Testing the Waters

Developing Interlanguage Pragmatics through Exploration, Experimentation, and Participation in Online Communities

Authors

  • Ellen Yeh
  • Nicholas Swinehart University of Chicago

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.38529

Keywords:

communities of practice, cyberpragmatics, interlanguage pragmatics, online affinity spaces, Reddit

Abstract

This study presents an innovative approach to developing interlanguage pragmatics (ILP) by training students to engage in online participatory cultures and analyzing their participation through the lens of communities of practice. Participants were university-level English language learners studying in the United States who were trained on the basic layout and practices of a social news and discussion site (Reddit), then assigned weekly postings within forums based on their individual interests. Social media engagement metrics (upvotes and responses) were used to measure and observe the quantity and quality of online interaction, and post-task questionnaires and follow-up interviews investigated learner perceptions about the language and cyberpragmatics in the online communities they encountered. Quantitative results show that participants struggled to achieve high levels of interaction with other users, but qualitative results indicate a wide range of potential benefits for ILP exploration and development. The findings and implications of this study contribute towards best practices in developing strategies for ILP in online spaces and cyberpragmatic awareness among language learners, enabling them to reach higher levels of participation in online communities.

Author Biographies

  • Ellen Yeh

    Ellen Yeh is an Assistant Professor in English and Creative Writing Department and serves as a Director of English as an Additional Language Program at Columbia College Chicago. She holds a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a specialization in second language education from Ohio University. She also holds a TESOL Certificate and CALL Certificate. Her research interests include media literacy in teacher education, social media literacy, Computer Assisted Language Learning (CALL), intercultural communication, and family diversity in education. She has published a research article that is entitled "Teaching culture and language through the multiple intelligences film teaching model in the ESL/EFL classroom." Her recent publications include peer-reviewed papers titled "A Model for Mobile Social Media Integration in Constructivist ESL Classrooms," and "Intercultural Competence for Teachers of Young ELLs." In addition, her peer-reviewed articles "Media Literacy Education and 21st-Century Teacher Education" was accepted by the International Encyclopedia of Media Literacy. 

  • Nicholas Swinehart, University of Chicago

    Nicholas Swinehart is a Multimedia Pedagogy Specialist at the University of Chicago. His research interests include blended synchronous learning environments and language learner participation in online communities. His previous publications include chapters in the Handbook of Research on Mobile Technology, Constructivism, and Meaningful Learning and the Handbook of Research on Learner-Centered Pedagogy in Teacher Education and Professional Development.

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Published

2020-03-02

Issue

Vol. 37 No. 1 (2020)

Section

Articles

How to Cite

Yeh, E., & Swinehart, N. (2020). Testing the Waters: Developing Interlanguage Pragmatics through Exploration, Experimentation, and Participation in Online Communities. CALICO Journal, 37(1), 66–84. https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.38529