Differences between Chinese and Western English-speaking teachers in providing disagreement in EFL teaching in China

Disagreement is face-threatening but necessary for teachers to correct errors and prompt learning. However, little research has examined how teachers employ disagreement as feedback, especially from a multimodal perspective. This study investigated the differences in linguistic markers (LMs) and accompanying nonverbal behaviours (NVBs) associated with disagreements between Western English-speaking teachers (L1 teachers) and Chinese English teachers (L2 teachers). The classes of four L1 teachers and four L2 teachers were video-recorded and analysed. Follow-up interviews were analysed to examine the possible factors pertaining to the differences between the two groups. The results showed that both groups preferred to employ questions and counterclaims but differed in terms of the forms or contents they used. L1 teachers tended to use downtoners and humour as mitigators, while L2 teachers were inclined to employ token agreements and partial agreements. Smiling and gazing were the primary accompanying NVBs employed by the L1 teachers, whereas gazing and postures dominated the L2 teachers’ data. Possible factors for such differences were identified, such as perceived students’ needs and views on the functions of disagreements. The pedagogical implications for L1 and L2 teachers are also discussed.