Communication strategies in synchronous CMC and face-to-face interaction Cristina Palomeque Faculty of Education EUROCALL 2007 – Coleraine, Northern Ireland

Index Aims Framework of the study Research Questions Data collection Results Conclusions Future research

Aims

Framework of the study

Research Questions

Data collection

Results

Conclusions

Future research

Aims of this study To describe and compare the communication strategies (CS) used in online synchronous interaction and face-to-face interaction To provide an opportunity for learners to practice the target language out of class . To help learners engage in face-to-face interaction through practice in CMC

To describe and compare the communication strategies (CS) used in online synchronous interaction and

face-to-face interaction

To provide an opportunity for learners to practice the target language out of class .

To help learners engage in face-to-face interaction through practice in CMC

Framework of the study Interaction hypothesis (Long, 1983) – negotiated interaction - language learning CMC - negotiated interaction (Lee, 2001) Communicative competence (Hymes, 1971) - language learning through use Strategic competence: communication strategies

Interaction hypothesis (Long, 1983) – negotiated interaction - language learning

CMC - negotiated interaction (Lee, 2001)

Communicative competence (Hymes, 1971) - language learning through use

Strategic competence: communication strategies

Framework of the study Language use, embracing language learning, comprises the actions perfomed by persons who (…) develop a range of competences, both general and in particular communicative language competences (…) activating those strategies which seem most appropriate to carrying out the tasks to be accomplished (…) CEFR (2001: 9)

Language use, embracing language learning, comprises the actions perfomed by persons who (…) develop a range of competences, both general and in particular communicative language competences (…) activating those strategies which seem most appropriate to carrying out the tasks to be accomplished (…)

CEFR (2001: 9)

Research Questions RQ 1: What communication strategies do learners employ during task-based synchronous online interaction and during face-to-face interaction? RQ 2: How do students deal with the distance factor in synchronous text-based online interaction? How do they achieve proximity?

RQ 1: What communication strategies do learners employ during task-based synchronous online interaction and during face-to-face interaction?

RQ 2: How do students deal with the distance factor in synchronous text-based online interaction? How do they achieve proximity?

Data collection: Context University of Barcelona A group of 1st year university students Training to be primary teachers of English Native speakers of Catalan and/or Spanish English as a Foreign Language I (B2) Heterogeneous level of proficiency Blended learning: class + VLE (Moodle) Assessment: exam + portfolio

University of Barcelona

A group of 1st year university students

Training to be primary teachers of English

Native speakers of Catalan and/or Spanish

English as a Foreign Language I (B2)

Heterogeneous level of proficiency

Blended learning: class + VLE (Moodle)

Assessment: exam + portfolio

Data Collection: Tasks Chosen topic: should people be allowed to have weapons? Discussion task in groups of 4 in a text-based chat Post their findings and answer to other classmates through a forum Face-to-face debate on the subject “ For and against” composition

Chosen topic: should people be allowed to have weapons?

Discussion task in groups of 4 in a text-based chat

Post their findings and answer to other classmates through a forum

Face-to-face debate on the subject

“ For and against” composition

CS found in this study: Repair strategies Self-repair AG: imagine you hear a sound at night... / during the night Other-repair RA: countries of first world sells warm to countries third world IC: Weapons you mean, don't you?

Self-repair

AG: imagine you hear a sound at night... / during the night

Other-repair

RA: countries of first world sells warm to countries third world

IC: Weapons you mean, don't you?

CS found in this study: Understanding (input) Expressing non-understanding IC: Don't you just love being a guinea pig ? RA: guinea pig. sorry but i don´t understand Asking for clarification MP: can you xplain?

Expressing non-understanding

IC: Don't you just love being a guinea pig ?

RA: guinea pig. sorry but i don´t understand

Asking for clarification

MP: can you xplain?

CS found in this study: Understanding (output) Comprehension check RA: I don’t sure that you understand me Rephrasing IC: and what do they say 'bout peoplo who dies? I mean citizens MG: sorry IG: I mean … in America there're a lot of people who have died due to guns and things like that...do the NRA say sth about it?? Definition / Explanation IC: have U seen Bowling for Colombine?? MG: no IC: okey, it's quite interesting to see. It's a movie...

