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20230720T083020230720T1615Europe/Amsterdam[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibilityHybrid Session (onsite/online)AILA 2023 - 20th Anniversary Congress Lyon Editioncellule.congres@ens-lyon.fr
Writing in two languages - Investigating written competencies of bilingual Italian-German students
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility08:30 AM - 08:55 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 06:30:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 06:55:00 UTC
In most European countries bilingual people have the opportunity to learn writing skills only in the language they use at school. They use their first language orally in a family context, but do not learn to write in this language and therefore tend to be monolingual in written communication. However, the development of writing skills plays a central role in ensuring access to educational resources and professional career advancement. In this respect, previous studies show that further progress in the second language is limited if writing skills are not learned in the first language (see Cummins 2000). However, little is known about which linguistic structures and discourse strategies bilingual students transfer from one language to the other in written discourse. With regard to bilingual Italian-German students, a research gap is evident in two respects: first, there are only a few studies that focus on this target group and second there are only limited findings on written competencies in these two languages. The majority of these studies have either worked with only oral data or with children (see Baake/Hoppe 2018, Birken-Silvermann 2005, Montanari et al. 2016, Serratrice 2007). The following study aims to understand which linguistic structures are transferred in the written texts of bilingual Italian-German students and which strategies they use in order to compensate for possible missing linguistic patterns in both languages. The work also analyses what kind of biographical factors influence bilingual textual competence. This paper presents the results of a cross-sectional study with 53 students with Italian as heritage language and German as early second language, conducted in 9th and 10th grades at schools in Munich, Germany. In the study were collected argumentative and narrative texts as well as biographical interviews in both languages. The data analysis shows an interaction of written competencies in the two languages. The transfer of grammatical structures and discourse strategies is favored by certain language biographical factors (see Barberio 2021). In addition to the quantitative analysis of the texts, during the presentation examples from the text corpus will be discussed.
Literatur: Baake, Heike/Hoppe, Henriette (2018): Diskurstraditionen des Erzählens – mehrsprachigkeitsdidaktisch modellieren. In: Schmölzer-Eibinger, Sabine/Akbulut, Muhammed/Rotter, Daniela (ed.): Erzählen in der Zweitsprache Deutsch. Stuttgart: Fillibach bei Klett, 161–179 Barberio, Teresa (2021): Schreiben in zwei Sprachen. Argumentative und narrative Texte bilingualer italienisch-deutscher Schülerinnen und Schüler. München: Open Publishing in the Humanities, Universitätsbibliothek der LMU München, https://doi.org/10.5282/oph.11. Birken-Silvermann, Gabriele (2005): Code-Switching in der Kommunikation italienischer Migrantenjugendlicher. Frotzelaktivitäten. In: Hinnenkamp, Volker/Meng, Katharina (ed.): Sprachgrenzen über-springen. Sprachliche Hybridität und polykulturelles Selbstverständnis. Tübingen: Gunter Narr Verlag, 105–140. Cummins, Jim (2000): Language, power, and pedagogy. Bilingual children in the crossfire. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters. Montanari, Simona/Simón-Cereijido, Gabriele/Hartel, Antonella (2016): The Development of Writing Skills in an Italian-English Two-Way Immersion Program: Evidence from First Through Fifth Grade. In: International Multilingual Research Journal, 1, 10, 44–58. Serratrice, Ludovica (2007): Referential cohesion in the narratives of bilingual English-Italian children and monolingual peers. In: Journal of Pragmatics. An Interdisciplinary Journal of Language Studies, 26, 1058–1087.
