Colloquia

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Colloquium: Measuring second language pragmatic competence: A psycholinguistic perspective

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Overview: The colloquium has two primary aims: (1) to report on the development of a set of tests of pragmatic competence for and (2) the use of these tests in second language acquisition research to investigate factors mediating the development of pragmatic competence.

In general, pragmatic competence has taken little note of the psycholinguistic dimension of language assessment (Roever and Ellis, 2021). In this colloquium we report on a project whose aim was to develop a set of pragmatic tests based on the distinction between implicit/ explicit knowledge. We will first briefly review research that has investigated the measurement of  implicit and explicit knowledge of grammar (Ellis, 2005) and then consider how the implicit/ explicit distinction can be applied to pragmatics, drawing on Bialystok’s (1993) distinction between ‘analysis’ and ‘control’. We report on the development of a battery of six tests, some of which are designed to induce explicit processing and others implicit processing of different aspects of pragmatics (speech acts, implicature and interactional abilities), using data collected from a sample of 177 university L2 learners of English in China and Japan.

The first paper in the colloquium provides the rationale for the tests and then describes, illustrates and briefly evaluates each test. The second and third papers report on the use of the tests to investigate how mediating factors impact on L2 pragmatic competence, defined as involving both explicit and implicit processing abilities. Mediating factors can be grouped according to whether they are “psychological’ (i.e. located within the mind of the learner) or “social” (i.e. located within the social environment).  Language proficiency is an example of the former while exposure to the L2 outside or inside of the classroom is an example of the latter. The second paper examines the role of language proficiency in the pragmatic competence of the Chinese and Japanese learners in a correlational study of scores derived from a C-test as a measure of general language proficiency and the six pragmatic tests. The third paper addresses the role of the social environment in the development of implicit and explicit pragmatic abilities in groups of Japanese learners of English who had undergone a study abroad or received explicit pragmatic instruction focusing on the use of hedging.

The findings of the project are discussed in terms of the need to consider pragmatics in SLA research and importance of the implicit/ explicit distinction for investigating L2 pragmatic competence.

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Colloquium: Register and metadiscourse in academic and professional writing:  Four corpus-based studies

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Overview: Different registers are achieved by writers through the selection of formal/informal language features and the inclusion of metadiscourse markers.  Formal/informal language sets the tone, while metadiscourse markers allow texts to become interactive by anticipating and fulfilling readers’ needs and conveying the writer’s stance about the subject matter at hand.  This colloquium focusses on register and use of metadiscourse markers among undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as professionals writing for academic and professional purposes.  All four papers employ corpus analysis of written texts, with implications for the teaching and learning of writing.

The first paper analyses academic texts from the BAWE corpus to determine the extent to which undergraduate science students expressed objectivity in their academic science laboratory reports.  In particular, the first study focusses on the use of personal pronouns and passive voice.  The second paper analyses academic texts from the WAW corpus to find out the extent to which, and how students’ writing changes in terms of register-related features as they progress through their undergraduate humanities and social sciences degrees.  The third paper analyses the writing of 22 postgraduate students, after completion of a postgraduate writing course.  In particular, it looks at their expression of stance and their engagement through the use of metadiscourse markers.  The fourth and final paper moves to professional writing and compares student writing for professional purposes with similar texts written by professionals. 

Using corpus analysis to investigate register and metadiscourse, allows these speakers to come together with different contributions to an overall discussion of register and metadiscourse use in academic and professional writing.  All four studies have interrelated implications for the teaching and learning of writing for academic and professional purposes.  Improved teaching about register and metadiscourse in academic and professional writing courses and support programmes would serve to increase equity and opportunity within academia and in the workplace.  Each speaker will briefly present their own paper, with plenty of time left for discussion which will enhance the session by combining the insights of the four studies.

The four speakers are affiliated with three different universities in New Zealand and are all members of the Applied Linguistics in Aotearoa New Zealand (ALANZ) Writing Special Interest Group.  The group is intended to bring together researchers and practitioners interested in writing, to increase opportunities to discuss writing and to collaborate on writing-related research projects.

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Colloquium: Storytelling as post-colonial resistance in Gamilaraay, an Aboriginal language of NSW

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Overview: Of the more than 300 languages which were spoken in Australia before 19th century invasion and settlement, only around a dozen are still being used and transmitted in families. However, there are active revival programs for many of these languages, including for Gamilaraay in northern inland New South Wales.

Storytelling is important for Gamilaraay people, whether in traditional songlines (which tell of land, lore and law), stories of colonisation and resistance, or modern stories reflecting the diverse realities of Gamilaraay people in the twenty-first century.

In this colloquium we explore these different aspects of storytelling through the ways in which stories are being used in current language revival programs for Gamilaraay people of all ages, as well as for the wider settler community. We show how stories are an important way to share Gamilaraay history and show the importance of Gamilaraay culture as we reawaken the language for future generations.

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Colloquium: AI-based Automatic Speaking Assessment: Challenges and Opportunities for L2 Learners Facing Limited English-Speaking Opportunities in Their Home Country

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Overview: This colloquium presents and explores an ongoing research project developing an AI-based system for diagnosing, practicing, and assessing speaking skills among L2 students who lack English speaking opportunities. In the EFL context of South Korea, speaking is a highly desired yet underexplored skill in public education. This discrepancy primarily arises from the challenging situation in which non-native English teachers and students with varying proficiency levels operate within large class sizes. The most significant obstacle lies in providing reliable assessment and individual feedback on students’ speaking performance. This discourages both educators and learners from prioritizing speaking skills in school curriculum. In these circumstances, parents and students often resort to costly private education with native English-speaking teachers and small class sizes starting from kindergarten, which exacerbates educational inequality based on socio-economic status. This inequity called “English divide” in South Korea has been a societal issue for decades but has never improved.

