Scaffolding Reading Comprehension: A Case Study of a Young Korean English Language Learner

This study examined the nature of teacher-student interactions during tutoring sessions to explore ways of scaffolding reading comprehension of a young Korean English language learner. The verbal interactions during tutoring sessions were analyzed based on an analytical framework-the IRE pattern-where the teacher initiates a question, the student answers, and the teacher evaluates (Cazden, 2001). During the first half of tutoring, the teacher used the three-turn pattern of IRE to accomplish a number of different purposes depending on the tasks involved and the student could evolve from simple repetition to more engaged talk. During the second half of tutoring, when the student was given the power to pose questions through the Question-Answer Game, non-traditional interactional patterns developed. The student initiated topics by asking the teacher questions, sustained the topics by disagreeing with the teacher, and became an active reader who assumed responsibility for his own learning. The students’ opportunities to exercise initiative or to develop a sense of responsibility for learning were limited when using the traditional IRE interaction pattern where the teacher simply aimed at assessing student knowledge. This study illustrates how teachers can both provide and limit learning opportunities for English readers based on discursive practices.