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Contentid: 19094
Content Type: 5
Title: Use LinguaFolio Online To Record Evidence of Presentational Speaking
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You’ve set a presentational speaking goal for your students at their proficiency level using the NCSSFL-ACTFL Global Can-Do Benchmarks. Your students are aware of and engaged in reaching the goal. You’ve all worked through a sequence of activities leading up to their presentational speaking task. Now, how will your students document that they “Can Do” the task?

Enter LinguaFolio Online!  LinguaFolio Online is a portfolio assessment tool that allows students to collect and upload digital evidence demonstrating their abilities, referenced to the Global Can-Do Benchmarks. Record students performing the task, and they can upload the audio plus any photos directly to LinguaFolio Online, linked to the Can-Do Statement that you’re working on. Putting this part of assessment into students’ hands and linking what they are doing with their ongoing gains in proficiency should increase their engagement in language learning.  Within the coming year, you’ll also be able to upload video files directly to LinguaFolio Online (currently, you can store a link to a video that’s been uploaded to a different location such as YouTube), and your students will be able to use their own mobile devices to record and upload evidence.

Would you like to use LinguaFolio Online for free with your students? Email lfolio@uoregon.edu and mention InterCom in the body of your message. The first person to email us will receive 35 free student accounts.

Click here for more information about LinguaFolio Online.

Source: CASLS Spotlight
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Contentid: 19095
Content Type: 4
Title: Asking for and Responding to Favors
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by Loreli Mann, Tahira Anwar and Patricia Roldán Marcos

This activity serves as an example of the principles discussed in Dr. Sykes's InterCom Topic of the Week article.

Objectives:

• Students will be able to show comprehension of different elements and pragmatic strategies to ask for favors by acting out a role-play.
• Students will be able to recognize successful and unsuccessful interactions and provide reasons.

Resources: Asking and responding to favors handout. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsY2luHPJ0w

Procedure and notes:

Part 1 – Observation:

1. Pre-viewing: Ask students to answer questions 1-3 in pairs. Note: This stage will get them thinking about the way they carry out the speech act in their L1. Get feedback from students. The teacher can discuss these concepts in the input stage below, maybe without using the specialized terminology.

2. While-viewing: Introduce the video to the class. Pre-teach "give/have a lift" if necessary. Ask students to read questions 4 and 5 in preparation for the video. Play the video.

3. Get students to discuss their ideas/notes in groups of three. Then whole class feedback to ensure all students understood the gist of the videos.

4. Ask students to watch the video again and take notes of the language being used to ask for favors (question 6)

5. Get students to check their answers and then elicit answers from class. Write the chunks on the board and start the input stage.

Part 2 – Analysis:

6. Post-viewing: INPUT: The teacher discusses the different issues that have come up from watching the video. These may include social distance, rank of imposition, the use of hints or indirect strategies, speaker and hearer-oriented, the 3 stages, and also the analysis of the linguistic structures.

7. In pairs, ask students to find alternative structures for the structures found in the dialogue. Elicit answers and add your own on the board as necessary.

8. In pairs, ask them to rank them from more to less formal and then examine the grammatical ins and outs. E.g. "would you mind...?" followed by -ing verb; can/could followed by bare infinitive, etc. Bring up the potential confusion with lend/borrow and link it with the hearer/speaker-oriented element, i.e. "Can I borrow...?" vs "Can you lend me...?"

Part 3 – Extension:

9. Ask students to work individually and think about details for two of the situations provided in the handout. Then tell them that they'll do two role-plays with two different classmates and different situations. Ensure they understand that they have to make one successful but the other a failure.

10. Ask some students to volunteer and act out a role-play in front of the class. Ask the rest of the class if it was a successful or a failure one and why.

Assessment: Ask students to fill in the self-assessment grid.

Source: CASLS Activity of the Week
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Contentid: 19096
Content Type: 3
Title: Dimensions of Second Language Pragmatics for Interpersonal Speaking
Body:

by Julie Sykes, CASLS Director

Dimensions of Second Language Pragmatics for Interpersonal Speaking

Rudy has arrived at his host family, settled in, and learned his way around the city. He soon learns he will need to take some additional, unexpected items on a school excursion the coming weekend and needs to go to the store at the last minute. He knows all of the words and structures, but is not entirely sure how to combine them, who to ask, or when he needs to ask to get to store.  He soon realizes, despite excellent grades in his language classes and a few weeks abroad, he is still missing the critical pragmatic knowledge to ask for a favor in the most appropriate way possible. 

