Contents
Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: October 12, 2020
Body:
This week, we continue our exploration of second language (L2) pragmatics by introducing social distance and how it impacts language choice and communication. Learn more by checking out this video.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This week, we provide an activity in which learners adapt textbook examples to either minimize or increase distance.
When it comes to intercultural communication, individual needs and preferences are just as important to consider as one’s target culture. This is especially true with social distance. Think, for example, of a person in a position of power who wishes to be called by his or her first name in order to minimize distance. This desire may be culturally informed, but it could also just be a result of personal preference.
Given the variety of language patterns and communication styles at play within the target language, educators are encouraged to teach learners to recognize when the concepts we have been discussing over the past few weeks (politeness orientation, power, rank of imposition, and social distance) are salient. Ian Akhbar provides a nice overview of research related to this reality as well as some ideas for how to develop these skills in the classroom.
Happy exploring! We are excited to continue engaging with you this week.
Source:
Inputdate: 2020-10-08 12:55:35
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-12 04:29:31
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-12 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-12 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 4
Title: Social Distance and Textbooks
Body:
The purpose of this activity is to introduce Novice and Intermediate language learners to the concept of social distance and to help them draw connections between the L1 and the L2.
Learning Outcomes:
Learners will be able to:
- Utilize distance-minimizing language strategies in communication.
- Compare how social distance impacts the delivery of requests and/or apologies in the target language scenario to a scenario in the L1.
Mode(s): Any
Materials: social distance video, textbook
Procedure:
1. Introduce learners to the concept of social distance by utilizing the social distance video.
2. Select a language function (e.g., greetings or service encounters) that aligns with curricular needs. Brainstorm distance-creating language and distance-minimizing language as a group. You may consider familiar utterances, formal utterances, the use of plural and singular pronouns, how to address people, and the amount of details that will be offered in certain contexts.
3. Next, find an example of the targeted function in the textbook. Ask that learners rewrite the example so that distance is either minimized or maximized, depending on what the example is.
4. Ask learners to write a brief exit ticket in which they: 1) identify the strategies they used to adapt the conversation; and 2) explain if they would use the same strategies in the L1 or not.
Notes:
- During Step 2, teachers may need to supplement learners’ knowledge of L2 utterances, particularly with colloquialisms.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2020-10-08 13:00:14
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-12 04:29:31
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-12 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-12 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: Free Virtual Tour of Día de los Muertos Exhibit
Body:
The National Museum of Mexican art provides free virtual tours of the Día de los Muertos exhibit in both Spanish and English until December 13, 2020. This is a great resource to introduce the culture to learners.
Visit: https://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/exhibits/s%C3%B3lo-un-poco-aqu%C3%AD-day-dead?fbclid=IwAR1SiPnsdsf7FUHCYR3lTFSbiPeZKIS8Usd0V8oUYRywrLh5o_YoOrEgoe0
Source: National Museum of Mexican Art
Inputdate: 2020-10-11 12:57:13
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-19 04:01:38
Expdate: 2020-12-13 00:00:00
Publishdate: 2020-10-19 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-19 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: Social Justice in the World Language Classroom
Body:
The International Association for Language Learning Technology (IALLT) will host a free webinar at 3:00pm Pacific time on October 29, 2020. The theme for this webinar is social justice in the world language classroom.
Source: International Association for Language Learning Technology
Inputdate: 2020-10-11 13:02:20
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-19 04:01:38
Expdate: 2020-10-29 00:00:00
Publishdate: 2020-10-19 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-19 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: 8 Strategies to Improve Participation in Your Virtual Classroom
Body:
Edutopia shares eight strategies for teachers to improve class participation and engagment in class during virtual instruction. These tips may be particularly useful given the present reality and ubiquity of online instruction.
Source: Edutopia
Inputdate: 2020-10-13 10:50:00
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-26 04:35:04
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-26 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-26 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: How Does Being Bilingual Affect Your Brain?
Body:
This article examines the nuances of the term "bilingualism." It examines evidence supporting the idea that bilingualism is not a singular point opposite of monolinguilism. Rather, bilingualism is a "spectrum of expereinces."
Source: The Conversation
Inputdate: 2020-10-13 10:59:42
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-26 04:35:04
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-26 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-26 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: 12 Simple Ways to Make Language Learning Part of Your Daily Routine
Body:
Lead with Languages shares an article about how to keep language learning as part of learners' daily routines. The tips provided are practical and are offered by three high school students.
Source: Lead with Languages
Inputdate: 2020-10-15 10:46:38
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-26 04:35:04
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-26 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-26 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: Free Webinar: Language as Symbolic Power
Body:
Claire Kramsch (Emerita, University of California, Berkely) talks about her forthcoming book, "Langauge as Symbolic Power," in coversation with Zhu Hua (University of Birmingham and Series co-editor of Cambridge Key Topics in Applied Linguistics). This conversation will take place on Tuesday, Ocotber 27, 2020 from 10:00-11:00am Pacific time. Registration is free.
Source: Cambridge Press
Inputdate: 2020-10-15 10:50:11
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-26 04:35:04
Expdate: 2020-10-27 00:00:00
Publishdate: 2020-10-26 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-26 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 1
Title: Fulbright-Hays Applications for 2021 Seminars Abroad
Body:
From: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpssap/applicant.html
The U.S. Department of Education is now accepting applicant for its Fulbright-Hays Program for summer 2021. Seminars abroad are to Iceland, Mexico, and Morocco. K-16 teachers and school administrators are welcome to apply. The deadline is December 18, 2020.
Visit: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/iegpssap/applicant.html
Source: U.S. Department of Education
Inputdate: 2020-10-15 13:04:10
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-26 04:35:04
Expdate: 2020-12-18 00:00:00
Publishdate: 2020-10-26 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-26 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
Content Type: 3
Title: InterCom: October 19, 2020
Body:
This week, just in time for the election, we shift our discussion of pragmatics and interculturality to the digital world through an exploration of political memes and the use of language and embedded cultural information. In this video, we offer insight into the language of memes and questions readers can ask when figuring out their meaning.
There are a few ways to get connected with us this week:
- Join our InterCom Live! session. We connect on Facebook every Monday at 11:00 am Pacific. To join us, open CASLS's Facebook page at the designated time. Can't make it? The InterCom Live! events are always recorded, and you can find them on our Facebook page.
- Check out the Activity of the Week. This week, we provide an activity in which learners analyze and create political memes.
When it comes to intercultural communication, digital discourse and media literacy are key skills language learners need, especially when analyzing and engaging with political discourse. Furthermore, the background knowledge and cultural information required to interpret an image with a small amount of text is key to understadning and can serve as a springboard for research and discussion.
Without taking a stand on any of the sides, this activity encourages learners to critically think about memes in their own language and the target language while also exploring the cultural and political information to decipher their meaning correctly. For more information on digital discourse and L2 learning, see Sykes (2019).
Happy deciphering! We are excited to continue our exploration of pragmatics and digital discourse this week.
Source: CASLS
Inputdate: 2020-10-16 05:39:17
Lastmodifieddate: 2020-10-19 04:01:38
Expdate:
Publishdate: 2020-10-19 02:15:01
Displaydate: 2020-10-19 00:00:00
Active: 1
Emailed: 1
Isarchived: 0
