Most induction programs for newly qualified teachers (NQTs) consist of mentoring (Strong and Baron 2004). This is also the case in Norway where all NQTs now are offered mentoring during their first year of employment. Mentoring conversations most typically consist of oral speech, and professional conversations, like mentorship, are seen as possible opportunities for crossing boundaries and development towards expertise (Orland-Barak 2006).

This presentation addresses the value of written language both in preparation for, and in conducting professional oral conversations with NQTs. Drawing on observations of mentoring conversations and texts from t mentors taking part in an education aiming at educating professional mentors for NQTs at University of Stavanger, the overall research interest was related to the course requirements in the program and if or how they possibly contributed to the competence of mentors. In this presentation we focus on one of the course requirements; the written texts that the student mentors are to write in advance of the oral mentoring conversations they are to conduct as part of the education. Such written texts are named choreographies in the program, referring to dance scripts meant to foresee actors’ movements and performance on stage. We ask how the student mentors comment on the written choreographies ,  how they  are used during the oral conversations, and what importance of them can be interpreted, if any at all? 

Drawing on Vygotsky’s distinction between different kinds of speech (1999) we have argued for the importance of written speech in addition to other kinds of speech acts. According to Vygotsky (1999), language is the most important mediating tool in consciousness. Assuming that the development of thought and action are dialectic processes, Vygotsky distinguished between inner, oral and written speech, and outlined how these different forms of language have different functions in consciousness. Whereas inner speech is condensed and abbreviated, and the situation and subjective thoughts are always known to the thinker, written speech must explain the situation fully to be intelligible. In the act of exchanging ideas, thoughts and points of view through oral speech, both speaker and listener are present and, in addition to the words themselves, draw on tone of voice, gestures and mimicry to understand each other. Written speech differs from oral speech in several ways; for example, tone of voice and gestures are excluded, and even its minimal development requires a high level of abstraction.

So in addition to oral mentoring we impose written choreographies on the student mentors. We also suggest that the NQTs should write some words in advance of the conversations, making possible for the mentors to be prepared for the choreography they have to write. Theoretically we have argued for this approach by Vygotsky’s distinction between written and spoken language (1999), and the importance of being prepared for the oral conversations by the contribution of both novice teacher and mentor. Successful professional dialogues, we argue, is not dependent on mentors only, but also on the contribution of the novice teacher.

Kvale, S. (1996 ) Interviews: An introduction to Qualitative Research Interviewing. London Sage, Chapter 7, The Interview Situation, pp.124-135: Chapter 8: The Quality of the Interview, pp.144-159. Miles, M.B. & Huberman, A.M. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis. Thousand Oakes: Sage Publications. Orland- Barak, L. (2006). Convergent, divergent and parallel dialogues: knowledge construction in professional conversations. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice. Vol. 12, No. 1, pp.13-31 Strong, Michael and Baron, Wendy (2004) Ananalysis of mentoring conversation with beginning teachers: suggestions and responses. Teaching and Teacher Education, no. 20, pp. 47 – 57 Vygotsky, Lev S. (1999). Thought and language. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.