DIRECTIVES USED IN UNIVERSITY CLASSROOMS

Directives Used In University Classrooms

The present study examines different forms and functions of directives used in the classroom setting in Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Directives are known to be an important feature of the classroom discourse. In this study, out of 456 directives used in the classes, ten directive forms and eight directive functions are identified. The finding reveals that although different directive forms are utilized in classes, imperatives and interrogatives are, by far, the most frequent ones. Furthermore, the most common functions used in this context appear to be elicitation and instruction. Some implications of the study are provided after presenting the concluding remarks.