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Computerized Mediation in the Instruction and Development of L2 Pragmatic Competence: A Dynamic Assessment Perspective

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Crossing Boundaries in Researching, Understanding, and Improving Language Education

Part of the book series: Educational Linguistics ((EDUL,volume 58))

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Abstract

Dynamic assessment (DA) breaks the traditional dichotomy between assessment and instruction by including mediation in assessment procedures ((Poehner Dynamic assessment: A Vygotskian approach to understanding and promoting second language development. Springer, Berlin, Germany, 2008)). The focus of DA is on how students or test-takers learn and change with mediation rather than what they can do alone. Traditionally, DA requires the presence of a person as the mediator, such as the teacher, to guide another individual’s or student’s learning. This human mediation is the focus of the majority of DA research. With the advancement of intelligent computing and its applications in language education, the boundaries between mediators and mediational tools can be crossed to facilitate language instruction and learning at any time and in any place. Against this backdrop, this study aims to expand DA research by applying pre-designed and standardized mediation via the computer, that is, computerized dynamic assessment (C-DA). It explores innovative and efficient mediational tools to facilitate second language (L2) development with a focus on L2 Chinese learners’ pragmatic competence.

The study reported in this chapter centers on Chinese learners’ ability to comprehend implicature (i.e., implied meaning) with computerized mediation through C-DA. The mediation is modeled based on pragmatics research, and it serves as a metacognitive tool. In particular, the mediation aims to help L2 Chinese learners 1) notice and pay attention to both literal and implied meanings, and 2) understand indirect speech acts in Chinese. Participants’ test-taking processes were video recorded. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to let participants reflect upon their learning processes during C-DA. This chapter provides a case analysis of an intermediate-level Chinese learner’s interactions with C-DA and how she used the computerized mediation to improve her performance during the test. The chapter ends with a discussion on the current situation of pragmatic instruction in language classrooms, and talks about the potential of computerized mediation to facilitate the development of L2 pragmatic competence and to cross boundaries in learning environments and traditional teacher-student roles for ubiquitous learning of languages.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Modern & Classical Languages, University of North Georgia, Dahlonega, GA, USA

    Tianyu Qin

Authors
  1. Tianyu Qin
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Correspondence to Tianyu Qin .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK

    Dongbo Zhang

  2. Department of English, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA

    Ryan T. Miller

Appendices

Appendix A: Background Questionnaire

  1. (1)

    Gender _______

  2. (2)

    Age ________

  3. (3)

    Dominant language __________

  4. (4)

    Other languages:__________________________

  5. (5)

    What level of Chinese classes have you already completed at your university?

    • □Elementary □Intermediate □Advanced □Other (specify)__________

  6. (6)

    What level of Chinese class are you currently taking at your university?

    • □Elementary □Intermediate □Advanced □Other (specify)__________

  7. (7)

    Number of years of formal Chinese instruction_____________

  8. (8)

    List the following information for any previous Mandarin studies (e.g., college, high school, intermediate/elementary school, Chinese language school, private language institute, private tutor, etc.). Please also include the current study program.

    1. a.

      School: ___________________________(school name) in ____________(country name)

      Start year:________ End year: ________Hours of Mandarin class per week ___________

    2. b.

      School: ___________________________(school name) in ____________(country name)

      Start year:________ End year:________ Hours of Mandarin class per week ___________

    3. c.

      School: ___________________________(school name) in ____________(country name)

      Start year:_______ End year:_________ Hours of Mandarin class per week ___________

    4. d.

      School: ___________________________(school name) in ____________(country name)

      Start year:_______ End year:_________ Hours of Mandarin class per week ___________

  9. (9)

    Have you visited/lived in a Chinese-speaking country?

    • □No  □Yes (if yes, see below)

    • At what age ________ Length of stay ___________ Location ____________

    • At what age ________ Length of stay ___________ Location ____________

  10. (10)

    Do you speak or use Chinese (including Chinese dialects) at home?______________

  11. (11)

    Do you identify yourself as Chinese? _______________

  12. (12)

    Check if your parents, grandparents, or anyone else in your immediate/extended family is a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese or a Chinese dialect.

    • □Mother □Father □Maternal grandparent(s) □Paternal grandparents(s)

    • □Other(specify)________________

Appendix B: Interview Questions

Reflections on C-DA instrument

  1. 1.

    What do you think about the test you just took in general?

  2. 2.

    What do you think the test was evaluating? (Explanations of the test provided here)

  3. 3.

    Is implied meaning commonly used in your native language? While you were taking the test, did you refer to your native language experience to help you understand the implied meaning in Chinese? If so, how?

  4. 4.

    Is there any part of the test that was particularly challenging for you? Can you explain why?

  5. 5.

    The second part of the test included multiple-choice questions, and hints were provided when you didn’t choose the correct answers on your own. Did you find the hints helpful? Why?

  6. 6.

    What did you do when you were not sure about an answer?

  7. 7.

    Did you use any strategies while taking the test? What kind of strategies?

Chinese learning experience

  1. 1.

    Can you reflect upon which aspects of your Chinese learning experience were helpful when completing this assessment?

  2. 2.

    Do you think taking Chinese classes helped you, or did your practice outside of class help you? Why?

  3. 3.

    Which aspect of Chinese is specifically challenging for you? Why?

  4. 4.

    Questions related to instructional level:

    1. (1)

      How long have you learned Chinese in school (k-12, university)?

    2. (2)

      What level of Chinese class are you currently taking?

    3. (3)

      What activities in your Chinese class particularly contribute to your learning?

  5. 5.

    Questions related to heritage status:

    1. (1)

      Do you speak or use Chinese at home? With whom?

    2. (2)

      How often do you use Chinese at home?

    3. (3)

      Do you identify yourself as Chinese? Why?

  6. 6.

    Questions related to study abroad:

    1. (1)

      Have you ever visited a Chinese-speaking country? When? Where? For how long?

    2. (2)

      Have you ever participated in a study abroad program in Chinese-speaking countries? If so, could you tell me about your study abroad experience.

    3. (3)

      Did you have opportunities communicating with native speakers?

    4. (4)

      Did you make friends with Chinese native speakers while studying abroad? If so, did you spend a lot of time practicing Chinese with them?

    5. (5)

      Do you think your Chinese improved a lot after the study abroad experience? Which part improved the most?

  7. 7.

    Questions related to other second language learning experience:

    1. (1)

      How many languages can you speak?

    2. (2)

      When did you learn them? For how long?

    3. (3)

      Of all the languages you speak, what do you think of Chinese? Is it hard to learn? Why?

  8. 8.

    Other related questions:

    1. (1)

      Why did you learn Chinese?

    2. (2)

      Do you have Chinese friends at your university? Do you practice Chinese with them?

    3. (3)

      Outside of your Chinese class, do you have other opportunities to practice Chinese? How?

    4. (4)

      How do you evaluate your Chinese skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing)?

    5. (5)

      Is there anything else you would like to add about your experience learning Chinese?

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Qin, T. (2023). Computerized Mediation in the Instruction and Development of L2 Pragmatic Competence: A Dynamic Assessment Perspective. In: Zhang, D., Miller, R.T. (eds) Crossing Boundaries in Researching, Understanding, and Improving Language Education. Educational Linguistics, vol 58. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24078-2_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-24078-2_7

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-24077-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-24078-2

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