Engagement through digital simulations for interlanguage pragmatic development:

Becoming a “Languager”

Julie M. Sykes, University of Oregon

Wednesday, April 12^th 12-1:00pm

Zoom: https://harvard.zoom.us/my/millsnam

More than ever before, considerations around second language (L2) pragmatics necessitate a global perspective that considers a multiplicity of interlocutors and contextual variables (Taguchi, 2017). We now have both the capability and responsibility to facilitate language learners’ development from learner to “languager” (i.e., a user of language that is adept in a wide variety of interactional contexts.). Furthermore, digital technologies are assistive in this endeavor; they continue to expand possibilities for interactions that both enhance and complicate the teaching and learning of interlanguage pragmatics (Thorne, Sauro, & Smith, 2015). Specifically, previous research points to the potential positive affordances of digital games in this role (e.g., Sykes, 2018; Sykes & Dubriel, 2019). This presentation will focus on one type of experience, with implications for learning in other digital and analog contexts. Specifically, it will focus on mixed-reality simulation to address the complexities of L2 pragmatics in environments that, like the real world, necessitate the oftentimes simultaneous negotiation of digital and analog spaces. To complicate matters, these gameplay simulations are intentionally ambiguous to promote participant collaboration as they make meaning in the space and unpack critical knowledge related to targeted pragmatic functions and information. Drawing on research from one simulation, this presentation will discuss ways digital and analog tools can facilitate the learning of interlanguage pragmatics. I will frame the talk through a comprehensive framework designed to capture the analytical and affective skills needed for Intercultural, Pragmatic, and Interactional Competence (IPIC). I will then discussion the various ways gameplay, meaningful facilitation, and integrated wraparound activities promote deep learning, experimentation, and learner development. I will conclude with implications for future work in this area.

Presenter Bio

Julie Sykes earned her Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She is the Director of Center for Applied Second Language Studies and an Associate Professor in the Department of Linguistics at the University of Oregon. Her research focuses on applied linguistics and second language acquisition with an emphasis on technological and pedagogical innovation for interlanguage pragmatic development and intercultural competence. She has taught courses on second language teaching and learning, methodology and research, language learning and technology, Hispanic linguistics, and interlanguage pragmatic development. Julie’s experience includes the design, implementation, and evaluation of online immersive spaces and the creation of place-based, augmented-reality mobile games to engage language learners in a variety of non-institutional contexts. She has published various articles on computer-assisted language learning (CALL)-related topics, including synchronous computer-mediated communication and pragmatic development, gaming and CALL, and lexical acquisition in digitally mediated environments. Julie is the recipient of the 2018 University of Oregon Research Award for Impact and Innovation.