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Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests

  • Nashwa Nashaat-Sobhy
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Applied Linguistics Perspectives on CLIL
This chapter is in the book Applied Linguistics Perspectives on CLIL

Abstract

The study compares how three groups of learners at different educational levels in CLIL, post-CLIL and EFL classes modify their requests which were elicited by means of a written discourse completion task with two situations (different power relations). Data analysis is based on earlier request taxonomies (Alcón-Soler et al. 2005; Blum-Kulka et al. 1989), but the study also introduces new pragmatic features that appeared in the learners’ data. Qualitative and quantitative differences point to a duality in how learners use softening and aggravating request modifications, attributed to insufficient sociopragmatic knowledge. Among other finer results, the study shows that CLIL, as an educational approach, does not necessarily contribute to enhancing learners’ pragmatic competence if seen through the lens of making requests.

Abstract

The study compares how three groups of learners at different educational levels in CLIL, post-CLIL and EFL classes modify their requests which were elicited by means of a written discourse completion task with two situations (different power relations). Data analysis is based on earlier request taxonomies (Alcón-Soler et al. 2005; Blum-Kulka et al. 1989), but the study also introduces new pragmatic features that appeared in the learners’ data. Qualitative and quantitative differences point to a duality in how learners use softening and aggravating request modifications, attributed to insufficient sociopragmatic knowledge. Among other finer results, the study shows that CLIL, as an educational approach, does not necessarily contribute to enhancing learners’ pragmatic competence if seen through the lens of making requests.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) 1
  5. Part I. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) perspectives
  6. Introduction to part I 19
  7. CLIL and SLA 33
  8. Motivation, second language learning and CLIL 51
  9. Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests 67
  10. Part II. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspectives
  11. Introduction to part II 91
  12. Genre and appraisal in CLIL history texts 105
  13. Speech function analysis to explore CLIL students’ spoken language for knowledge construction 125
  14. Multi-semiotic resources providing maximal input in teaching science through English 145
  15. Part III. Discourse analysis perspectives
  16. Introduction to part III 167
  17. Classroom interactional competence in content and language integrated learning 183
  18. Multimodal conversation analysis and CLIL classroom practices 201
  19. Assessment for learning in CLIL classroom discourse 221
  20. Part IV. Sociolinguistic perspectives
  21. Introduction to part IV 239
  22. “I always speak English in my classes” 251
  23. CLIL teachers’ professionalization 269
  24. A sociolinguistic approach to the multifaceted Roles of English in English-medium education in multilingual university settings 287
  25. Afterword
  26. Emerging themes, future research directions 307
  27. Subject index 313
https://doi.org/10.1075/lllt.47.05sob

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Introduction
  4. Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) 1
  5. Part I. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) perspectives
  6. Introduction to part I 19
  7. CLIL and SLA 33
  8. Motivation, second language learning and CLIL 51
  9. Investigating pragmatics in CLIL through students’ requests 67
  10. Part II. Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) perspectives
  11. Introduction to part II 91
  12. Genre and appraisal in CLIL history texts 105
  13. Speech function analysis to explore CLIL students’ spoken language for knowledge construction 125
  14. Multi-semiotic resources providing maximal input in teaching science through English 145
  15. Part III. Discourse analysis perspectives
  16. Introduction to part III 167
  17. Classroom interactional competence in content and language integrated learning 183
  18. Multimodal conversation analysis and CLIL classroom practices 201
  19. Assessment for learning in CLIL classroom discourse 221
  20. Part IV. Sociolinguistic perspectives
  21. Introduction to part IV 239
  22. “I always speak English in my classes” 251
  23. CLIL teachers’ professionalization 269
  24. A sociolinguistic approach to the multifaceted Roles of English in English-medium education in multilingual university settings 287
  25. Afterword
  26. Emerging themes, future research directions 307
  27. Subject index 313
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