Conversing with the machine. A transactional and dialogic approach to computer-assisted language learning

Setenes Jornades de Foment de la Investigació de la FCHS (Any 2001-2002)Despite the pedagogical possibilities afforded by computers and hypertext most systems currently available under-exploit the potential of the new technologies towards achieving learning materials promoting autonomous learning practices. The main cause of this under-exploitation is the lack of a change in the psycho-pedagogical paradigm susceptible to endowing hypertext/media technology with teaching-learning relevance. The interface system of hypermedia products is the place where this issue is best reflected. The present paper discusses the heuristic benefits of designing this interface according to a dialogic model that draws upon the interaction that should take place in good classroom practice, and illustrates the discussion by advancing some of the work done in the SMAIL system. This virtual dialogue is built upon two interactive models: on the one hand, a model of interface as an expert interlocutor opening up discourse spaces; on the other hand, a model of learner as the active agent of his/her own learning. The main goal of this expert interface is to construct such an active learner-participant and promote autonomous learning practices

A multimodal approach to product presentations

AbstractMultimodality approaches discourse focusing on the analysis of the semiotic modes that help fulfil the communicative purpose of a particular genre, which in the case of product presentations is to persuade of the excellence of the product. We argue that a Multimodal Discourse Analysis approach is especially suitable for the study of product presentations since persuasion in this genre implies the use of different semiotic modes (Chaiken & Eagly, 1976; Poggi & Pelachaud, 2008). The aim of this paper is to present a methodological approach to the study of product presentations from a MDA perspective along with potential pedagogical implications

Learning to Learn in a Digital Context: Language Learning Webtasks for an Autonomising “Wreading” Competence

In this paper we aim to analyse how language learning tasks can help students develop an autonomising wreading competence, i.e. a competence involving the ability to read online texts and to construct one’s own text by traversing sites. This competence involves different types of skills: technical skills of information elaboration and management, linguistic and semiotic skills, cognitive skills, and metacognitive skills. We consider, therefore, that the development of the wreading competence calls for a new approach to language learning, based on the joint development of autonomous learning and new literacies. Although new technologies provide quality resources and tools for teachers to design pedagogical environments which meet the principles of learner autonomy, ICT does not foster by itself autonomous learning (Villanueva, 2006). The promotion of learner autonomy requires carefully designed learning tasks aiming at a long-life learning process. The purpose of this paper is to put forward criteria for the design of language learning cybertasks that promote the development of new literacies applied to language learning autonom

Multimodality for comprehensive communication in the classroom: Questions in guest lectures

In recent years there have been many studies about the discourse of lectures (Pérez-Llantada & Ferguson, 2006; Csomay, 2007; Deroey & Taverniers, 2011). Lecturing is the most common speech event in most university classrooms in the world. Bamford (2005) defines lectures’ styles as conversational, stressing the interactive nature of the lecture, the main goal of which is to establish contact with the students, and the co-option of the students into a discourse community. However, most of the studies published up to this moment have focused exclusively on the language used by the lecturer and little attention has been paid to the role of multimodality in this particular genre. In our research, we try to identify the non-verbal behaviour that can be of special relevance for the comprehensive communication in the classroom, focusing on questions in two guest lectures in English delivered for a group of Spanish students. Results indicate that both lecturers use different verbal and non-verbal strategies to foster interaction, adapting to the characteristics of their audience. The final objective of this study is twofold: i) to use the results in our courses for training Spanish lecturers on teaching in English; and ii) to use these results for EAP undergraduate courses, as it has been observed that body language needs awareness raising in order to facilitate transfer from mother tongue to another language

Multimodal enactment of characters in conference presentations

In academic oral genres such as conference presentations, speakers resort to more than words to convey meaning. Research also suggests that persuasion, an important element of the communicative purpose of conference presentations, is frequently achieved through a combination of semiotic modes. Therefore, a skilful orchestration of these modes can be considered key to achieving effective communication in this genre. However, our understanding of persuasion has often focused on specific elements of the message considered in isolation and mainly from the linguistic perspective. Relatively little attention has been paid to the overall persuasive effect achieved by the complex multimodal ensemble. This study approaches the analysis of persuasive strategies in conference presentations combining multimodal discourse analysis and ethnographic methods. It focuses on a particular attention-getting technique: enactment of characters, or acting the part of a person that is being referred to. Our analysis shows how it is achieved through the orchestration of different modes such as words, intonation, gestures, head movements, gaze and facial expression

