Kristi Jauregi, Rick de Graaff, Utrecht University

1. Communicative tasks for language students and teacher trainees in video web communication and virtual worlds Kristi Jauregi, Rick de Graaff, Utrecht University

2. Overview Short introduction to NIFLAR Task design principles for intercultural communicative competence Video-web communication in Dutch Second Life in Spanish Results and discussion

3. NIFLAR • Time span: 1 January 2009 – 31 December 2010 • Lifelong Learning Programme • Partners: Universities of • Granada and Valencia in Spain • Coimbra in Portugal • Palacky in Olomouc the Czech Republic, • Nevsky and Novosibirsk in Russia • Concepción in Chile TELL Consult (Netherlands) 2 secondary schools, in Spain and The Netherlands Coordination: Utrecht University • Target languages: Dutch, Portuguese, Russian & Spanish

4. Objectives & ambitions NIFLAR • Enrich and innovate academic programs of foreign languages (target groups: FL learners and pre-service teachers) • By facilitating social and pedagogical authentic interaction in the target language, using adequate tasks with a focus on interculturalcommunication • Using 2 innovative ICT environments

5. FL learning in video-web communication Logged in members Webcam image Record Chat On-line writing Shared documents

6. FL learning in virtual worlds

7. Task design principlesfor ICC in video-webcommunication and virtualworlds Design principles for: Communicative competence in L2 acquisition (Willis, 1996; Doughty & Long, 2003; Ellis, 2003; Moonen, 2007; Long, 2009) Intercultural competence in L2 acquisition(Byram, 1997; Müller-Jacquier, 2003) The application of VWC and VW in L2 acquisition (Jauregi & Bañados, 2008; Deutschmann, Panichi & Molka, 2009)

8. Design principles for communicative L2 competence Exposure to rich, authentic, multimodal and contextually relevant language input Elicitation of meaningful, contextually appropriate language use Focus on language form alonside meaning Convergent communicative outcome as a result of negotiation of meaning

9. Design principles for intercultural L2 competence Taking conceptions and misconceptions in daily life as a starting point Focus on intercultural contrasts and similarities Need to understand each other’s point of view for task completion Need to evaluate one’s own points of view by means of someone else’s

10. Design principles for the application of VWC Video-web communication: Personal contact is relevant Access to visual cues is crucial Nonverbal interaction is relevant Only communication partners are present Visual context outside communication partners is irrelevant Multimodal creation and negotiation of meaning

11. Design principles for the application of VW Virtual worlds: Visual context around communication partners is relevant Context is specifically selected for conversation topics As in real-life, others might interfere Tasks should trigger oral communication Contexts might be adapted (simplified, exaggerated) in order to promote awareness and learning

12. Pilot video-web communication Dutch Palacky University in Olomouc Utrecht University • Participants: - 32 pre-service teachers of different TLs(Dutch, English, Spanish, French, German) • Integration in Mastercourse: Language Education • February-April 2009: 10 weeks -36 Czech students of Dutch 19 A2 + 17 B1 (CEFR) - Dutch Language Course A2 + B1 (CEFR)

13. Pre-service teachers (UU) Introduction to NIFLAR Workgroup sessions on tasks, CMC, CEFR, ICC Virtual meeting with PU Development of tasks in groups Creation of evaluation schemes for interaction sessions Development of pre-/posttests Tutorial about VWC tool Plenary session 3 interaction sessions (25 min.) Poster-presentations& paper experiences NIFLAR surveys + interviews Certificates of participation NIFLARexperiences with Dutch - Process FL learners of Dutch (PU) • Introduction to NIFLAR • Virtual meeting withUU • Tutorial about VWC tool • Plenary session • 3 interaction sessions (25 min.) • NIFLAR evaluation • NIFLAR surveys + interviews • Certificates of participation

14. FL learning in video-web communication

15. Examples of tasks developed by pre-service teachers

16. Results NIFLAR surveys (UU & PU)

17. Results NIFLAR surveys (UU & PU)

18. Pilot Second Life Spanish • Period: June & July 2009 • Participants: 2 NS student teachers (Granada/Valencia); 2 NNS L students (Utrecht) • Objectives: • Explore possibilities of existing SL worlds for enhancing interaction • Study anonymity versus familiarity in modeling interaction • Compare experiences: VWC versus SL • Tasks: • Reflecting about intercultural similarities & differences • Exploring Spanish SL worlds & interviewing anonymous NSs • Sharing experiences & touring together • Evaluating the experience

19. Pilot tasks for ICC in Second Life

20. Example Second Life

21. Task Evaluation • Task 1 and 4: • dynamic verbal turn-taking • no space for silences, little action • Interaction merely task-oriented • Task 2 and 3 • much action and movements • large episodes of silence while touring around • Interaction merely process-oriented

22. Learners and teachers experiences in Second Life • Were tasks adequate? (4,4,4,3) • Should SL be integrated in language courses? (5,4,4,2) • Which environment offers more possibilities to enrich your learning language experience? (a. Second Life b. video web communication) (a!) • Is SL adequate for learning languages? (Yes!) • If you had the possibility to choose the environment in future projects, which one would you use? (SL)

23. February 2010: Research on task environment effectiveness • 3 conditions: VWC; VW; classroom • Comparing ICC development • Interaction growth first/last session • Pretest/posttest • Analysis: • LC: fluency, accuracy, complexity, adequacy • ICC: attitudes, knowledge, skills, awareness

24. Would you like to know more about NIFLAR? Join us in niflar.ning.com www.niflar.eu r.degraaff@uu.nl k.jauregi@uu.nl