This document provides an overview and analysis of using vlogs on YouTube as a platform for language learning and intercultural exchange. It discusses the theoretical framework of social media-based language learning and interactive multimodal platforms. The research focuses on analyzing a corpus of 38 videos from an American learner's French-language vlog channel on YouTube. The analysis finds that the vlogs provide opportunities to enhance spoken production skills, digital literacy skills, and multilingual peer learning. However, they also present some limits regarding ethical issues, privacy concerns, and commercial aspects. Overall, the vlogs have potential for informal language learning and understanding cultural perspectives but may require guidance in a formal teaching context.

1. Vlogging :A new channel for
language learning and
intercultural exchanges
Christelle COMBE
Aix-Marseille University
Laboratoire Parole et Langage
Tatiana CODREANU
1
CNRS, ICAR, ENS de Lyon

2. Overview
— Theoretical framework
— Context and research object :Vlog as a
genre onYouTube
— Methodological approach
— Analysis
— Conclusion
2

3. Theoretical framework
1. Social Media-Based Language Learning
2. Interactive Multimodal Platforms (IMP)
3. Intercultural communication in a digital
and globalized era
3

4. Social Media-Based Language
Learning
4
— Guth and Thomas,
2010
— Lamy and
Goodfellow, 2010
— Barton and Lee, 2013
— Lamy and Zourou,
2013

5. Learners’ 2.0 role and new skills
Learners’ 2.0 skills:
• Interacting and telecolaborating in one or more foreign
languages
• Lifelong learning skills
• Social networking
• Learning in formal and informal contexts
• Being able to evaluate, select, use, publish and share relevant
online resources
• Developing a creative state of mind (Guth and Helm : 2003)
• Developing multimodal skills : expressing ideas through
different modes such as words, pictures or 3D models
(Hauck, 2010)
5

6. Interactive Multimodal
Platforms (IMP)
Interactive
multimodal platforms
(IMP) are growing
rapidly and becoming
increasingly popular.
• One of the first IMPs was
YouTube, which allowed users
to comment on a shared
video asynchronously, via
either text or video (Herring,
2015: 2).
6
In the Internet’s multilingual
context, it offers a great potential
for learning foreign languages:
• YouTube is based on the visual and include a
great deal of interaction with strangers.
(Barton and Lee, 2013 : 40).
• The multimodal affordances of the site are
especially valuable for language learners of all
sorts to practice speaking, writing and
listening (Barton and Lee, 2013 : 156).
Autonomous and informal learning
is also facilitated:
• Peer learning and stress-free environment
(Barton and Lee, 2013).

7. Intercultural communication in a
digital era
The emergence of new medias and technologies of
communication are intensifying globalization (Blommaert, 2011)
and are complicating the notion of “superdiversity” (Vertovec,
2007).
7
Ethnocentric stages Ethnorelative stages
Denial Defense Minimization Acceptance Adaptation Integration
The Developmental Model of Intercultural
Sensitivity (Bennett, 1986, 1993, 2004).

8. Overview
— Theoretical framework
— Context and research object :Vlog
as a genre onYouTube
— Methodological approach
— Analysis
— Conclusion
8

9. YouTube: an Interactive
Multimodal Platform (IMP)
9

10. Vlog as
“practicing a
language
online” genre
10
A public YouTube channel of a young American
learner of French

11. Overview
— Theoretical framework
— Context and research object :Vlog as a
genre onYouTube
— Methodological approach
— Analysis
— Conclusion
11

12. Webnative data
12
Multimodal corpora are abundant (Develotte,
2012)
Multimodal data should be studied online, in
order to preserve the ecology of the
discursive production. (Paveau, 2015)
As a result, the researcher is faced with working
with constantly evolving data. (Combe, in
press)

13. Corpus of reference
13
38 videos as well as the written comments they
attracted
Videos ranged between 10, to just under 16 minutes
Published from 28th of June 2011
Extracted from Michael’s 'texfrancais' French speaking
channel
These videos deal with different subjects including:
• His experience learning French and the difficulties of an American
locutor can have,
• The cultural differences between France and the United-States,
• His love life
• Current affairs
More than
32 939
subscribers

