Abstract:

Existing research discoveries point out that intended effects of verbal transmission which include negation do not always have to correspond with its actual effects. This fact may be explained through various theories (for example Schema-Plus-Tag Model, Two-Step Simulation Hypothesis, Theory of Ironic Processes of Mental Control or Reactance Theory) and is repeatedly proven by scientific methods. These discoveries may have diverse effects. Studying this phenomenon in a school environment seems essential, as here usage of negation may lead to a contradictory behaviour of the pupils than which is desired by the teacher. What is more, previous studies show that using negation by the teacher also leads to decrease in students´ verbal production.

With regard to these discoveries, the aim of this research is to examine in which contexts, forms and with what effect is negation used by teachers at primary schools within the boundaries of classroom communication.

The research is based on a descriptive method, carried out partially through quantitative and qualitative analysis of video recordings of 18 lessons. These recordings were made during various courses among pupils of 1st – 4th grade on primary schools (5 different teachers aged 21-52 with teaching experience in the range of 2 to 25 years).

From the data obtained it implies that within the course of a regular lesson (45 min), teachers use a negative formulation 74 times on average. Repeatedly it has shown that usage of negation in some cases (for example: “Don´t shout it out!”, “Don´t rock on your chair!”, “Don´t draw that!”) leads to intensifying of the particular behaviour of pupils which is being banned by the teacher. Teachers also use multiple negation during their instruction (for example: “Nobody isn´t saying nothing.”) which is quite a common phenomenon in Czech language, however, it may be more difficult for the pupils to process.

Despite the fact that it depends on the context in which negation is used, on its type, relationship between the teacher and the pupils and many other factors, it shows that even within the educational environment, negation may have a different impact than the one intended by the teacher. In spite of this discovery, negation remains a quite frequent phenomenon in classroom communication.

Keywords:

Classroom communication, negation, teacher, primary school.