Comparative study of terminating conversation strategies used by graduate TEFL students and graduate native English speaking students

In every interaction everyone needs to use strategies to terminate the conversation and there are possible differences among people. This study had insight to terminate the conversation and the way graduate native English-speaking students and graduate TEFL students end their conversation and what strategies they use in ending their conversation. This study also examined the role of power and solidarity in ending conversations as well as the role of gender in the use of those strategies. To collect the data, 50 graduate TEFL students were randomly selected from Islamic Azad University of Najafabad, Isfahan University of Technology and Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan as well as 27 graduate native English-speaking were randomly selected from UCL University and Kings College University of London. Students were asked to complete a discourse completion test (DCT) designed by the researcher. They were supposed to read nine scenarios and reply the questions. The data was analyzed based on Liddicoats' (2007) taxonomy. The results revealed that graduate native English-speaking used announcing closure and arrangements more than graduate TEFL students before terminating their conversation, male and female students use these strategies for terminating the same. Also the result showed that power (especially for higher status) plays an important role in choosing these strategies.