14. Research question
— What opportunities do a learner's vlog
present in enhancing his speaking and
intercultural skills?
14

15. Corpus of study
Screenshots
Links
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=uJ3X7Zjy2iM
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?v=IIQa5sPPIqI
https://
www.youtube.com/
watch?
v=JWWUcQsMcHY
Title
Unpronounceable
words for us Americans
The differences between
France and the USA
American slang
Published 14/01/2012 09/01/2013 05/03/2015
Duration 5'09 5’34 4’48
Comments 5 386 1628 210
Views 1 050 382 141 616 26 303
I like this 28 278 3 738 2 283
I dislike this 251 80 3
15

16. An ethnographic observation of behavior
to draw conclusions with a didactic aim
A semio-discursive approach in order
to analyse the vlogger’s discourse
A scan through of comments which
YouTube classifies as Top Comments
16

17. Overview
— Theoretical framework
— Context and research object :Vlog as a
genre onYouTube
— Methodological approach
— Analysis
— Conclusion
17

18. Analysis
1. Spoken production skills
2. Digital literacy skills
3. Encouraging publication
4. Multilingual peer learning
5. Intercultural skills
18

19. Spoken production skills
— Unpronounceable words for us
Americans
— American slang
19

20. Digital literacy skills
— Focusing on speech
acts and gestures
— Improving the final
media product
before posting it
— Adding text and
emoticons illustrating
speech acts.
20

21. Encouraging publication
21

22. Encouraging publication
22
Cool video I think you get along very well!!!! Carry on
You speak better French than I English !

23. Multilingual peer learning
23
For unreal, you can say « dément.e » :) it’s an adjective which means « cool » for instance you can say :) Cette fête était démente,
Ce plat est dément, ce T-shirt est dément…Etc. (this party was cool, this meal is cool, this T-shirt is cool)
baz baz: In French there is an argot that we use very often, « kiffer » which is synonym of liking or loving something.
Exemple: Je kiff aller en France (I like going to France) or j’ai kiffé ta vidéo (I liked your video).This word, in fact a verb,
it’s used with friends
FleurDeCersier: I often heard that word in France (I am German). In German « kiffen » (verbs end in en) means
« smoking marijuana »
JSY: Lol!! Thanks for the info ^^ it’s good to know. I will never see this expression in the same way from now on^^…
Besides, as Baz Baz says, it’s a very common word in France (I say it a lot, lol) :D ahahaha

24. MULTILINGUAL PEER
LEARNING
24
Mthinkin:What does
« mood » mean?
Marion Rongy: It means
« humeur » (;
Mthinkin: + Marion Rongy
thanks :)
Kazhumo:When people are
calling us « frenchfag » it’s
really violent. :c
Anonymous:Yes, it means «
tapette française »

25. 25
A POLYLOGUE (DISCUSSSION) ON
PHONETICS WITH 6 USERS IN
ENGLISH

26. MULTILINGUAL PEER
LEARNING
26
Vatefaire cuireunoeufdepoule :He is too charming this guy I love it! Besides his accent is cool
aha :)
Gwenaëlle Ancel:Totally agree the accent is too cute <3 And it’s rather useful to know how to
use American argot and to know which words to avoid^^ it’s not in class that you learn it XD
Thanks for the wonderful video
Ah, finally someone is teaching us slang, it’s not at uni BA English that we learn it :p

27. Cultural aspects, stereotypes
and conflict of opinions
— « Differences between France and the
USA »
27

28. Polylogues generated by the
video “Differences between
France and the USA”
One polylogue with 38 answers and 11 users
One polylogue with 11 answers and 5 users
One polylogue with 11 answers and 8 users
One polylogue with 6 answers and 5 users
28