Creating inclusive and equitable pathways for the varied linguistic, cultural and ethnoracial profiles of second language teachers
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility08:55 AM - 09:20 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 06:55:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 07:20:00 UTC
Canada is an officially bilingual country (French-English), and yet school boards nation-wide struggle to find and retain French as a second language (FSL) teachers (OCOL, 2019). Exclusionary beliefs and practices in schools, where French as a subject is not valued and French teachers report being treated as 'second class citizens' in their schools (Lapkin, et. al., 2006), contribute to a sense of de-professionalization among FSL teachers. De-professionalization can undermine teachers' sense of agency (Masson, 2018) or their sense of legitimacy as speakers of French (Wernicke, 2017). For language teachers of colour, their racial identity intersects with their 'native-/non-native' speaker identity, often revealing deep-rooted racism and discrimination (Kubota & Lin, 2009). Crucial to curbing de-professionalization is understanding language teachers' professional identities (Kayi-Aydar, 2019). Yet, we know very little of how FSL teachers come to identify themselves as professionals. Using arts-based narratives, we examined the professional identity formation of FSL teacher candidates during a 2-year training program at one of the largest English-French bilingual universities in Canada. Data were collected from seven (N=7) teachers via Venn diagrams, plurilingual portraits and life-story interviews to examine how their social identities and experiences with languages shaped their developing practice. Drawing on critical race theory (Anya, 2021) and raciolinguistics (Alim, 2016), findings reveal that all the participants are second language learners of French with diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds (i.e., Black, White, Asian) which shapes their entry into the profession in unique ways. The aim of this study is to challenge eurocentric, monoglossic norms and ideologies about FSL in Canada to consider the plurilingual, pluriethnic and pluricultural richness among FSL teachers (Esch, et. al., 2020). Ultimately, we ask how teacher preparation programs and school boards that hire FSL teachers respond to the linguistic, cultural and ethnoracial diversity of teacher candidates to prepare them to remain in the profession long-term.
Alim, H.S. (2016). Introducing raciolinguistics: Racing language and languaging race in hyperracial times. In. H. S. Alim, J. R. Rickford, & A. F. Ball (Eds.), Raciolinguistics: How Language shapes our ideas about race (pp. 1-29). Oxford University Press. Anya, U. (2021). Critical race pedagogy for more effective and inclusive world language teaching. Applied Linguistics, 42(6), 1055-1069. Esch, K., Motha, S., & Kubota, R. (2020). Race and language teaching. Language Teaching, 1-31. Kayi-Aydar, H. (2019). Language teacher identity. Language Teaching, 52(3), 281-295. Kubota, R., & Lin, A. (2009). Race, culture, and identities in second language education: Exploring critically engaged practice. Routledge. Lapkin, S., MacFarlane, A., & Vandergrift, L. (2006). Teaching French in Canada: FSL teachers' perspectives. Canadian Teachers' Federation. Masson, M. (2018). Reframing FSL teacher learning: Small stories of (re) professionalization and identity formation. Journal for Belonging, Identity, Language and Diversity, 2(2), 77-102. OCOL (2019). Accessing Opportunity: A study on challenges in French-as-a-second-language education teacher supply and demand in Canada. https://www.clo-ocol.gc.ca/en/publications/studies/2019/accessing-opportunity-fsl Wernicke, M. (2017). Navigating native-speaker ideologies as FSL teacher. Canadian Modern Language Review, 73(2), 208-236.
Culturally Sustaining School Leadership with/for Multilingual Learners: Implications for Research and Practice
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility09:20 AM - 09:45 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 07:20:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 07:45:00 UTC
Multilingual learners are a quickly growing school-age population in most Anglophone immigrant-receiving countries. Although a substantive scholarship has focused on enhancing English language and content-area teaching practices, much less literature has focused on enhancing school leadership for TESOL education. Research has demonstrated the significant role of educational leaders in creating and sustaining diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments. In particular, a growing body of research has advocated for the implementation of culturally responsive school leadership. However, little is known about how this social justice-oriented leadership model can prepare school leaders and teachers to work with multilingual learners. To address this gap, this study conducted a systematic literature review on effective school leadership practices that promote cultural diversity and inclusive learning environments for multilingual learners. Based on the literature review, the study proposed research-based, practice-oriented culturally sustaining school leadership approaches for promoting equitable and inclusive language education with multilingual learners. Directly speaking to the AILA 2023 theme on "diversity and social cohesion" and the session's focus on "social responsibility," the study provides implications on how educational stakeholders can implement culturally sustaining practices to advocate for equitable and diverse school settings for multilingual learners.