Second Language Pragmatics is a key component of successful interpersonal interactions and would help Rudy solve his dilemma.  Defined by Yule (1996) as “meaning as communicated by a speaker (or writer) and interpreted by a listener (or reader)” (pp.3-4), pragmatics entails the various dimensions of interaction that guide speakers on what to say and listeners on ways to interpret what is being said.  In both foreign and second language classrooms, explicit pragmatic instruction can have a strong impact on the development of successful interpersonal speaking skills. 

Pragmatic dimensions can be embedded in lessons starting at novice-level courses and continuing through the advanced and superior level courses.  Learning strategies for considering each dimension can be helpful in making strategic language choices for successful interaction.

1. Power: The power relationship between two interlocutors is a determinant for both selecting the structures to use, as well as who can and cannot be addressed in various scenarios.  Power can be equal, lie with the hearer, or lie with the speaker. Take, for example, Rudy’s request for a favor. In his case, the host family (hearer) is in a slight position of power and, depending on the language, strategies will be needed to address this slight imbalance.  Learners can be taught to recognize power dynamics and adapt language as needed based on a variety of power dimensions.
2. Rank of Imposition: Rank of imposition determines the level of inconvenience, as well as the appropriateness of even making a request at all. In Rudy’s case, the rank of imposition could increase if the weather is bad, if the family had recently gone to the store, or if transportation is difficult. Learners can recognize rank of imposition and add or take away mitigators based on the level of imposition.
3. Solidarity: Solidarity refers to how close people are.  If Rudy is close to his host family the request is quite different from they are still strangers.  Learners can be taught ways to analyze solidarity to determine the appropriate language to use.

This week’s Activity of the Week provides a sample activity for addressing each of these dimensions and helping learners ask various favors in a variety of contexts, ideally avoiding Rudy’s dilemma next time they need to ask a favor of their own.

Source: CASLS Topic of the Week
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Contentid: 19097
Content Type: 2
Title: Apply Now for COFLT Honors and Awards
Body:
Source: COFLT
Inputdate: 2015-03-08 20:18:25
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Contentid: 19098
Content Type: 1
Title: Book: Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities
Body:

From http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/languages-linguistics/sign-language/sociolinguistics-and-deaf-communities?format=PB

Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities
Edited by Adam C. Schembri and Ceil Lucas
Published by Cambridge University Press

How do people use sign languages in different situations around the world? How are sign languages distributed globally? What happens when they come in contact with spoken and written languages? These and other questions are explored in this new introduction to the sociolinguistics of sign languages and deaf communities. An international team brings insights and data from a wide range of sign languages, from the USA, Canada, England, Spain, Brazil and Australia. Topics covered include multilingualism in the global deaf community, sociolinguistic variation and change in sign languages, bilingualism and language contact between signed and spoken languages, attitudes towards sign languages, sign language planning and policy, and sign language discourse. Sociolinguistics and Deaf Communities will be welcomed by students of sign language and interpreting, teachers of sign language, and students and academics working in linguistics.

Visit the publisher's website at http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/languages-linguistics/sign-language/sociolinguistics-and-deaf-communities?format=PB

Source: Cambridge University Press
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Contentid: 19099
Content Type: 1
Title: Book: Education in Languages of Lesser Power
Body:

From https://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/impact.35/main

Education in Languages of Lesser Power: Asia-Pacific Perspectives
Edited by Craig Alan Volker and Fred E. Anderson
Published by John Benjamins Publishing Company

The cultural diversity of the Asia-Pacific region is reflected in a multitude of linguistic ecologies of languages of lesser power, i.e., of indigenous and immigrant languages whose speakers lack collective linguistic power, especially in education. This volume looks at a representative sampling of such communities. Some receive strong government support, while others receive none. For some indigenous languages, the same government schools that once tried to stamp out indigenous languages are now the vehicles of language revival. As the various chapters in this book show, some parents strongly support the use of languages other than the national language in education, while others are actively against it, and perhaps a majority have ambivalent feelings. The overall meta-theme that emerges from the collection is the need to view the teaching and learning of these languages in relation to the different needs of the speakers within a sociolinguistics of mobility.

