Silence: A duoethnography

Abstract

Duoethnography is an emerging research methodology and tool for reflective practice in English language teaching (ELT). Duoethnography allows for people to become the sites of their own inquiry and investigate issues and phenomena of importance to them (Sawyer Norris, 2013). In duoethnography, participants engage in critical dialogue with one another as a way to challenge broader normative assumptions but also as a way to bring meaning to experiences and find solutions to immediate teaching issues. In this duoethnography, we examine the phenomenon of silence through our shared experiences as English language teachers and applied linguists but also from our diverging perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds. Data were gathered from online conversations, reflective notes, and memos between the two authors with emerging themes including 1) Shifting perspectives on silence, 2) Silence in the online classroom, and 3) Turn-taking and student/teacher discourse expectations. While specific to the authors, it is hoped that this duoethnography may resonate with readers and serve as a catalyst for further reflection on silence.