Multilingual learners, or students who are actively developing English language proficiency at school in addition to other (home) languages they speak, are a quickly growing school-age population in most Anglophone immigrant-receiving countries (Author, 2020, 2021). Although a substantive scholarship has focused on enhancing education for multilingual learners, most research examines micro-level instructional and/or evaluation practices, especially English language teaching and learning practices (see Heritage et al., 2020; Walqui & Bunch, 2019; Wright, 2010; Ramirez et al., 2017). In comparison, much less literature has focused on enhancing school leadership for multilingual education (see Callahan et al., 2021). Research has demonstrated the significant role of educational leaders in creating and sustaining diverse, equitable, and inclusive learning environments for underrepresented students (e.g., see Mackey et al., 2021). In particular, a growing, influential body of research has advocated for the implementation of culturally responsive school leadership for teachers and students of diverse backgrounds (e.g., see Khalifa, 2018, 2020). However, relatively less is known about how this social justice oriented leadership model can prepare school leaders and educators to work with multilingual learners. To address this gap, this study conducted a systematic literature review on effective school leadership practices that promote cultural diversity and inclusive learning environments for multilingual learners. To collect and review the relevant research literature as the data for this study, I adopt the research review principles proposed by Boote and Beile's (2005). They demonstrate that a high-quality review should be foundational for all research work, and they examine the quality of reviews from the five categories (adopted from Hart's criteria, 1999): coverage, synthesis, methodology, significance, and rhetoric. With these evaluation rubrics, they conclude that "the best literature reviews were thorough, critical examinations of the state of the field that set the stage for the authors' substantive research projects" (p. 9). Based on the systematic review of the empirical studies, this study discusses the findings and implications of research-based, practice-oriented culturally sustaining school leadership approaches to working with multilingual learners. First, instructional leaders of multilingual education need to maintain critical and reflexive practices in both enhancing students' linguistic and academic development and sustaining students' diverse cultural backgrounds (Paris, 2012; Paris & Alim, 2017). Second, school leaders should consistently supervise language education programs and teachers to embrace culturally sustaining practices in classrooms and schools, embrace and advocate for cultural diversity in curricula design and instruction, and address the needs of multilingual learners of diverse backgrounds (Colleagues & Author, 2020). Third, promoting culturally inclusive school environments can proactively advocate for multilingual learners' habitus and cultural capital (Bourdieu, 1977) and sustain students' diverse cultures through language teaching and learning activities (Harman & Burke, 2020). Finally, schools should emphasize the connections with the multilingual learners' community, which can help educators better understand multilingual learners' as well as their families' linguistic and cultural contexts, embrace their multilingual and multicultural backgrounds, and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the learning environments.
Presenters Lei Jiang Assistant Professor, University Of Kansas
Enhancing Academic English Literacies through Transnational Identity Inquiry-based Plurilingual Learning
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility09:45 AM - 10:10 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 07:45:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 08:10:00 UTC
How to empower multilingual students while developing their academic literacies and promoting a meaningful connection with wider communities and relevant social contexts? This presentation provides an answer by discussing the insights from a curriculum development-focused action research project conducted in several EAP classes. Building on the theories of translanguaging (Garcia, 2009), transformative multiliteracies pedagogy (Cummins, 2009), and virtual communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991), the researchers showcase collaborative assignments and practices that guide students in the inquiry-based exploration of their transnational identities and expression of their authentic voices. These learning course components range from multimodal identity texts, blog reflections, peer review and study groups to field trips, webinars with community partners, and a student panel conference. The students' successful learning journey is analyzed through the samples of student work and results of pre- and post-instruction questionnaires and focus group interviews. The results indicate that the students' active participation in the inquiry research on their complex transnational identities in the context of enriched experiential learning and multimodal activities cultivates a linguistically, culturally, and intellectually stimulating community of practice in which students can safely explore their transformative experiences both in Canada and other countries.
