Guerza, Radia (2017) The Role of Conversational Interaction in Learning English as a Foreign Language in a Computer Mediated. Doctoral thesis, Université de Batna 2.
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Abstract
The role of conversational interaction in learning English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has been widely discussed in the literature, and the value it plays in enhancing EFL communicative competence has been an issue of constant debate and controversy especially if this latter is enhanced by Information Communication Technology (ICT). It has been documented for over than two decades that conversational interaction mediated with computer-based techniques provides learners with a wide array of authentic and pedagogical opportunities that foster their learning processes (Chapelle, 2001; Warschauer, 1996). Nonetheless, there is virtually no research which would document the language learning benefits in this specific setting empirically. In fact, multimedia praxises offer a rich linguistic and non-linguistic environment to learners giving them the freedom to choose the content and the used techniques (Benson, 2001). Within this respect, and starting from the premise that learning depends on the activity and the initiative of the learner (Van Lier, 2008), the context for the study is a specific one-semester course which utilized a number of novel pedagogical approaches. This research adopts exploratory mixed methods whereby data were obtained from classroom observation, teachers‘ and students‘ questionnaires and focus group interviews. EFL undergraduate learners‘ views and perceptions are considered in shaping the educational agenda in Algeria. This study has been undertaken to solve problems within our EFL setting, a context where most of our EFL classrooms are teacher-led. The teacher is clearly in control of the content and the skills to be learned. He is in charge of the pace and amount of interaction that occurs throughout the lesson. In this study, detailed empirical evidence of students‘ meaningful engagement in classroom discourse and, by extension, of their language learning are provided. The powerful potential of the Content Process Product (CPP) program, a newly devised pedagogy for the teaching of English, in creating interactional spaces in which students are allowed to invest their own identities and ―speak as themselves‖ is highlighted. Also, interactional data analysis from the sociocultural perspective is presented to demonstrate instances of learners‘ agency applying Walsh‘s (2011) Self Evaluation of Teacher Talk (SETT) Framework and Van Lier‘s (2008) Interactional Analysis Scheme. The schemes‘ categorization demonstrates how initiative and transportable identities are demonstrated and enacted in classroom interaction. The results indicate that principles of conversational interaction supported by transportable identities and ICT transcend specific materials or technologies, and can inform the development of productive EFL pedagogies across educational contexts. The findings obtained allude to the fact that the innovative approach devised to meet both the hurdles and the learners‘ expectations is significantly contributing in promoting EFL learning. The results confirm that the CPP program not only helps learners to express themselves in English, but also it helped them to expose their personal identities whereby their fluency has been promoted. The collected data suggests that EFL teachers should consider creating an appropriate healthy environment that encourages autonomy, engagement and agent acts. This research endeavors to come up with proposals for enhancing the quality of EFL instruction in Algeria.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
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| Subjects: | Lettres et langues étrangères > Langue anglaise |
| Divisions: | Faculté des lettres et langues étrangères > Département de langue anglaise |
| Date Deposited: | 12 Mar 2017 09:24 |
| Last Modified: | 12 Mar 2017 09:24 |
| URI: | http://eprints.univ-batna2.dz/id/eprint/356 |
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