Retrieved 7 October, 2010 from
http://walkinthewords.blogspot.com/2008/11/thanksgiving-pragmatics.html
How do I teach Pragmatics1 through Web 2.0 sites like Youtube and facebook?
In this blog entry, I will demonstrate my innovative pedagogies in terms of my teaching context, which are Language Other Than English (LOTE): Japanese though using Web 2.0 technologies.
Prensky (2010) argues that writing and reading skills are not as important as they once were because they are not the best way for human beings to communicate their thoughts. ‘‘Reading does not just happen’’ and ‘‘It is a terrible struggle’’ (Roylance, as cited in Prensky, 2010, p. 126). Therefore, as opposed to writing their ideas, people have begun putting them into video. Indeed, there is an increasing degradation of reading and writing skills occurring in America because eighty percent of the population is using You Tube and short videos to communicate (Prensky, 2010).
I agree with Prensky’s argument to some extent, but in terms of language learning and teaching, I believe other skills such as reading and writing are important. Oxford (1990) agrees, arguing that listening is essential to enhance the other three language skills of speaking, reading and writing. I believe that these four skills are interconnected, and as the learning of all four are emphasised through the Japanese LOTE syllabus (Queensland Studies Authority, 2008), all four skills will be practised in my classroom.
However, I also feel that viewing videos is useful not only for pronunciation, accent, vocabulary and idioms, but also for the important cultural contexts of when certain expressions can be used. Intercultural learning, also known as pragmatics, is important as lack of this cultural knowledge may lead to misunderstandings and communication breakdown. When you learn a foreign language, gaining pragmatic competence is critical, yet it is very difficult to acquire, particularly within the classroom. As Silva and Restivo (2008) claim, I believe using social networking sites such as Youtube, will assist learners in practicing and developing their pragmatic, or intercultural, competence. I will now discuss some actual exercises that I will run in my classroom to demonstrate how this pragmatics education can occur.
In order to create culturally-based contexts2 within my Japanese classroom, I will select relevant video clips that emphasise each learning objective. For example…
Inside my classroom
1. I will show a YouTube clip which demonstrates pragmatics. Students will try to interpret and analyse the video to learn the appropriate cultural expression.
2. I will teach specific pragmatic elements explicitly through video clips and/or sentences in some social networking sites. Students will view the clip a few times and then, using their critical thinking, will create new insights. In order for students to observe non-verbal aspects such as body language and rituals, I will play the scenes without sound.
3. Students will practise with video clips and speaking sentences. Through this, students will develop their understanding between their own language and culture and their target language and culture.
4. Students will create subtitles for a YouTube video clip.
5. Students reflect on their own language and culture and their target language and its culture through a blog. In this blog, students review what they have learned and how they feel about it by expressing themselves in writing.
6. In order to be pragmatically competent, learners need to be exposed to real life communication as much as possible. Therefore, learners should be provided with the opportunity to practice their language and intercultural aspects through social networking sites such as YouTube and Facebook. This might be done through forming an online relationship with a sister school in Japan.
Digital space outside my classroom
Blog entry
I will provide scenarios2 where students will be required to use the learnt form of the vocabulary or intercultural aspects. Since students will have different learning abilities, I will provide multiple questions they can pick from. Each student will answer two questions – one that they will answer and one that they will provide feedback on the answers on. I will monitor this so each student will only receive beneficial feedback.
Depending on a level, the words count will be adjusted but students will be required to use learnt forms, grammar and vocabulary. They will be allowed to have discussion in their first language.
Digital role-play
With their sister school in Japan, students will read the scenario below and create a conversation. Students will be monitored to make sure they ask appropriate questions and understand the cultural context.
Scenario: Person A: Ask them to go out to a movie. Person B: Reply that you can’t go because you are not interested in the movie. What would be the best way for person B to say no to person A?
Video clips
Students, either individually or in groups, demonstrate their knowledge by finding an appropriate video clip related to intercultural aspects. Many good quality videos are found by students so this is an opportunity for the teacher to learn as well.
As a group, students can produce their own video clips. For example, show the daily life of Australian student in a way that a visiting Japanese exchange student would understand.
In conclusion, I believe task based digital assignments that facilitate student-centre and meaningful peer interactions are excellent tools to assist language learners. As I have demonstrated through my classroom exercises, I believe that taking advantage of social networking sites is an excellent way of teaching pragmatics.
Footnotes
1: The meanings and effects which come from the use of language in particular situations.
2: Videos dealing with some aspects such as formal and informal communication including honorific systems in Japanese and English, behaviours, humours and taboos, stereotypes, paraverbal and nonverbal communication and intercultural conflicts.
3: Some sample questions regarding speech act are…
1) You are going to home stay in Japan. You would like to give souvenir to your Japanese home stay family. What would you normally say when you give it to them? Why? What do you think of the Japanese expression? What would you say if you are in the Australian context? How about other ways and expression from other culture?
2) What would the family say to you? (some potential expressions) Why do some Japanese people do not open the gift immediately? What do you think about it?
References
Oxford, R. L. (1990). Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know. New York: Newbury House/Happer & Row.
Prensky, M. (2010). Why You Tube matters. Why it is so important, why we should all be using it, and why blocking it blocks our kids’ education. ON THE HORIZON, 18(2), 124-131.
Queensland Studies Authority. (2008). Japanese Senior Syllabus. Retrieved October 5, 2010
Silva, J. F., & Restivo, F. J. (2008). E -assessment through Social Networks in a Portuguese High School Context - A Conceptual Framework. Retrieved October 1, 2010, from
Appendix: Useful self-language/culture learning sites
The more you use your language the better your language become!
These sites are authentic self-learning spaces for language learners who cannot experience their authentic target culture.
1.
Lang8 is highly beneficial free site for students who are at any level to develop their second language ability. Because Lang8 focuses on writing, it helps learners improve their writing skills including grammar and vocabulary. It does this through corrections by native speakers who are also learning and/or interested language learning and teaching. Due to the length of time required for writing tasks, this site might also be useful for homework in classroom context.
2.For more advanced students who would like to expand their language and intercultural competency, I will recommend the biggest Japanese social networking site called
mixi.
