RECONCEPTUALISING SILENCE IN CLASSROOM INTERACTION : A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF BENGALI LANGUAGE TEACHING IN GOVERNMENT-AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF MURSHIDABAD DISTRICT

Abstract: Classroom interaction is widely recognised as central to effective language teaching and learning, yet educational discourse has traditionally privileged verbal participation as the primary indicator of engagement and achievement. Silence, despite being a pervasive feature of classroom interaction, has often been interpreted through deficit-oriented lenses as passivity, disengagement, or lack of competence. This qualitative study explores the role, meanings, and pedagogical implications of silence in Bengali language classrooms at the secondary level in government-aided schools in Murshidabad district, West Bengal. Anchored in sociocultural theory, classroom discourse theory, and critical pedagogy, the study employs non-participant classroom observations, semi-structured interviews with teachers, focus group discussions with students, and document analysis. The findings reveal that silence functions as a multidimensional, socially situated interactional practice shaped by affective factors, sociocultural norms, institutional structures, and pedagogical strategies. Rather than representing absence of learning, silence frequently serves as a space for cognitive processing, a culturally valued mode of participation, and a response to hierarchical classroom power relations. The study argues for reconceptualising silence as a pedagogical resource within learner-centred and dialogic frameworks and offers implications for regional language pedagogy, teacher education, and policy aligned with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. Keywords: Classroom interaction; Silence; Bengali language teaching; Qualitative research; Government-aided secondary schools; Sociocultural pedagogy 1. Introduction: Classroom interaction constitutes the foundation of language teaching and learning, shaping how meanings are constructed, negotiated, and internalised by learners. In language education research, interaction has conventionally been equated with spoken discourse. However, silence remains an under-theorised yet pervasive dimension of classroom interaction. This concern becomes particularly significant in the context of recent policy shifts emphasising learner-centred and dialogic pedagogical practices in Indian education (Government of India, 2020). Consequently, verbal participation has often been treated as a visible marker of engagement, competence, and learning. Silence can occur during teacher questioning, student responses, peer interaction, or independent work. Despite its frequency, silence is commonly interpreted as lack of understanding, unwillingness to participate, or instructional failure. Such interpretations are particularly dominant in examination-oriented and teacher-centred pedagogical contexts, where verbal response is equated with academic success. .......