Participatory research and second language pragmatics: A focus on young learners (MGL3037)

Content

The course builds on the knowledge and skills students have acquired in the following courses: Linguistics for English Teachers, English Teaching Methodology 1, and English Teaching Methodology: Language, Literature and Culture.

The course aims to introduce the participatory research approach and contextualize it within young second language (L2) learners’ pragmatic development. Participatory research is a research approach that recognizes the value of collaborative knowledge co-construction between people with direct experience with the research topic and researchers. This type of research attempts to include research participants in some or all aspects of the research process, from the early stages of research design to data analysis and dissemination. As such, it is particularly well suited for researching classrooms, with learners’ being recognized as experts in their own learning process and as active contributors to the classroom research process. This research paradigm is also closely connected to learner participation in their own learning and other matters that concern them more generally, which makes it highly relevant for future teachers, especially in light of the new Education Act and the reported needs of local schools.

In the second part of the course, the principles of this specific research approach are contextualized within L2 pragmatics. Pragmatics can be informally defined as "the study of how-to-say-what-to-whom-when" (Bardovi-Harlig 2013:68-69) and second language pragmatics studies how learners of a foreign or second language master the skill of using language to communicate appropriately in different social contexts. The course aims to introduce the major concepts and research findings related to the pragmatic development of young EFL learners (grades 1 - 10) in foreign and second language contexts. The topics to be covered include theories of L2 pragmatic development, development of speech act comprehension and production, metapragmatic awareness, and the role of instruction in pragmatics development. Having got acquainted with the participatory research approach and the main concepts in developmental pragmatics, the students will be expected to design a participatory classroom research project within L2 pragmatics, and present it in the form of a research proposal, which they may further develop as their MA project.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

After completing the course, the student will have an in-depth knowledge of:

• The origins and principles, benefits and challenges of participatory classroom research
• The various ways in which participation can be facilitated at different stages of the research process
• The various ways in which learner participation can be facilitated in the English language classroom
• The major theories of L2 pragmatics development
• The main developmental patterns of specific speech acts in English in L2 contexts
• The ways in which participatory research principles can be applied to L2 pragmatics research with young learners

Skills

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

• Discuss and reflect on the main principles of participatory research in the young learner classroom, with a specific focus on the English language classroom
• Discuss and reflect on the opportunities for learner participation in the English language classroom
• Discuss the main developmental patterns of specific speech acts in English as a second language
• Analyse and critically evaluate research articles in the fields covered in the course
• Apply their knowledge of participatory research and L2 pragmatics to choose relevant research topics and design their own classroom projects

General competencies

After completing the course, the student will be able to:

• Use academic English confidently and functionally in spoken and written discourse
• Apply their knowledge of English pragmatics to further develop their own language competence
• Apply their knowledge of participatory research and developmental patterns in L2 pragmatics to their own English teaching and classroom research

Required prerequisite knowledge

Recommended prerequisites

Exam

Coursework requirements

1. Being a student can be challenging, both academically and socially. Specifically for the MA courses in English, they can be perceived as challenging as the reading and writing are predominantly done in a foreign language. In addition, English is a communicative and dynamic subject that is best learned in an environment which encourages socio-constructive learning. Together with the course instructors, students will discuss and critically evaluate all subject areas in class. Many practical activities that students might use in their own classrooms will also be demonstrated and discussed, thereby bridging theory and practice. These discussions are not only important for understanding and learning the subject matter and for supporting self study, but also for the development of the students' own language abilities. Socially, attending lectures provides students with a community to connect with peers and build supportive relationships, and facilitates the development of essential communication skills that they will need as teachers of a foreign language. In order to provide both academic and social support, students are expected to attend all the lectures. If, however, they are unable to attend some, the minimum attendance is set at 70%. In-service teachers, given their working context and possibility to put theory into practice, may apply for an exemption from this requirement. However, due to the reasons previously listed, MGL students need to meet the requirement.
2. Students need to present a research article in class.
3. Students need to design and conduct a small-scale classroom project during their teaching practice.
4. Students need to hold an oral presentation in class to present the project they conducted in their teaching practice.
5. Students need to submit an individual reflection note (1,000-1,500 words).
6. Students need to submit a draft of their research proposal for feedback (ca. 2,000 words).

These must be approved before the students can take the exam. Students who have one or more assignments not approved at first submission will be given one more submission opportunity in a new and improved version.

Course teacher(s)

Course coordinator:

Course teacher:

Study Program Director:

Study Adviser:

Method of work

Open for

Course assessment

Literature