Word Searches in NNS–NS Interaction: Opportunities for Language Learning?

Abstract

A substantial portion of second language acquisition research focuses on interactional practices in which nonnative speakers (NNSs) engage. From various theoretical viewpoints, it is assumed that certain types of interactional practices, specifically those in which participants focus on linguistic form, may promote language learning. The question of whether, and under which conditions, such sequences can be seen as providing the NNS with language learning opportunities, is considered in a purely data-driven way, applying conversation analysis (CA) as a method. The article considers one specific type of interactional practice, "word search" sequences, and opportunities for language learning that they may provide for NNSs on the basis of naturally occurring interactions between native speakers of Danish and Dutch speakers of Danish. It is argued that in order to distinguish between "language learning opportunities" and other types of interactional practices, the researcher needs to analyze the data in detail.

The Impact of the Webcam on an Online L2 Interaction

“…Here our aim is to compare the reactions of the two groups of participants to seeing or not seeing their teacher during the pedagogical interaction. We then compare the impact of each condition on the patterns of the synchronous interactions (silences, overlaps, number and duration of turns) and on the word search episodes, as specific samples of nonnative speaker (NNS) interactional practice (Brouwer, 2003). Guichon, N. & Cohen, C. (2014) The Impact Of The Webcam On An Online L2 Interaction.…”

Focus on form as a joint accomplishment: An attempt to bridge the gap between focus on form research and conversation analytic research on SLA

“…One line of research, which goes back to Michael Long's Interaction Hypothesis (Long 1981), has explored overt but incidental focus on form (FoF) in otherwise meaning-centered classroom activities (for recent studies see IRAL 47 [3][4] and some of the papers in Mackey 2007). Another line of research, emanating from conversation analysis (CA; Sacks 1992), has studied the sequential organization of repair in second language talk-in-interaction, within the classroom (e.g., Seedhouse 2004) and in other contexts (e.g., Brouwer 2003;Kurhila 2001). A recent debate about the relation between the notions of correction and repair has raised critical ques-tions as to whether and how these two lines of research may fruitfully complete each other (Hall 2007a and b;Seedhouse 2007;LLRT 2010).…”

Learnables in Action : The Embodied Achievement of Opportunities for Teaching and Learning in Swedish as a Second Language Classrooms

“…Kurhila, 2001;Plejert, 2004) have been investigated as well. Different classroom activities have also been examined such as word searches (Brouwer, 2003), vocabulary explanation (Lazaraton, 2004;Mortensen, 2011), grammar teaching (Churchill et al, 2010; Study 2).…”

“…communicative projects, see Linell, 1998Linell, , 2009; see Study 2) in which a word for 'backside' in Swedish is searched for by Linda, and is visibly and hearably treated as a learnable. This word search sequence (see Goodwin & Goodwin, 1986) provides not only a language learning opportunity (Brouwer, 2003), but also a demonstration of handling a socially and culturally loaded indexical expression.…”