Resolution

The resolution follows the evaluation or coincides with it, and describes how the

complication ends or is solved. Many short narratives simply contain a complication and

resolution (Labov & Waletzky, 1967), although this type of TPN does not exist in this teacher

dataset. Almost two-thirds of the TPNs in this study contained a resolution.

9 _{One reason for students identifying the evaluation in their diaries is because one of the diary prompts}

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5.2.6.1 Linguistic Marker ‘so’

The use of the conjunction ‘so’ to mark an upcoming resolution is evident in 23% of the resolutions. It is suggested that teachers sometimes use ‘so’ as a signal to aid students in

noticing the ending of a TPN. Mr. H used it in seven of his 56 TPNs, Ms. L in three of 20, J-

sensei in two of four, and M-sensei in one of 17. According to Merriam-Webster (2015), ‘so’

can be ‘used to say the reason for something’ or it can be ‘used in speech to introduce a statement or question’; it seems a combination of the two definitions are being used in the TPNs. ‘So’ is being said to provide a reason or ending to the story while at the same time it is introducing a statement.

M-sensei’s Play Mamagoto (see appendix U for full transcript) is an example of the

use of ‘so’ as an indicator of the resolution. This TPN was said to the whole class during an activity in which he was demonstrating how he would teach the grammatical point ‘used to’. The orientation of this TPN was previously discussed in section 5.2.3.1. M-sensei is

explaining how he used to play mamagoto, that is play house, and how he does it in present

times with a neighborhood girl who visits him in his garden.

Extract 5.17 (Resolution 1: Play Mamagoto, M-C-111111-6-16)

RES and so:(-) reluctantly (-) I join her.

17

5.2.6.2 Longer Resolution, Lower-level Class

In contrast to M-sensei’s very short resolution, J-sensei’s The Shinkansen (see

appendix P for full transcript) resolution is rather long, 20 lines. The abstract, orientation,

complication, and evaluation of this TPN have been previously discussed. The resolution is

the last element in this TPN and there is no coda. This TPN is said at the end of the extensive

reading activity to the whole class and is located between the two-part evaluation. J-sensei

had just said that she did not mind sitting in the shinkansen for two and a half hours.

Extract 5.18 (Resolution 2: The Shinkansen, J-C-100212-2-2)

RES T >why< (-) why (-) why was it ok? (-)

82

RES tell me. (-) why was it OK:? ((laughing)) (-)

83

RES to be? (-) on the shinkanse:n? (-)

141

RES for a long time (-)

85

RES tell me somebody (-) ((laughing))

86

RES S ((Student says [J-sensei had a book.))

87

RES T [((makes noise)) (-) YE:s, (-)

88

RES BECause I had a book (-)

89

RES YEA::H ((clapping noises)) ((laughing)) (-)

90

RES how did you guess? (-) ((laughing))

91

RES because I had a book, (-)

92

RES I have I- (-) you know I always carry a book, (-) 93

RES I told you right? (-)

94

RES I always always always carry a book (-)

95

RES ahh in my bag right? (-) in my ba:g. (-)

96

RES oops (-) i::n this plastic bag right? (-)

97

RES ((laughing)) the waterproof plastic bag (-)

98

RES and at that time, (-)

99

RES I had, (-) a Penguin reader (-) OK::? (-)

100

RES a:nd, (-) and I was in the middle of reading it

101

J-sensei is using an interesting approach in this TPN; she is encouraging her students to state

the resolution of her story. In lines 82-86, J-sensei encourages students to engage with her in

the storytelling process by asking them: Why was I OK on the shinkansen for so long? Here,

J-sensei is attempting to co-construct meaning with the students. J-sensei and Mr. H are the

only two teachers who do this by asking the students questions and even they only do it twice

each. This type of teacher questioning may be rare for a number of reasons. It is possible that

teachers wish to tell their TPNs from beginning to end, without interruption, or teachers are

pressed for time and do not want to deviate from their lesson plans too much. It may also be

that teachers realize an interruption to the flow can stop any dramatic excitement that may

have been building up.

Again, J-sensei’s use of repetition in the resolution may mark the low language level

of the students. She repeats the resolution in lines 89 and 92. She emphasizes the fact that she

always carries a book in lines 93 and 95, and that she keeps her bag safe in a plastic bag in

lines 96 (repeated twice), 97, and 98. The linguistic marker ‘because’ is used to signal the

resolution in J-sensei’s TPN as seen in lines 89 and 92.

It is interesting how both Sayaka and Takashi note the resolution in their diaries and

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The Shinkansen has been stopping there for 2 and half hour, but she didn’t mind beceuse she had a book to read. She killed time enjoyfully thanks to the book.

(Sayaka, Diary, 10/02/12)

Her Shinkansen didn’t move, but she was not worried or bored because she had some foreign books. She enjoyed them on Shinkansen.

(Takashi, Diary, 10/02/12)

Sayaka even repeats some of J-sensei’s wording in her diary, for example, ‘she didn’t mind’

which J-sensei often repeated in the evaluation of this TPN (see section 5.2.5.1) and ‘she had

a book’, an almost exact repetition of lines 89 and 92 in the resolution.

5.2.6.3 Summary

Based on the above analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn about the

resolution: (1) it is not always present in a TPN, (2) it may vary in length perhaps depending

on the student level, that is the longer the resolution, the lower the level of students, (3) it

sometimes appears with the evaluation, and (4) linguistic markers such as ‘so’ and ‘because’

sometimes signal the beginning of a resolution, thus assisting students in following a TPN.