Discursive construction of the resignification of educational assistants: a case study in three Chilean public schools

Abstract

Framed in a major research on educational practices and inclusive processes, this study aims to characterize the discursive construction of the new mediating functions assumed by two types of educational assistants according to the needs in different contexts. The analysis presented in this research is based on an intersubjective and critical perspective, which is framed in the systemic-functional linguistics and integrates the appraisal model and critical discourse studies. The methodology is qualitative. The corpus consists of recorded interviews conducted with five educational assistants from three public Chilean schools. The results, on the one hand, show the new functions assumed by the educational assistants as mediators, containers and close listeners (confidants and counselors); on the other hand, the findings show the resignification of the mediating role of these educational assistants from a more traditional vision of blind discipline in compliance with the regulation towards a close figure that achieves respect and authority, a fact that allows them to maintain a more affective, dialogic and inclusive relationship with students. Finally, the results show that the discursive construction of the new mediating functions assumed by the educational assistant is carried out through evaluative prosodies that legitimize or delegitimize various social actors, processes and school events, through different strategies (i.e. concealment, humanization), as well as through macrotransformation strategies.