Visit the publisher's website at https://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/impact.35/main

Source: John Benjamins Publishing Company
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Contentid: 19100
Content Type: 1
Title: Book: Language Proficiency in Native and Non-native Speakers
Body:

From https://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/lllt.41/main

Language Proficiency in Native and Non-native Speakers: Theory and research
By Jan H. Hulstijn
Published by John Benjamins Publishing Company

This book, written for both seasoned and novice researchers, presents a theory of what is called Basic and Higher Language Cognition (BLC and HLC), a theory aimed at making some fundamental issues concerning first and second language learning and bilingualism (more) empirical. The first part of the book provides background for and explication of the theory as well as an agenda for future research, while the second part reports on selected studies of language proficiency in native speakers, as well as non-native speakers, and studies of the relationship between literacy in a first and second language. Conceptual and methodological problems in measuring language proficiency in research on second language acquisition and bilingualism are also discussed. Further, the notion of levels of language proficiency, as rendered by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), is critically examined, suggesting ways of empirically investigating a number of questions that the CEFR raises but is not capable of answering.

Visit the publisher's website at https://benjamins.com/#catalog/books/lllt.41/main

Source: John Benjamins Publishing Company
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Contentid: 19101
Content Type: 1
Title: Call for Proposals: Kentucky World Language Association 2015 Fall Conference
Body:

From http://www.kwla.org/conference/2015/

The Kentucky World Language Association 2015 Fall Conference will take place September 24-26 in Louisville. The theme is "Communicate. Collaborate. Captivate. Building bridges to proficiency." Proposals are being accepted through April 30.

View the full call for proposals at http://www.kwla.org/conference/2015/

Source: KWLA
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Contentid: 19102
Content Type: 1
Title: Language and Social Interaction Working Group (LANSI)
Body:

From http://www.tc.columbia.edu/lansi/

Language and Social Interaction Working Group (LANSI)
Teachers College, Columbia University
New York City
Conference: October 16-17 (Fri & Sat), 2015

LANSI brings together scholars and students working on naturally-occurring data within the broad area of language and social interaction. In keeping with the LANSI spirit of diversity and dialog, they welcome abstracts from colleagues working on a variety of topics using discourse analytic approaches that include but are not limited to conversation analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, linguistic anthropology, and critical discourse analysis. Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words and should include descriptions of the following aspects of the study: (1) problem(s) being addressed; (2) central claim(s); (3) data source(s) and analytic approach(es); (4) a short piece of data to support the main argument; (5) implication(s) of the findings. Please also include a 50-word summary. Abstracts will be blind-reviewed on the basis of clarity, specificity, originality, and the inclusion of the required components. Papers will be presented within a 15 or 20 minute slot with an additional 10 or 5 minutes for discussion.

Deadline for electronic submission is May 30, 2015. For additional information and to submit an abstract, please visit: www.tc.edu/lansi. Questions can be sent to: lansi@tc.columbia.edu

Source: Columbia University
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Contentid: 19103
Content Type: 1
Title: Call for Submissions: Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education
Body:

From http://linguistlist.org/issues/26/26-1143.html

CJNSE Fall 2015 Special Issue
Language, Identity, and Diversity in Education

This is a call for submissions for a Fall 2015 special issue of the Canadian Journal for New Scholars in Education. This special issue is broadly dedicated to issues surrounding language, identity, and diversity in Education and will be guest co-edited by the journal's newest faculty advisory editor, Dr. Antoinette Gagné. The CJNSE welcomes and encourages submissions describing original (MA or PhD) research but may also accept position papers and book reviews from new scholars. Submissions are welcomed in the journal's two official languages, English and French. Submissions will be accepted starting immediately with a deadline of June 21st, 2015. Submissions will go through our journal's extensive peer-review and editing process. Questions and queries may be sent to CJNSE editor James Corcoran (English) at cjnse.rcjce.journal@gmail.com or Nancy Allen (French) at directricesrcjce@hotmail.com

For more information go to http://www.cjnse-rcjce.ca/ojs2/index.php/cjnse/announcement

Source: LINGUIST List
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