Transcript Technology-mediated communication in ESL
Technology-mediated communication in ESL: balancing multiple dimensions
Presented by Katrina Tour Faculty of Education Monash University
Overview
Background study Research questions and objectives Theoretical framework Research design Technology-mediated communication in ESL Findings Examples: participants’ voices Discussion
Background study
Technoliteracy and ESL at the intersection: contradictions and challenges
ICT use in ESL in everyday life and learning (from a literacy perspective) ESL students’ challenges Students’ capability needs Rethinking the role of ICT in L2 education
Theoretical Framework
New Literacy Studies (NLS) (Barton, Hamilton & Ivanic, 2000; Gee, 1991, 1999; Hamilton, 2002; Lankshear & Knobel, 2003; Pahl & Rowsell, 2005; Street, 1995, 1999) NLS as a framework for second language learning Technology use is a social practice. Technoliteracy as a contemporary form of literacy (Lankshear, Snyder & Green, 2000) Technoliteracy in an ESL context
Theoretical framework (Cont.): Technoliteracy in an ESL context is an approach which suggests how to teach English as a second language in the Digital Age. The aim of this approach is to promote the development of a wide range of capabilities so that students from non-English speaking backgrounds are able to deal with multimodal texts in a technological environment both in written and oral ways in their personal and professional lives appropriately and successfully – access, use, comprehend, analyse, evaluate, develop critical understanding, create, and engage in communication and other activities.
Theoretical Framework (Cont.): Three dimensions model (3-D model) of literacy/technoliteracy (Green, 1988; Lankshear et al., 2000) (Durrant & Green, 2001, p.152)
Technology-mediated communication in ESL is a technoliteracy practice sociocultural multimodal multidimensional requires a number of diverse capabilities
Research Design of the Study
Qualitative study Case study approach Briston University English Language Centre as a research site (Located in Melbourne, Australia. A pseudonym) Computer Study Skills Module 4 students (Thailand, Saudi Arabia, China, France) A teacher of the class Methods: observations, diaries, interviews
Findings of the study
Communication is one of the main purposes of ICT use in ESL in everyday life and learning Active and diverse technology use in ESL for communication Synchronous (MSN Web messenger, phone/mobile calls) Asynchronous (texting, emails, online discussions – wikis, Youtube, news websites) Multimodal practices – reading, writing, listening, speaking, viewing Many challenges for a wide range of reasons Misunderstanding / non-understanding Limited self-expression / inappropriate discourse use Limited knowledge and understanding of critical literacy practices Anxiety
Operational capabilities
Teacher: There is a lot of mistakes obviously in everything they write… A lot of grammar, vocabulary, spelling, sentence structure. Chen Lin: [U, pls, thru, R]… First I can’t understand and I just think what’s these words… I think it’s a kind of special language but I don’t know much about it.
Operational capabilities (cont.)
Pierre: Here in Australia it’s ‘qwerty’, in France and Europe it’s ‘azerty’. When you use it, you have to change because the letters are not in the same place. It takes time. If I type in English keyboard because I used to the French one, I am slower.
Kate: I could not understand very well when I talk by telephone. …[R]eal estate [agent] … I think he is a real Aussie. Aussie accent is very difficult, very fast and too many rhythms –I could not catch. Accent and vocabulary–all together.
Contextual capabilities
Kate: When I send e mail to teacher and if … I like the teacher and I then I begin with ‘how are you?’ But if in Thai language I start by ‘how are you’ it’s look like friend-to friend. In my language it’s like strange!
It’s strange in my thinking
!
Pierre: For me it’s the most difficult thing is to talk to English people by telephone. [Because of] all the things the language, the culture… This is something really different in the culture. Here they say ‘hallo’… and start talking about the business, ask what they want… In France it’s rude. You talk a little bit - you make jokes on phone. You stay longer because it’s quite rude to call someone and to stay two minutes and to end up.
Critical capabilities
Teacher: [Critical literacy] is definitely something that I have to teach them… Giving an opinion is that something that they have to learn. They are not used to. Particularly the Asian students. Kate: I wouldn’t contact any agency and that’s why I will not say anything… I loose confident [confidence] in this situations.
Ahmad: I don’t care about the comments… I just ignore.
Affective domain: anxiety (task performance, social embarrassment & sense of disadvantage ) Kate: I afraid to talk by telephone… if I have to contact something I try to avoid this situation!
Chen Lin: So I need to give that bank a telephone call and I remember that that operator keep speaking to me and I can’t understand and I just keep asking ‘pardon’, ‘pardon’, ‘pardon’. I think she will be crazy because I can’t understand and keep asking [to repeat].
Kate: I afraid I could not write English very well and this might affect our application. Because I thought that may be they don’t want to get Asian people, especially if they can not use English very well. I think it’s a little bit affect to our application form.
Communication in 3-D:
Chen Lin: I [was] afraid what if I speak and they [a real estate agent] can’t understand and then I can’t deal with this problem … [I]t’s not talking with friends… it is some formal things. So I need to choose some style to give them some pressure and also to press [that] I am a little bit angry, so you need to take these things seriously! … I just told them because I do everything right, you need to give my bond back! They say: ‘Yeah’ but they didn’t do that. And then I just told them if you don’t give my money back, I will just call police and ask police to deal with it … At that time I feel a bit nervous … Well…
very
nervous.
Findings of the study: technoliteracy capability from the perspective of the 3-D model