Let\u27s Go on a Gym Raid Tonight! : Video Game Affinity Spaces in English Language Instruction

The present article describes a study that analyzed practical applications of informal online spaces in formal instruction. It was conducted in an intermediate ESL course at an American University. The concept of affinity spaces was used to guide the research. Students in the course were instructed to play the video game, Pokémon Go as an inspiration for their writing. This qualitative study examined the types of affinity space participation, the participant attitudes toward those spaces and to using video games in formal instruction. The data sources consisted of weekly gaming journals and interview transcripts. The findings showed that the participants used the affinity space to socialize with classmates and other players and to enhance their gameplay. They perceived affinity spaces and the use of the video game positively. The implications of this study include practical applications of video game affinity spaces for English language instruction and suggest further research areas. This study is worthwhile as it offers a rare look at an application of informal online practices to enhance formal language instruction

Learning about Chinese-speaking cultures at a distance

This chapter focuses on the challenges posed by curriculum choices and pedagogical frameworks to the study of Languages of the Wider World in the UK. These languages reflect complex linguistic and cultural realities that do not fit into the traditional constraints of language education, which raises questions about the extent to which we can address the global and local dimensions of the target languages and cultures. I examine in particular the case of Chinese – a language family with multiple varieties and spoken by many communities in Asia and other parts of the globe – in the context of distance education. Issues surrounding language learning at a distance are discussed, as well as the role that teachers and technology play in supporting the development of language learners’ cultural awareness. While teachers can, in a face-to-face situation, exploit, expand and discuss cultural information, this possibility is very limited in distance learning. We will see how, at present, technology has taken on a major role in both formal and informal education, facilitating contact between learners and between learners and teachers (however distant they might be). For example, the Open University’s beginners’ Chinese course discussed here makes use of online forums to enable cultural interaction; initial examinations of these forums reveal the students to be diverse and mobile, and they also give us a sense of their cultural stances, and of the shapes of the beliefs, values and attitudes supported by their individual cultural backgrounds

Foreign language teachers living and learning in affinity spaces

This qualitative case study delves into the dynamics of three English language teachers living and learning within affinity spaces (AS). To capture comprehensive insights, the research used in-depth interviews and video recorded observations of interactions in AS. The analysis was conducted using Nvivo software for coding and categorizing the collected information. The findings of this study unveil the participants’ active involvement in various AS, with social networks and video games emerging as the most prevalent ones. While individual passions played a role in shaping the content shared, the teachers’ professional interests also significantly influenced the nature of their contributions. Within these affinity spaces, teachers engaged using new literacies, which enabled them to foster social interactions on topics of personal or professional interest, facilitating communication and collaboration, and even assuming different roles. In conclusion, the findings highlight a consistent and enthusiastic engagement of teachers within AS, emphasizing the potential these spaces hold for the evolving nature of education in the learners continue to navigate this landscape, the outcomes offer a valuable roadmap for harnessing the power of AS to foster meaningful learning experiences, authentic communication, and innovative teaching practices among English language teachers.Este estudio de caso cualitativo exploró la dinámica de participación en espacios afines (EA) de tres profesores de inglés para vivir y aprender. Para obtener una visión completa, la investigación empleó entrevistas a profundidad y observaciones video grabadas de interacciones en estos espacios. Los datos recopilados se analizaron utilizando el software Nvivo, codificando y categorizando la información. Los hallazgos de este estudio revelan la participación activa de los participantes en varios espacios afines, siendo las redes sociales y los videojuegos los más predominantes, donde las pasiones individuales, así como los intereses profesionales de los profesores influyeron significativamente en la naturaleza de sus contribuciones. Dentro de estos espacios afines, los profesores se involucraron usando nuevas literacidades, las cuales les permitieron fomentar interacciones sociales sobre temas de interés personal o profesional, facilitando la comunicación y la colaboración, e incluso asumiendo diferentes roles. En conclusión, los hallazgos resaltan un compromiso constante y entusiasta de los profesores dentro de los EA, enfatizando el potencial que estos tienen para la naturaleza en evolución de la educación en la era digital, donde los intereses personales, el crecimiento profesional y la adquisición de idiomas convergen dentro de comunidades digitales dinámicas. A medida que los educadores y los estudiantes continúan navegando en este panorama, los resultados ofrecen un valioso mapa para aprovechar el poder de los EA para fomentar experiencias de aprendizaje significativas, la comunicación auténtica y las prácticas innovadoras de enseñanza entre los profesores de inglés

