Researching Identity and L2 Pragmatics in Digital Stories

Abstract

This study explores college EFL learners' construction of identity through the analysis of their pragmatic choices in digital stories, in which they narrated their relationship with another person they had helped in the past. More specifically, such choices were examined following Relational Dialectics Theory in learners' enactments of "connection" with and "autonomy" from this person. A specific view of identity in language education, the notion of "relational work" in (im)politeness research, and a social semiotic framework were also employed in data analysis. Learners' pragmatic choices ranged from the selection of the topic of their narratives according to types of social bonds, to the use of specific semiotic resources to build identities in conflict episodes of their stories (i.e., positive identities for themselves and positive and negative identities for their relational partners). The construction of these identities paralleled relational parties' convergent and divergent moves towards connection and autonomy, revealing their relational work. Learners used different semiotic resources in resolution episodes, which enabled them to craft positive identities for themselves as experts, teachers, and learners as well as position their relational partner as a competent agent and shape the connection-autonomy dialectic as "superiority-equality".

Current state of research on the use of technology in language teacher education and professional development

“…Online practice activities develop professional identity through the use of modes such as forums and blogs (Farr & Riordan, 2015). Kim et al (2021) reported the efficacy of digital stories in developing language teachers’ professional identities by interacting and narrating pragmatic choices and selecting semiotic resources (García‐Pastor, 2020). Online collaboration not only develops teachers’ digital literacy but also promotes professional interactions and influences teacher identity development (Kitade, 2014).…”

Teacher identity in technology-assisted language learning: Challenges and affordances

“…Second, the data that represented TALL research data were divided into four subcategories (reported affordances, reported challenges, adopted data collection method, adopted theoretical framework/perspective in keeping with Bahari, (2020) and Bahari et al, (2021b) in response to eight research questions (see Table 1). These subcategories informed about the affordances and challenges that were identified and reported either by teachers or researchers.…”

Technology-mediated tasks for the development of L2 pragmatics

“…Dooly & Tudini, 2016), Spanish as a FL (e.g. García-Pastor, 2020), German as FL (e.g. Cunningham & Vyatkina, 2012), Japanese as a FL (e.g.…”

“…The majority of studies point out that L2 learners are competent users of technology-mediated spaces and they deploy a variety of interactional norms, semiotic resources, and politeness strategies to maintain communication (Cunningham & Vyatkina, 2012; Gonzales, 2013; Tercedor Cabrero, 2013) and they are able to craft positive identities for themselves (García-Pastor, 2020).…”