Self-Assessment as a Dilemmatic Communicative Practice: Talk among Psychics in Training

This study examines meetings of pedagogical importance in a community whose members are training to become certified psychic readers. During these sessions, called "cleanout meetings,'' psychics in training report to their peers about the readings they completed earlier that night. Using grounded practical theory and action implicative discourse analysis, this study takes a communicative and practical approach to self-assessment as students give accounts of their readings. In this context of cleanout meetings, self-assessment takes on two forms that implicate it as a dilemmatic practice whereby participants manage evaluation and acceptance in their reports of their performances. The discussion section raises issues related to talking about the self and achievement in everyday contexts, especially in learning environments.