Language Learners’ Translanguaging Practices and Development of Performative Competence in Digital Affinity Spaces

abstract: In a growlingly digital world, scholars must understand the changes in textuality and communication associated with Web 2.0 technologies to incorporate potential pedagogical benefits to language curricula. For example, with the affordance of these technologies, language learners (LL) are increasingly exposed to language contact zones found both on and offline. A practice that could potentially support the communicative practices of LL within these multilingual spaces is translanguaging, or the use of strategies employed by LL when engaging with diverse codes by utilizing the resources of their semiotic repertoire as well as their language(s). Previous research has focused principally on contexts of bilingual education and identity formation vis-à-vis translanguaging. Therefore, the present study is the first to examine the actual translanguaging practices of second language (n=5) and heritage language learners (n=5) of Spanish in a digital language contact zone: Facebook affinity spaces, or common interest spaces. The dynamic data gathered from screen capture recordings of the participants’ interactions and think-aloud protocols in the affinity spaces, stimulated recall interviews, and written reflections were analyzed using content analysis and critical discourse analysis. This analysis revealed key findings in the data that focused on translanguaging practices, negotiation strategies, and performative competence - or the procedural knowledge which focuses on how learners communicate rather than what they communicate. First, the participants displayed a preference toward the separation of languages in written output, adhering to the ideals of linguistic purism, while simultaneously engaging in translanguaging practices via non-linguistic semiotic resources, such as the use of emojis, in their communication. Second, the participants’ self-reported proficiency levels for their writing abilities in Spanish correlated with their use of outside digital resources as a mediation tool. The findings show that, theoretically, the conceptualization of communicative competence must be expanded in order to incorporate the languaging practices of interlocutors in digital contexts. Pedagogically, educators need to support the development of LLs’ digital literacies, or communicative practices that are facilitated by technology, and address the bias toward linguistic purism to help students reap the cognitive benefits offered by translanguaging practices.Dissertation/ThesisDoctoral Dissertation Spanish 201

Entering the Digital Commons: Using Affinity Spaces to Foster Authentic Digital Writing in Online and Traditional Writing Courses

Despite the fact that the field of rhetoric and composition has been closely allied to the digital humanities for many years, instructors in these disciplines often remain on their own in terms of adopting, implementing, and evaluating digital technologies. While theoretical scholarship in digital rhetoric is advancing, instructional practices lag behind. Surveying 72 doctoral-granting rhetoric and composition programs, researchers found innovation in the implementation of new media comes primarily from solitary instructors (Anderson and McKee, 74). This article presents several ways in which writing instructors can leverage digital spaces to improve their pedagogies. In particular, the article focuses on digital spaces that James Gee calls “affinity spaces”. While Gee’s notion of affinity spaces often refers to gaming, the concept may be expanded to include virtual spaces that learners visit voluntarily such as blogs, ezines, social media sites, and digital backchannels. By leveraging such spaces, and implementing them using Michelene Chi and Ruth Wylie’s ICAP (Interactive, Constructive, Active, and Passive) framework, writing instructors can construct powerful learning environments. These digital spaces are not only part and parcel of the digital humanities; they are prime territory for engaging students in rhetorical processes – whether analyzing rhetorical messages or generating rhetorical artifacts

Catalan Teenagers’ Identity, Literacy and Language Practices on YouTube

This chapter addresses the interconnection between identity building and the use and learning of language and literacy online. We will do so through a case study that investigates the specifics of three Catalan teenage language users and learners who use YouTube as a multimodal space of confluence for making meaning. We will particularly address three research questions: 1. How do teenage language users and learners in Catalonia appropriate YouTube? 2. What means of performing identity do teenagers in Catalonia employ on YouTube? 3. How do teenagers in Catalonia as youtubers develop such means of identity representation and performance in relation to language and literacy practices?This research was supported in part by a postdoctoral grant from the autonomous government of Galicia (Xunta de Galicia, Spain) awarded to Boris Vazquez-Calvo (ED481B 2017/007). This research was also supported by the research project ForVid (Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities—National Research Agency, Spain: Video as a language learning format in and outside schools, RTI2018-100790-B-I00). There is also collaboration with the research project CDEPI (FEDER/Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities—National Research Agency, Spain: Competencia digital y e-inclusión del alumnado de educación primaria de Galicia: el papel de la escuela, la familia y el entorno próximo, EDU2015-67975-C3-1-P)