Paul Seedhouse and Sumita Supakorn have recently had their paper on ‘Topic-as-script and topic-as-action in language assessment and teaching‘ published by Applied Linguistics Review.
The focus of the paper is on topic in two English language learning settings: IELTS language proficiency tests, taken from Paul’s IELTS projects, and English language classrooms in Thailand, taken from Sumita’s PhD project. The authors use conversation analytic methods to examine how the ‘topic-as-script’ (the pre-planned development of topic in language tests and classrooms) differs from the ‘topic-as-action’ (what really happens once language learners and teachers/examiners go about developing topic through interaction). It can be read in full here.