Comprehension check

RA: I don’t sure that you understand me

Rephrasing

IC: and what do they say 'bout peoplo who dies? I mean citizens

MG: sorry

IG: I mean … in America there're a lot of people who have died due to guns and things like that...do the NRA say sth about it??

Definition / Explanation

IC: have U seen Bowling for Colombine??

MG: no

IC: okey, it's quite interesting to see. It's a movie...

CS found in this study: Help Direct appeal for help IC: girls, how can I add some faces, smiles and things like these?? no idea lol I'm awful with computers!! Indirect appeal for help IC: and what do they say 'bout people who dies? I mean citizens MG: sorry

Direct appeal for help

IC: girls, how can I add some faces, smiles and things like these?? no idea lol I'm awful with computers!!

Indirect appeal for help

IC: and what do they say 'bout people who dies? I mean citizens

MG: sorry

CS found in this study: L1-based strategies Code-switching RA : no te rias por mis faltas,OK? Literal translation AF : it sounds to me but I haven’t seen it Foreignizing AG: some studios shown that people who have got weapons, use them not only at home... but also in the street

Code-switching

RA : no te rias por mis faltas,OK?

Literal translation

AF : it sounds to me but I haven’t seen it

Foreignizing

AG: some studios shown that people who have got weapons, use them not only at home... but also in the street

CS found in this study: Word modification Similar sounding words RA: countries of first world sells warm to countries third world Word creation CC : A man was driving with her car his car and he choked with a policeman car

Similar sounding words

RA: countries of first world sells warm to countries third world

Word creation

CC : A man was driving with her car his car and he choked with a policeman car

CS found in this study: Miscellaneous Message abandonment AG: do you remember Farenheit 9/11? AF: I haven't seen it... AG: no matter Fillers AF: wel l... if you want we can start and they will join us then... Imitation IC: I can't believe that finally we're talking about the same thing.. .lol : ) MG: Gema, do you like the guns? I don't belive it. You are a dangerous girl! Lol

Message abandonment

AG: do you remember Farenheit 9/11?

AF: I haven't seen it...

AG: no matter

Fillers

AF: wel l... if you want we can start and they will join us then...

Imitation

IC: I can't believe that finally we're talking about the same thing.. .lol : )

MG: Gema, do you like the guns? I don't belive it. You are a dangerous girl! Lol

CS found in this study: Paralinguistic strategies Capitalizing Emoticons Onomatopeia Contextual cues Abbreviation Punctuation Gestures and mime (debate)

Capitalizing

Emoticons

Onomatopeia

Contextual cues

Abbreviation

Punctuation

Gestures and mime (debate)

Results RQ 1: What communication strategies do learners employ during task-based synchronous online interaction and during face-to-face interaction?

RQ 1: What communication strategies do learners employ during task-based synchronous online interaction and during face-to-face interaction?

Results - RQ1 - Chat Most used chat communication strategies: Paralinguistic (56%) Fillers (10%) Self-correction (7%) Comprehension checks (5%)

Most used chat communication strategies:

Paralinguistic (56%)

Fillers (10%)

Self-correction (7%)

Comprehension checks (5%)

Results - RQ1 - Chat Paralinguistic strategies Punctuation - MG: safe?????????????? Abbreviations - IC: What 'bout the NRA? tell me sth 'bout it please

Paralinguistic strategies

Punctuation - MG: safe??????????????

Abbreviations - IC: What 'bout the NRA? tell me sth 'bout it please

Results - RQ1 - Chat 2. Fillers Gain time: well AF: well... if you want we can start and they will join us then... Dynamize interaction: OK IC: okey, well ladies!! c'mon

2. Fillers

Gain time: well

AF: well... if you want we can start and they will join us then...

Dynamize interaction: OK

IC: okey, well ladies!! c'mon

Results - RQ1 - Chat 3. Self-correction Mistype - AB: Hello Laura, how are yoy ? / you?

3. Self-correction

Mistype - AB: Hello Laura, how are yoy ? / you?

