Field, James ColinBlackman, Galicia2017-07-312017-07-3120172017Blackman, G. (2017). A Hermeneutic Inquiry into Grade Eleven Students’ Experiences of Classroom Talk in Language Arts (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/24754http://hdl.handle.net/11023/3994The goal of this hermeneutic inquiry was to interpret and understand how some students experience classroom talk, which is centered on a particular theme or topic, in English Language Arts. I came to understand that this kind of talk, or discussion, is akin to the idea of play, a way of being whereby students come with their opinions, and then they engage with the multiciplicity of perspectives in the learning arena. This can be a pleasurable encounter for students, but the conditions for this “play” to occur include respectful relationships with peers, and an open atmosphere ushered by the teacher. This open, unpredictable kind of discussion is not a step-by-step classroom encounter, but there are ways that students, classmates, and teachers can foster the pedagogical conditions for meaningful discussions about their literary texts to occur.engUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.Education--Curriculum and InstructionEducation--Language and LiteratureEducation--SecondaryHermeneuticstalkliteraturehighschoolplaymaster thesis10.11575/PRISM/24754