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TED talks: multimodal communicative affordances for EPS/ELF dissemination

  • Soraya García-Sánchez

    Dr. Soraya García-Sánchez is Associate Professor at the Department of Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting (English) of the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), where she has been teaching language, culture and literature courses both online and on a face-to-face basis. She is the coordinator in the research group FLETATIS (Foreign Language Education Through Applied Technologies and Intercultural Sensitivity). Currently, she is the Director of Language Policy in the Vice-rectorate for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and New Degrees, at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

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Published/Copyright: December 31, 2021

Abstract

Talks have been of interest for researchers who have compared different modes of scientific speeches such as traditional formal lectures, conferences and storyboarding technology, entertainment, and design (TED) talks. This article aims at exploring effective approaches to knowledge dissemination for non-native speakers in English Public Speaking (EPS) scenarios, a current challenge for international university students or academics, who need to adapt the format of the lecture or conference to a more persuasive and engaging public speech. TED Talks allow information consumers either in real time halls or in ubiquitous online performances to listen to well-explained verbal ideas that connect nonverbal language and emotions with the international audience. The hypothesis, therefore, is that TED Talks can serve as models of multimodal dissemination pitches to English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) speakers, who can be trained to improve their speech performance and convey their scientific notions and results successfully. After analysing the 10 most popular TED Talks, the findings suggest a set of strategies and techniques that can be useful for non-native learners in English Public Speaking contexts or for users of English as a Lingua Franca in their dissemination talks. The results provide some common pedagogical affordances for ELF dissemination talks, considering multimodal and nonverbal communication.

Resumen

Las presentaciones orales han sido un área de interés para los investigadores que han comparado diferentes modos de discursos científicos, como las conferencias formales y tradicionales, y las charlas más divulgativas de TED Talks. Este artículo tiene como objetivo explorar enfoques efectivos para la difusión del conocimiento para hablantes no nativos en escenarios en los que se utilice el inglés para hablar en público (English Public Speaking: EPS), un desafío presente en el alumnado universitario o los académicos internacionales, que necesitan adaptar el formato de la conferencia académica a una comunicación más persuasiva, adaptada y atractiva para su público. Las TED Talks permiten a los consumidores de información, escuchar ideas bien explicadas que conectan el lenguaje verbal, el no verbal y las emociones con la audiencia internacional ya sea en salas en tiempo real o a través de vídeo presentaciones ubicuas a las que acceden a través de Internet. La hipótesis, por tanto, explora si las TED Talks pueden servir como modelos de comunicación y difusión multimodal a hablantes de Inglés como Lengua Franca (ILF), que pueden ser entrenados para mejorar su discurso oral y transmitir sus nociones científicas y resultados con éxito. Después de analizar las 10 charlas más populares de TED Talks, los hallazgos sugieren un conjunto de estrategias y técnicas que pueden ser útiles para estudiantes no nativos en contextos en los que el inglés sea la lengua empleada para hablar en público o para usuarios de Inglés como Lengua franca en sus presentaciones científicas divulgativas. Los resultados ofrecen algunas posibilidades pedagógicas comunes para las charlas de difusión de ILF, considerando la comunicación multimodal y no verbal.


Corresponding author: Soraya García-Sánchez, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus Universitario de Tafira S/N. Edificio de Ingenierías, Despacho 3, Módulo F, 35017, Las Palmas, Spain, E-mail:

About the author

Soraya García-Sánchez

Dr. Soraya García-Sánchez is Associate Professor at the Department of Modern Languages, Translation and Interpreting (English) of the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain), where she has been teaching language, culture and literature courses both online and on a face-to-face basis. She is the coordinator in the research group FLETATIS (Foreign Language Education Through Applied Technologies and Intercultural Sensitivity). Currently, she is the Director of Language Policy in the Vice-rectorate for Undergraduate, Postgraduate and New Degrees, at the Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

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Published Online: 2021-12-31
Published in Print: 2021-09-27

© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston

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