Results - RQ 1 - Debate Most used debate communication strategies: Paralinguistic (38%) Fillers (27%) Self-correction (13%) Literal translation (6%)

Most used debate communication strategies:

Paralinguistic (38%)

Fillers (27%)

Self-correction (13%)

Literal translation (6%)

Results RQ1 - debate 1. Paralinguistic Mime (80%) Emphasis (20%)

1. Paralinguistic

Mime (80%)

Emphasis (20%)

Results RQ1 - debate 2. Fillers Thinking: umm, ahh Gaining time: OK, I mean, I don’t know, whatever - IG: OK umm my name is Irene - AF: I don’t know anybody but I saw it on TV or whatever

2. Fillers

Thinking: umm, ahh

Gaining time: OK, I mean, I don’t know, whatever

- IG: OK umm my name is Irene

- AF: I don’t know anybody but I saw it on TV or whatever

Results RQ1 - debate 3. Self-correction Form - IG: you think that weapons is not are not the problem Meaning - IC: weapons are really useful... I mean... weapons are not useful for the dialogue

3. Self-correction

Form

- IG: you think that weapons is not are not the problem

Meaning

- IC: weapons are really useful... I mean... weapons are not useful for the dialogue

Results - RQ2 RQ 2: How do students deal with the distance factor in synchronous text-based online interaction? How do they achieve proximity?

RQ 2: How do students deal with the distance factor in synchronous text-based online interaction? How do they achieve proximity?

Results - RQ2

Results - RQ2

Results - RQ2 Non-task related interaction

Results and conclusions Similar CS in chat and debate. Great ammount of paralinguistic strategies and self-correction. Absence of other-correction . Students adjusted their input/output according to their interlocutor. Students used a number of strategies during the chat to achieve proximity . Different degree of participation in chat and debate  different tasks should be designed to cater for different learning styles.

Similar CS in chat and debate.

Great ammount of paralinguistic strategies and self-correction.

Absence of other-correction .

Students adjusted their input/output according to their interlocutor.

Students used a number of strategies during the chat to achieve proximity .

Different degree of participation in chat and debate  different tasks should be designed to cater for different learning styles.

Students’ opinion Gathered through questionnaires and portfolio comments Positive experience Chat: Helped them organize ideas Helped them learn new language Provided a comfortable environment to speak in Was not as immediate or as close as a face-to-face conversation Debate Sense of achievement as they were able to communicate their ideas Some did not participate because of their shyness and perceived lack of proficiency.

Gathered through questionnaires and portfolio comments

Positive experience

Chat:

Helped them organize ideas

Helped them learn new language

Provided a comfortable environment to speak in

Was not as immediate or as close as a face-to-face conversation

Debate

Sense of achievement as they were able to communicate their ideas

Some did not participate because of their shyness and perceived lack of proficiency.

Future research: Virtual Worlds What is it? Online environment. 2D or 3D immersive enviroment Participants - avatars Participants control and design their avatars and world Users can interact with other users and create objects. Freedom to do things you cannot do in “real life”. Examples: Second Life, Active Worlds

What is it?

Online environment.

2D or 3D immersive enviroment

Participants - avatars

Participants control and design their avatars and world

Users can interact with other users and create objects.

Freedom to do things you cannot do in “real life”.

Examples: Second Life, Active Worlds

Future research: Second Life 3D virtual reality platform Synchronous text and voice interaction Avatar Navigation: walk, run, fly, ‘teleport’ Participants have an active role in building in the virtual world

3D virtual reality platform

Synchronous text and voice interaction

Avatar

Navigation: walk, run, fly, ‘teleport’

Participants have an active role in building in the virtual world

Future research: Second Life

Future research CS in virtual worlds Cultural differences in the use of CS Different way of communication Add on: sense of “presence” Text-based and voice  different learning styles Learning by doing

CS in virtual worlds

Cultural differences in the use of CS

Different way of communication

Add on: sense of “presence”

Text-based and voice  different learning styles

Learning by doing

Thank you for your attention! Cristina Palomeque [email_address]