Reflexiones del profesorado universitario sobre la introducción del inglés como lengua de instrucción

La docencia en lengua inglesa forma parte de la consolidación del inglés como lingua franca y de la política de internacionalización de la universidad española. Su incorporación a la enseñanza superior requiere de docentes comprometidos y preparados para llevar a cabo este trabajo: enseñar materias de contenido en una lengua extranjera. Para formar mejor a este profesorado, se necesita conocer sus problemas, opiniones y temores, y tratar de darles respuesta, o ayudarles a afrontarlos. El objetivo de este artículo es mostrar las actitudes de los docentes para mejorar su formaciónTeaching in English is part of the consolidation of English as lingua franca and the policy of internationalization of the Spanish university. Its integration in the higher education demands the commitment of teachers and their readiness to implement such a job: teaching content-subjects in a foreign language. To better train the university teaching staff, it is a need to know about their problems, opinions and fears, and try to give them an answer or help those teachers to face them. The aim of the present article is to show the university teachers’ attitude to improve their training

Teachers' perspectives on technology-mediated plurilingual practices: the TEMPLATE project

Plurilingual-inspired pedagogies show multiple potential benefits for teaching and learning languages and have therefore been strongly promoted by the European Union through various policies. Nonetheless, their implementation is not exempt from limitations and difficulties concerning teaching practices and availability of resources. Meanwhile, technology has long been seen as a chief factor in supporting and enhancing learning in the foreign language classroom, and it can now serve plurilingual-inspired pedagogies due to its flexibility and heterogeneity. The present study reports on the results obtained from a questionnaire completed by 306 teachers across Eu- rope, which explores their perspectives on the use of technology-mediated plurilingual practices. The survey has been designed ad hoc and then distributed among in- and pre-service teachers at pri- mary and secondary levels in 10 European countries. Our final aim is to investigate the integration of technology and plurilingual-inspired pedagogies in terms of awareness, use and training needs. Results indicate that almost half of the participants have implemented a digital-based activity that involved the use of different languages in the past, but yet claim that there is a scarcity of available information and resources. Further results look into the nature and characteristics of these plurilin- gual practices, as well as the role played by technology in such activities. Finally, teacher training implications derived from the results are discussed

COLLABORATIVE ONLINE LEARNING (COIL) AS A PROMISING PEDAGOGY FOR ENGAGING STUDENTS IN GLOBAL COLLABORATION: UKRAINIAN-SPANISH CONTEXT

This paper gives insight into the theoretical and practical aspects of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) - a pedagogy that is fast emerging as a more democratic and dynamic alternative to traditional in-person student exchange programs. This pedagogy is currently gaining popularity among Ukrainian educators who are looking for new ways to engage students in international collaboration amid the emergencies of the ongoing war conflict in the country. The paper is a preliminary report of the research in progress which aims to investigate whether COIL can level the unevenly developed language and academic skills of the collaborating Spanish and Ukrainian students. The reported preliminary findings of one of the three collaboration projects carried out by the faculties of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (KNU) and Universitat Jaume I (UJI) show a range of benefits including academic skills enhancement, improvement of intercultural competence as well as personal satisfaction. The authors also shed light on the challenges encountered when introducing COIL activities into the classroom. Taken together, the article provides an insightful overview of the benefits and limitations of COIL strategies as a means of promoting intercultural and interdisciplinary learning and understanding

Critical Discourse Analysis of Media Texts

El volumen presenta una panorámica del Análisis Crítico del Discurso de los textos mediáticos. El Análisis Crítico del Discurso es un modelo que parte de la Lingüística Crítica, basada a su vez en la Gramática Funcional de M. A. K. Halliday. En el volumen se resumen los principales enfoques de esta teoría. El volumen está compuesto de diversos artículos en los que se analizan diferentes casos concretos de los discursos de los medios de comunicación de masas (discurso informativo, discurso publicitario, discurso televisivo y discurso fílmico)The volume presents an overview of Critical Discourse Analysis of media texts. Critical Discourse Analysis is a framework departing from Critical Linguistics, which is based, in turn, on Functional Grammar as developed by M. A. K. Halliday. In this volume several approaches to Critical Discourse Analysis are summed up. In addition, the volume is composed by several papers where diverse concrete cases of media discourses are analysed (news discourse, advertisement discourse, television discourse and filmic discourse