From control to facilitation: Analyzing instructional stance and distribution of classroom talk across elementary classrooms

• Shift from control to supportive instructional stance after accompaniment. • Peer dialogue increases while teacher talk time decreases significantly. • Subgroup work enables more targeted, contextualized teaching interventions. • Methodological tool combines qualitative depth with quantitative precision. This study examines changes in the professional practices of four elementary school teachers over the course of a three-year professional development program focused on sustainable learning. Using two complementary frameworks–distribution of classroom talk and instructional stance–the study highlights significant changes in the distribution of speaking time and teachers’ actions. The results reveal a shift from a control stance toward facilitating and teaching stances, as well as a notable increase in interactions among students working in small groups. Far from withdrawing, teachers reposition their presence to offer more targeted and differentiated support. This reconfiguration fosters a climate conducive to student autonomy, cooperation, and cognitive engagement. The article also offers an original methodological contribution to the analysis of professional practices in authentic classroom settings by combining video-based quantitative coding with qualitative interpretation. It further highlights the importance of sustained support in promoting the evolution of practices.