I have then re-read my interview transcripts with the aim to identify key issues in the interviews. These key issues may have been different from themes identified in my teacher-researcher diary.
• I have looked at issues which seemed interesting, but also possibly contradictory. • I have started to combine key issues from both my diary and my interviews.
• I have examined how contradictory themes might contribute to the emerging analysis framework.
• I have reconsidered some of my early conclusions and have partly refocused my data analysis as a result.
• I have related the selection of data to each other in order to constitute my analysis framework in a manner that allows me to convey the complexities of descriptions of classroom interaction in an organised maimer.
• At the same time, I have aimed to present my data in a meaningful and pragmatic manner.
8 Summary
In this chapter, I have described how I have put my theory of practice into practice by employing a case study approach that has allowed me to examine my own and my learners' perceptions of BFC classroom interaction between September 1998 and July 2000. I have used and developed the following research tools:
• I have kept my teacher-researcher diary as a longitudinal record of my practice between September 1998 and July 2000.
• I have conducted Focus Group interviews with two groups of my learners between November 1999 and July 2000.
• Reversing Schon's (1991) argument I have viewed my teaching through the unfamiliar, the jazz metaphor, as a means to develop my theory of practice further.
In order to supplement my data 1 have conducted an individual interview with my former headteacher responsible for the creation and implementation of the BFC in May 2001. This interview has allowed me to contextualise my classroom data.
All of these research tools have allowed me to establish and develop my theory of practice as a focusing on the sttidy of my classroom. At the same time, it is important to mention that my data are limited. I did not interview any of the other teachers involved in the creation and implementation of the BFC since this proved to be impractical at the time. However, since my aim is to explore my theory of practice in my classroom focusing on my practice is legitimate as it enables me to gain a deeper understanding of my practice by applying my research tools in a meaningful and pragmatic manner.