While developing multilingual students' academic literacies in the context of an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course, educators often focus on the linguistic and stylistic conventions more likely accepted in the dominant academic culture while overlooking a rich variety of the learners' linguistic repertoires and academic backgrounds. As a result, students frequently perceive that their way of writing or speaking is inadequate ("non-native-speaker-like"), which results in academic identity confusion, imposter syndrome and decreased levels of motivation. This presentation offers an alternative approach to teaching EAP that is embedded in the principles of plurilingualism, multiliteracies and experiential education. Rather than prescribing a set of academic genres and conventions, this approach incorporates and enriches students' existing cultural and linguistic expertise. The premise is that multilingual students already possess a plethora of competencies, and the instructor's role is to facilitate their knowledge exchange to the academic medium. Based on the conceptual frameworks of translanguaging (Garcia, 2009), transformative multiliteracies pedagogy (Cummins, 2009), and communities of practice (Lave & Wenger, 1991), the researchers have developed curriculum for an EAP course in a Canadian University. In this course, students collaborate to become co-creators of the learning process, enhance academic literacy, research and critical thinking skills, and engage in their transnational identity exploration. The presentation reviews the stages of curriculum design commencing with the selection and adaptation of course materials pertaining to different genres and embedded in Canadian and transnational contexts. The course assignments and activities invite students to examine their transformative experiences as related to the trajectories and authentic voices of minoritized and racialized communities in Canada. Through participating in the webinars with the experts on casual discrimination and immigration and field trips to the site of residential schools, students connect to a wider community and further explore the theme through multimedia blog reflections. Additionally, students act as knowledge generators by composing multimodal identity texts and presenting the findings of their inquiry in a panel student conference. Based on the three-years-long study on the effectiveness of these innovative curricular initiatives in five EAP classes, the presentation concludes with its rigorous findings. The results of pre- and post-instruction questionnaires with 100 students, focus group interviews, and samples of student coursework indicate that students not only feel empowered by multiliteracies-oriented and inquiry-focused learning but have also enhanced their academic reading, writing, research, and communication skills. The positive impact of critical reflection-focused assignments and experiential education-based multimodal activities has been significant for increasing multilingual students' self-awareness and self-appreciation. References Cummins, J. (2009). Transformative multiliteracies pedagogy: School-based strategies for closing the achievement gap. Multiple Voices for Ethnically Diverse Exceptional Learners, 11(2), 38-56. García, O. (2009). Education, multilingualism and translanguaging in the 21st century. In A. Mohanty, M. Panda, R. Phillipson, & T. Skutnabb-Kangas (Eds). Multilingual education for social justice: Globalising the local (pp. 128-145). New Delhi: Orient Blackswan. Lave, J., & Wenger, E. (1991). Situated learning. Legitimate peripheral participation. Cambridge: University of Cambridge Press.
Presenters Olga Makinina Assistant Professor, York UniversityJacqueline Ng Associate Professor , York UniversityHeejin Song Assistant Professor, York University
Performative Dialogue with Immigrant & Refugee Learners: Re-Positioning Adult Language Learners through Drama
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility10:10 AM - 10:35 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 08:10:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 08:35:00 UTC
This action research study drawing from ethnographic methods centered on how performative storytelling positioned adult immigrant and refugee English learners in the US exploring ethical issues related to engaging learners in public storytelling. The study took place at a nonprofit center for adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners in the northeastern US. Fifteen learners (originally from Haiti, Thailand, China, Cape Verde, and Brazil) who had immigrated to the US within the past two years worked with a professional theatre artist, an ESOL teacher, and a TESOL professor to create a play based on the learners' experiences, which students then performed at a nationally recognized US theatre. Thematic analysis of data from the two-month project and poststructural theories of second language and identity development illustrated how drama created a space for students to transcend the identity category of "ESL learner," positioning them the role of "creative performer" by engaging students intentionally in intercultural dialogue with one another and with the audience.