Recent AI technologies, such as speech recognition, natural language processing, machine learning, can potentially enhance speaking opportunities for L2 learners beyond social and economic barriers in language education. AI chatbots can simulate real-life conversations, helping students to build confidence and competence in speaking. Furthermore, Automated Speaking Assessment (ASA) has actively been studied, and more recently AI scoring has been adopted by many global standardized English tests. In this context, this government-funded project set out to develop an English speaking diagnosis and learning system using AI technology. In this colloquium, we will introduce the web-based learning platform, “SpeakMaster” and share insights from our pilot studies in Korean schools. More precisely, in the first presentation, we delve into the overall architecture of the system, explaining the theories and pedagogical needs behind the design and taxonomy. In second presentation, we demonstrate key technological features of this project, AI voice chatbot, serving as a virtual conversational partner for interpersonal tasks with empirical user data. Lastly, the third presentation outlines the research findings pertaining to the online score reports in terms of how ASA feedback can better facilitate understanding of assessment outcomes. This colloquium ultimately aims to underscore how combination of AI technologies and well-grounded task design can enhance English speaking proficiency of EFL learners while concurrently reducing social inequalities in environments with limited English-speaking opportunities.

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Colloquium: Applied linguistics in health care settings and health professions education: Bridging gaps for equity and safety

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Overview: This two-hour colloquium showcases how applied linguistics approaches are instrumental in exploring the critical role of communication in achieving equitable, accessible and safe care within healthcare settings as well as effective and equitable practices in health professions education.

The Australian health professions workforce is highly diverse (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022) as are the clients and patients under health practitioner care. In such diverse settings, English proficiency, health literacy, complex diagnoses, and inefficient communication in healthcare transitions can exacerbate existing health inequities. As an essential element of person-centred care, effective communication promotes equitable healthcare (Moore et al., 2017), produces better health outcomes (Finney-Rutten et al., 2006) and reduces practitioner burnout (Pollard et al., 2019).

Similarly, university health professions student cohorts are highly diverse, with 41,194 students with a Subclass (500) student visa studying a health-related course in 2022 (Australian Department of Education, 2022) and development of communication skills is listed as a core graduate attribute. While the teaching and learning of communication is becoming increasingly integrated into health professions curricula for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) student cohorts, essential interdisciplinary collaboration between health professions academics and applied linguistics (Arkoudis & Harris, 2019) is rare (Surendran et al., 2024).

The colloquium begins with a 5-10 minute introduction to the topic. It will then showcase the transformative potential of applied linguistics in informing effective communication and creating a just and safe healthcare system. Three 10-minute presentations will highlight the variety in topics, settings, participants and analytical methods used within applied linguistics to explore communication challenges and opportunities in authentic hospital and other health care settings. The three presentations will be followed by a 20-minute discussion on leveraging applied linguistics to overcome communication barriers and to ensure interactions are equitable, accessible, safe and patient-centred.

The second half focuses on the teaching and learning of communication in health professions education, with a particular focus on ensuring effective, equitable and fair access to education for individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. Three 10-minute approaches to integrating applied linguistics into health education curricula will be showcased including in-curricula integration, interdisciplinary role play simulation, OSCE assessments and placement communication. They will be followed by a 20-minute discussion on the critical roles and responsibilities of applied linguists to ensure equitable health professions education for diverse student cohorts.

This colloquium is designed for a broad audience, including researchers, healthcare professionals, interpreters, students and educators.

View References

Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2022). A caring nation – 15 per cent of Australia’s workforce in health care and social assistance industry. https://www.abs.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/caring-nation-15-cent-australias-workforce-health-care-and-social-assistance-industry

Australian Department of Education. (2023). Selected higher education statistics – 2022 Student data (Section 7 – Overseas students). https://www.education.gov.au/higher-education-statistics/student-data/selected-higher-education-statistics-2022-student-data

Arkoudis, S. & Harris, A. (2019). EALD Students at university level: Strengthening the evidence base for programmatic initiatives. In X. Gao (ed.), Second Handbook of English Language Teaching (pp. 317-336), Springer International Handbooks of Education, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-02899-2_18

Finney Rutten, L.J., Augustson, E. & Wanke, K. (2006). Factors associated with patients’ perceptions of health care providers’ communication behaviour. Journal of Health Communication, 11, 135-146, https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730600639596

Moore, L., Britten, N., Lydahl, D., Naldemirci, O., Elam, M. & Wolf, A. (2017). Barriers and facilitators to the implementation of person centred care in different healthcare contexts. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences, 31, 662–673. https://doi.org/10.1111/scs.12376

Pollard, N., Lincoln, M., Nisbet, G, & Penman, M. (2019). Patient perceptions of communication with diagnostic radiographers. Radiography, 25(4), 333-338. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2019.04.002

Surendran, N. McInerney, J., Qadir, A., Sim, J. & Cook, C. (2024). Interprofessional collaboration between medical imaging academics and linguists in developing communication skills. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences. Advance online publication. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2024.04.010

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