29. Local tensions
— Careful!!!PARIS is not FRANCE!!!!!! Parisians heads of dogs, parigots (old
fashioned term for a person living in Paris) heads of veal !!!!!!! Lolololololol
don’t judge French and France in Paris, but outside PARIS !!!!!!! [...]
◦ A: Paris is a part of France whether you like it or not
◦ B: But Paris is not France whether you like it or not
◦ A: I don’t understand your answer. Parisians are French, right?
◦ B: But Paris is not the entire France
◦ A: So what, nobody says so. If he wants to talk about the differences between France and the
USA due to his experiences in Paris I don’t see the problem.. Parisians are French like
everybody.
◦ …
◦ E: + marco miaou vive paris ! and if you like it, you’re not French !
◦ F: +nicolas renou Bullshit if you don’t like Paris you are french anyway and who cares it’s the
capital, what is this conformism
— WHY visit PARIS !!!! it’s shit …. People are bad there…..
◦ G: Yeah, go to the countryside people are welcoming and you’ll eat MORE and BETTER
◦ H: People may not be nice but it’s not a reason to say it’s shit!!
29

30. Local tensions
— There is a big difference between France and
Paris! Hehe
◦ A: it’s true, I live in the countryside and it’s less
polluted than Paris.
◦ B: Rarely heard bullshit like this! Another
frustrated redneck, before we had the famous
“parigot head of veal” on the road and now this.
what a national unity...
◦ A: Oh the polluted parigot calm down
◦ B: I’m not from Paris idiot
30

31. From ethnocentric stages …
Denial
• It’s NOTTRUE there are a thousands of channels in France you only had theTNT one. I
imagine that you went to France a while ago plenty of TV programs have been created
since then!
• You are neither American nor French you’re a bloody Asiatic, France invented your country
…….. 0 history, just European sperm
• Hey guys, there are more gays in Paris (...) than in his littleTexas village, you have to
understand him!
Defense
• Nay in Brittany it’s better we have nice Brittany crepes.
Minimization
• When you say there a millions of channels…This may be a little swearing in a church?
Now there are maybe 30 free channels onTNT, an average of 2 local channels per greater
communities and lots of paying channels. But surely no more than 500.
31

32. …To ethnorelative stages
32
Acceptance
• We payTV tax for nothing in France because it is shit as usual
• It’s true that lots of young people smoke in France and lot of my friends too,
which is not good for them or me.
Adaptation
• What I say here is not mean and I respect your ideas. I have mine also regarding
Americans but I like them anyway :) ciao amigo
• I like what you say mister American
Integration
• I go every 3 months to the US, I have family there (Chicago) (...) Americans are
more open minded compared to French (...) I love my country, France (...) but if I
had the choice, I would prefer to be American.

33. Mickael’s answers
33
Michael finally answered by underlying his own values
and identity, as aTexan living in Paris.

34. Limits of vlogging in enhancing
speaking and intercultural skills
34

35. Limits of vlogging in enhancing
speaking and intercultural skills
35

36. Limits of vlogging in enhancing
speaking and intercultural skills
Ethical aspects
Privacy
Commercial
aspects
36

37. Overview
— Context and object of research
— Corpus of study
— Theoretical framework
— Methodology and corpus of study
— Analysis
— Conclusion
37

38. Conclusion
Results
• Peer collaboration and informal language learning, crystallise tensions in a globalized and digital era
Potential
• Spoken production speaking skills, digital literacy skills, multilingual peer learning, understanding opinion
conflicts through cultural stereotypes, building intercultural skills
Limits
• Ethical and linguistic mainly due toYouTube platform andYouTubers’ skills.
In a formal teaching context, Michael’s vlog can be a resource for teachers by
helping them think about:
• The potential of a multimodal interactive platform for language learning and for developing digital literacy
skills
• The implications of publishing and interacting on an IMP likeYouTube.
38

39. In response to « texfrancais »…
A teacher’s vlog
39

40. THANKYOU FORYOUR
ATTENTION !
40