Language education scholars have attested to the ways in which drama allows learners to explore the relation of self and society (e.g., Medina & Campano, 2006), promotes intercultural dialogue and understanding (e.g., Kramsch, 1998), and offers a host of affordances for language learning (e.g., Belliveau & Kim, 2013; Schewe, 2017). However, scholars have also noted the ethical risks of engaging multilingual learners in performative pedagogies centering on learners sharing their own stories and experiences through performance (Piazzoli & Cullen, 2021), asserting that even if such projects have social justice oriented goals, in practice they can run the risk of tokenizing and disempowering learners (Cañas, 2015, para 5).
Exploring these issues, this action research study explores how performative storytelling positioned adult immigrant and refugee English learners in the US. The study took place at a nonprofit center for adult English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) learners in the northeastern US. Fifteen recently immigrated learners (originally from Haiti, Thailand, China, Cape Verde, and Brazil) worked with a professional theatre artist, ESOL teacher, and TESOL professor to create a play based on the learners' experiences, which students then performed at a nationally recognized US theatre. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clark, 2006) of data from the 2-month project (over 30 hours of field notes, photographs, audio recordings, and 30 minute interviews with participants) and poststructural theories of second language and identity development (e.g., Norton, 2000) illustrated how drama created a space for students to transcend the identity category of "ESL learner," positioning them the role of "creative performer" by engaging students intentionally in intercultural dialogue with one another and with the audience.
References Belliveau, George, and Won Kim. 2013. "Drama in L2 Learning: A Research Synthesis." Edited by Manfred Schewe and Susanne Even. Scenario: A Journal of Performative Teaching, Learning, Research 7 (2): 7–27. doi:10.33178/scenario.7.2.2. Braun, Virginia, and Victoria Clarke. 2006. "Using Thematic Analysis in Psychology." Qualitative Research in Psychology 3 (2): 77–101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa. Cañas, T. 2015. "10 Things You Need to Consider if You are an Artist." RISE. Kramsch, Claire. 1998. "The Privilege of the Intercultural Speaker." In M. Byram & M. Fleming (Eds.), Language Learning in Intercultural Perspective: Approaches through Drama and Ethnography. New York, NY: Cambdrige University Press. Medina, Carmen L., and Gerald Campano. 2006. "Performing Identities through Drama and Teatro Practices in Multilingual Contexts." Language Arts, 83 (4): 332-341. https://hdl.handle.net/2022/23025 Norton, Bonny. 2000. "Identity and language learning: Gender, ethnicity, and educational change." Harlow, UK: Longman. Piazzoli, Erika., & Kir Cullen, Elif. (2021). "The Double-Edged Sword of Storytelling: Performative Language Pedagogy with Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Migrants." Scenario: A Journal of Performative Teaching, Learning, XV(2): 1-26. Schewe, Manfred. 2013. "Taking Stock and Looking Ahead: Drama Pedagogy as a Gateway to a Performative Teaching and Learning Culture." Edited by Manfred Schewe and Susanne Even. Scenario: A Journal of Performative Teaching, Learning, Research VII (1): 5–23. doi:10.33178/scenario.7.1.2.
