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7. The cyber language exchange

Cross-national computer-mediated interaction
  • Shannon Sauro
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Second Language Interaction in Diverse Educational Contexts
This chapter is in the book Second Language Interaction in Diverse Educational Contexts

Abstract

This study examines the text-chat interaction of second language learners and teacher trainees engaged in an online exchange linking classes in two countries: Sweden and the United States. During the semester, students met online for 6 sessions using the chat program Live Messenger. As part of the exchange, each U.S. student served as a tutor and chat partner for Swedish students on four writing tasks. These tasks were designed in accordance with language features (i.e. the zero article, agreement, possessives) and topics (i.e. human rights, environmental issues, Swedish and US culture) relevant for both classes. Chatscripts from focal participants’ interactions were analyzed to explore the potential to foster attention to form in text-chat based telecollaboration that emphasized L2 writing.

Abstract

This study examines the text-chat interaction of second language learners and teacher trainees engaged in an online exchange linking classes in two countries: Sweden and the United States. During the semester, students met online for 6 sessions using the chat program Live Messenger. As part of the exchange, each U.S. student served as a tutor and chat partner for Swedish students on four writing tasks. These tasks were designed in accordance with language features (i.e. the zero article, agreement, possessives) and topics (i.e. human rights, environmental issues, Swedish and US culture) relevant for both classes. Chatscripts from focal participants’ interactions were analyzed to explore the potential to foster attention to form in text-chat based telecollaboration that emphasized L2 writing.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Preface xi
  5. Part I. Interactions in L2 classrooms
  6. 1. Promoting attention to form through task repetition in a Korean EFL context 3
  7. 2. Language-related episodes during collaborative tasks 25
  8. 3. The impact of increasing task complexity on L2 pragmatic moves 45
  9. 4. Tasks and traditional practice activities in a foreign language context 71
  10. 5. Building explicit L2 Spanish knowledge through guided induction in small group and whole class interaction 89
  11. 6. Classroom interaction and learning opportunities across time and space 109
  12. Part II. Interactions involving technology
  13. 7. The cyber language exchange 129
  14. 8. Using eye tracking as a measure of foreign language learners’ noticing of recasts during computer-mediated writing conferences 147
  15. 9. A corpus approach to studying structural convergence in task-based Spanish L2 interactions 167
  16. 10. Preemptive feedback in CALL 189
  17. 11. Learner perceptions of clickers as a source of feedback in the classroom 209
  18. Part III. Interactions in other educational settings
  19. 12. International engineering graduate students’ interactional patterns on a paired speaking test 227
  20. 13. The effectiveness of interactive group orals for placement testing 247
  21. 14. Interaction in conversation groups 269
  22. 15. Language production opportunities during whole-group interaction in conversation group settings 293
  23. Appendix 315
  24. Index 317
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.34.11ch7

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. List of contributors vii
  4. Preface xi
  5. Part I. Interactions in L2 classrooms
  6. 1. Promoting attention to form through task repetition in a Korean EFL context 3
  7. 2. Language-related episodes during collaborative tasks 25
  8. 3. The impact of increasing task complexity on L2 pragmatic moves 45
  9. 4. Tasks and traditional practice activities in a foreign language context 71
  10. 5. Building explicit L2 Spanish knowledge through guided induction in small group and whole class interaction 89
  11. 6. Classroom interaction and learning opportunities across time and space 109
  12. Part II. Interactions involving technology
  13. 7. The cyber language exchange 129
  14. 8. Using eye tracking as a measure of foreign language learners’ noticing of recasts during computer-mediated writing conferences 147
  15. 9. A corpus approach to studying structural convergence in task-based Spanish L2 interactions 167
  16. 10. Preemptive feedback in CALL 189
  17. 11. Learner perceptions of clickers as a source of feedback in the classroom 209
  18. Part III. Interactions in other educational settings
  19. 12. International engineering graduate students’ interactional patterns on a paired speaking test 227
  20. 13. The effectiveness of interactive group orals for placement testing 247
  21. 14. Interaction in conversation groups 269
  22. 15. Language production opportunities during whole-group interaction in conversation group settings 293
  23. Appendix 315
  24. Index 317
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