ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a transactional teaching theory by elaborating on how teachers set a scene (learning environment) and stage fruitful inquiries through performing well-considered teacher moves. There are several types of teacher moves. An important distinction is that between scene-setting moves and moves to stage an inquiry. Within the scene-setting moves, there are two variants with a different function: adding and instructing moves. When it comes to moves to stage an inquiry, there are four types of moves with a different function: confirming, reorienting, generating and judging moves. These can be divided into two groups: directing and deepening moves. In each of these categories, teachers can make epistemological, moral and political moves in order to facilitate students’ learning in accordance with specific purposes. Awareness of a wide variety of possible teacher moves can help teachers to successfully manage the interplay (transactions) between intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional and physical aspects that influence students’ learning.
