The sequential analysis of smiles and laughter around turn construction in EFL group discussion exams

In the last decade, there has been extensive research that explores multimodal resources employed in L2 oral assessment through a conversation analytical (CA) perspective. In addition, there has also been a large body of research investigating smiling and laughter in a classroom interactional context from a micro-analytical perspective. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding a specific focus on smiles and laughter in L2 oral assessment context. Therefore, employing a conversational analytical approach, this study explores the sequential organization of smiles and laughter in an L2 oral assessment context to describe the actions achieved through these embodied resources. The data is taken from the B1 level exam archive of a higher education institution in Turkey. The number of exams included in this study is 62, each conducted in groups of 3-5 learners. In total, 8 hours of data are transcribed following CA conventions, and the sequential organization and turn-taking systems are analyzed. As of the next step, the sequential positions of smiles and laughter are investigated, and what actions they achieve in interaction around turn construction is studied. The findings suggest that the sequential position of smiles and laughter is systematic and serves several functions. Regarding sequential organization, even though the starting position of a smile and laughter may vary (before the trouble, during silence, and with the resolution of trouble), the retraction of acts of smile and laughter occurs after a next speaker ensures the next turn by producing a subject of a sentence, subject with a verb or a subordinate clause. In addition, smiles and laughter have a significant role in L2 interaction to maintain progressivity in talk. Micro-analytical data analysis demonstrates that smiles and laughter around turn construction serve three functions: acknowledgment of potential trouble, mitigation of insufficient turn extension and elongated silences non-attributable to any speaker, and a call for a next speaker. The findings of this study contribute to understanding the phenomenon of classroom interactional competence for future testing and teaching practices.