The use of deictics in teaching discourse: a study with university professors

Abstract

This study presents the use of deictics as discursive strategies by professors to encourage the teaching and learning process in the classroom. The objective of this research is to identify the deictics used by two professors who teach the subject Reading, Writing and Spelling Techniques at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua, Managua (UNAN-Managua). In this research, a qualitative methodology was used in which an observation grid based on discourse analysis from the interpretative paradigm was used as an instrument. Therefore, the study focuses on the natural context in the classroom. The results show that the deictics most frequently used by professors are personal and time deictics. In the case of personal deictics, the most prevalent in the statements issued by professors were those of the first-person plural (we/us) who used them in order to join the group, that is, they are included in the discourse to empathize with their interlocutors, a strategy that allows them to create an atmosphere of trust and closeness with students, and consequently, improves the classroom climate and thus facilitates the teaching and learning process.