ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses how ethnography can be used to enhance discourse analysts’ understanding of their research setting (i.e., the classroom). The chapter begins with a discussion of why context is important to how classroom discourse is managed and unfolds. Three methods for exploring the role of context in classroom discourse are then presented: fieldwork, field notes, and “thick” descriptions. The chapter builds on this discussion by presenting two approaches that can be adopted to develop a deeper understanding of context: ethnography of communication and autoethnography. The chapter ends with a top ten list of key terms, constructs, and people in ethnography.
