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7 - Practising Online with Your Peers: The Role of Text Chat for Second Language Development

from Part III - Productive Practice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

Christian Jones
Affiliation:
University of Liverpool
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Summary

Written synchronous computer mediated communication (SCMC or text-chat) is a pervasive means of human interaction in modern society – in particular, among generations using social media. Smith (2005: 34) identified text chat as ‘the ideal medium for students to benefit from interaction’ due to its specific nature: a hybrid between ephemeral interactive spoken and slow long-lasting written communication. In the context of meaningful interaction written SCMC creates relevant opportunities for learners to practise their L2 and to attend to and reflect on both the form and the content of an L2 message. Little is known, however, in regard to how adolescents perceive peer interaction via SCMC as a medium of instruction and how it affects their language learning. This chapter aims to address these issues. Data from an exploratory classroom-based study into practising L2 German via SCMC will be presented. Eighteen English high-school students performed a series of SCMC tasks and reported on their language learning motivation and anxiety as well as perception of the chat tasks. Chat logs were analysed for target structure use and accuracy. The discussion highlights the benefits and challenges of peer text chat interaction in the classroom as a context for second language practice
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Chapter
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Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2018

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