Reply to Ethnography of Speaking

I found the reading about "Kros" to be interesting because it is so different than what I am used to when it comes to displaying anger. I mean it talks about how it can be done in public and may occur at any time of day or night. It is also interesting how it starts out low and then grows into something large. Then the villagers one by one start to listen and ask the question 'Em kros long wanem?" ('what's/he kros about?'). That was also interesting to me.


I will discuss the participants of the classroom or who takes part in the speech event, and in what role.

The participants are the students and the teacher. The students role(s) are usually to take notes, to listen, to respond when asked to do so, and to be on time and be prepared for class. What is expected according to certain roles and what actually happens is different usually. The students sometimes respond when asked and sometimes they don't according to various reasons. They usually take notes only when the teacher asks them too or when she writes something on the board. Listening usually is done passively and most of the time the students are thinking about something else not involved with the classroom. Being prepared for class can mean many different things. The norm of being prepared I believe is to have a pen and paper and at least be half-way awake in order to take in the required information
The teachers role is to get the class discussion started, involve the students as much as she can in the conversation, have notes and a certain structure or organization to follow, and to be in the class on time and prepared. The teacher should be awake and get the discussion or speech started immediately. She most likely should involve the students however this is not mandatory. Most lectures are done where the teacher speaks and at the end of class he/she assigns what needs to be done for next class and dismisses them. She should have notes on what she wants to talk about or some kind of structure to follow or everything would be a mess and there would be no format to follow. She should also be there on time to be a role for the students to be on time. She should not be on time just for the students but as a teacher she is representing her school name and being on time is a good character of judgment.
The role of the teacher is a leader, she usually does the speaking and engages the students. The role of the students is usually in the form of the follower. They listen to the teacher and respond when asked to do so. The teacher gives out grades and talks about her subject. The students listen, study and respond to her subject by taking tests, doing assignments, and getting involved in classroom discussion.