Learner Identity and Interactional Competence in English as a Foreign Language Classroom

Abstract

Identity construction is very much influenced by interactional competence. Having a high level of interactional competence enables students to convincingly construct their desired identities. Learners of English as a foreign language may have a problem constructing their desired identities, especially if they are not particularly fluent in the language. This paper discusses the identity construction engaged in by a group of Jordanian learners of English at Mutah University, Jordan. The observed group consisted of 12 postgraduate students, from different majors, who learn English as preparation for their TOEFL exams. Data were analysed using a conversation analysis approach. The analysis reveals that the students managed to use various linguistic strategies in constructing their desired identities, whilst at the same time were disapproving of the identities constructed by the other group members whenever they felt the identities were inappropriate. This paper concludes that the Jordanian learners have sufficient interactional competence to develop common identities with other group members in their attempt to successfully complete the task given.Contribution/ Originality: This paper contributes to the limited Conversation Analysis (CA) research in the Jordanian context. In addition, it provides novel insights into Arab learners' discursive behaviour in constructing their desired identities and displaying their interactional competence.

A Case Study on the Impacts of Social Contexts on a Chinese English as a Foreign Language Learner’s L1 and L2 Identities Development

“…In Ming's case, he regained some confidence in his English learning through publishing in international journals. This is similar to the research conducted by Alali et al (2020), andBrunton andBuckley (2020), who observed that English learners may use linguistic techniques or depend on their accomplishments to construct their L2 identities and may resist the identities given by others. The students' struggles in constructing their identities may be mitigated when they have stable selves, which largely rely upon their L1 identity.…”

“…This model acknowledges the ease of teachers and students to move across time and space in the digital era. Moreover, Alali et al (2020) examined the identity construction of L2 English learners in a university in Jordan. The findings showed that the learners were using numerous linguistic techniques to construct their identities, and may resist the identities given by other team members if these identities were believed to be inappropriate.…”

Effective of Bubble Maps Oriented Scaffolding Instruction Teaching on the Reduction of English Speaking Anxiety on Chinese Undergraduates

“…When EFL students struggle to communicate in the target language, they admit they are experiencing language anxiety [10] . In foreign language classes, some students may display symptoms of anxiousness [11] .…”

Classroom Discourse as Institutional Interaction: From the Perspective of Conversation Analysis

“…There is more conversational element when the teacher's control of turn taking and sequence organisation becomes more flexible. Rather than just teacher giving a talk with occasional interaction with the students, students get to take part in the interaction more often (Alali, 2020a). They ask questions, initiate sequences, self-select and select next speaker more frequently and even repair their fellows (Mori, 2007).…”

“…analysis of talk-in-interaction, how participants systematically organise their interactions to solve a range of organizational problems, such as the distribution of turns at talking, the collaborative production of particular actions, or problems of understanding. The analysis is always based on audio or visual recordings of interaction that are carefully transcribed in details (Alali, 2020a). As there are many books, journals and studies discussing this particular approach on the classroom discourse, this study is supposed to provide continuation of those studies, with the relevance with current time.…”