A Tall Order for SOLE: Expectations ranging from enhanced oral proficiency to cross-cultural understanding

A Tall Order for SOLE: Expectations ranging from enhanced oral proficiency to cross-cultural understanding
Prof. Dorothy Chun

This event took place on 22nd June 2007 at 10:00am (09:00 GMT)
Knowledge Media Institute, Berrill Building, The Open University, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, MK7 6AA

As noted in a recent special issue of Language Learning & Technology on "Oral Language Development" in 2005, research on the uses and effects of technology for developing and improving oral proficiency is in its infancy. Earlier studies have shown, for example, that synchronous written chat sessions were more effective in preparing learners for whole-class oral discussion than asynchronous discussion or small-group and pair-work activities in a F2F classroom (Abrams, 2003). Payne and Whitney (2002) found that the spontaneous production of text in a chatroom seemed to develop the same cognitive mechanisms underlying L2 speech. With the rapid advances and widespread availability of asynchronous online voice boards, as well as synchronous audio conferencing (e.g., (Hampel & Hauck, 2004; Hauck & Hampel, 2005) and videoconferencing (Wang, 2004), the new research questions revolve around whether virtual F2F interactions have beneficial effects on developing L2 oral proficiency. In this presentation, I will first revisit the underlying principles of interactionist SLA and then discuss how the interaction that takes place in audio or video conferencing is similar to, yet different from, F2F encounters. As Barr et al. (2005) and Volle (2005) suggested, of interest are which aspects of L2 oral skills, ranging from articulation and pronunciation to pragmatic and discourse levels of engaging in meaningful communication, can best be addressed by spoken online learning tools and programs. Time permitting, I hope also to examine the possible role that virtual F2F conversations might play in developing L2 learners’ intercultural communicative competence (Byram, 1997), while also questioning the assumption that they would automatically lead to cross-cultural understanding (Kramsch & Thorne, 2002).