Teachers’ Instructional Language and Student Response in EFL Classroom: A Discourse Analysis

Abstract

Classroom interaction is a crucial component of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learning because teachers’ instructional language significantly influences student participation, comprehension, and communicative development, particularly in Indonesian contexts where English exposure is largely limited to classroom settings. Grounded in Sinclair and Coulthard’s classroom discourse theory and Walsh’s framework of instructional interaction, this study investigates the types of teachers’ instructional language and patterns of student responses in an EFL classroom within the context of Introduction to Basic Instruction (IBI) and Qualitative Research Methodology. Using a qualitative research design with discourse analysis, data were collected through classroom observation, audio recording, and field notes, then analyzed by categorizing teacher language into directive, elicitation, clarification, and feedback forms, alongside student responses in verbal, non-verbal, and silence-based patterns. The findings revealed that directive language was the most dominant instructional strategy, functioning both as classroom management and pedagogical modeling, while elicitation promoted critical engagement and language production. Student responses varied according to linguistic competence, confidence, and academic readiness, with silence often reflecting cognitive processing rather than disengagement. The discussion highlights that teachers’ instructional language serves not only as pedagogical communication but also as a model for future teaching practice. This study concludes that strategic instructional language is essential for fostering interactive EFL learning, enhancing student participation, and supporting pedagogical development in teacher education contexts.