Presenters Kathleen McGovern Assistant Professor, The University Of Southern Maine
Dare not Ask for Academic Assistance: Chinese Master Students' Indecisiveness in Academic Communication with their Instructors
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility10:35 AM - 11:00 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 08:35:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 09:00:00 UTC
Chinese higher education has a long history of conducting and facilitating university students' study through the tutorial system. Tutors are an integral component of Chinese master students' academic careers and can even have a significant impact on students' day-to-day life. However, some students have been experiencing a dilemma of indecisiveness before approaching their instructors for academic assistance. Therefore, the purpose of our study is to explore the specific behavioral manifestations of students' indecisiveness, unravel the factors that contribute to this dilemma, and explain why these factors can influence students' indecisiveness. As for the data collection, a qualitative approach is adopted through conducting semi-structured interviews and group discussions among 20 linguistics master students in a Chinese university. Furthermore, the Grounded Theory (Strauss & Corbin, 1997; Oktay, 2012) is borrowed to provide an in-depth analysis of the data gathered and serve as the instrument to puzzle through the mechanisms behind their indecision. Additionally, based on the theoretical framework of Triadic Reciprocal Determinism (Bandura, 1986) from Social Cognitive Theory, we make efforts to categorize and summarize the major factors that lead to this phenomenon. We discover that nearly 90 % of these participants have experienced a sense of indecisiveness before contacting their instructors for academic assistance. They frequently experience anxiety before contacting their instructors. For instance, some of them require a significant amount of time to be mentally prepared for contacting their instructors and organize their messages before sending them to their tutors. In general, the factors behind students' hesitation are intricate and complex, and their hesitancy is a manifestation of their self-defense strategy. We contend that both environmental (e.g. childhood experiences, peer effects, instructors' personalities) and personal factors (e.g. students' self-positioning, students' presuppositions of instructors' reactions, and students' personalities) lead to this indecision. Meanwhile, we anticipate facilitating the construction of a benign instructor-graduate relationship and contributing to teacher development in higher education by presenting this dilemma of Chinese master students.
References: Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1986(23-28). Oktay, J. S. (2012). Grounded theory. Oxford University Press. Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. M. (1997). Grounded theory in practice. Sage.
Welcoming Languages: Introducing a Refugee Language in Education
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility11:00 AM - 11:25 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 09:00:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 09:25:00 UTC
This presentation discusses the main findings from the Welcoming Languages project. During the course of a year, a group of educators in Scottish primary schools learnt Arabic as one of the languages spoken by children and families from refugee backgrounds. The aims were: (i) to include Arabic in Scottish education as a concrete way to enact the promise of integration as a two-way process; and (ii) to provide proof of concept for language diversification in education to include other languages spoken by recently arrived people seeking refuge. The project was articulated in three phases: a needs analysis to identify the linguistic priorities of educators and Arabic speaking children and families; the design and development of a beginner Arabic language course tailored on the needs identified; the teaching of Arabic to a group of Scottish educators. The presentation draws from the final assessment of the project and highlights the findings from the project that we believe are of importance to language policy and practice. These include: creating welcoming environments through expanding the languages that have space in education; and openly demonstrating that the wealth of languages new arrivals bring with them are recognised and valued.
The aims of the Welcoming Languages: Refugee Languages in Scottish Education (henceforth: Welcoming Languages). project were: (i) to include Arabic in Scottish education as a concrete way to enact the promise of integration as a two-way process at the heart of the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy (Scottish Government, 2018); and (ii) to provide proof of concept for language diversification in education to include other languages spoken by recently arrived people seeking refuge.
The argument on which the project was premised is that discourse on integration invariably assume a one-way journey, in which new arrivals make all the effort to learn the language of the receiving context. While, of course, this is crucial to foster inclusion and guarantee independence and access to rights, there are no attempts, as far as we are aware, to work with local education staff so they can acquire a refugee language to 'move towards' people seeking refuge. A start in this direction was made by Phipps's (2012) autoethnographic reflections on linguistic hospitality and solidarity and by the critical analysis around Scottish language policy by Phipps and Fassetta (2015), which informed the project. Moreover, the project drew on critiques of a deficit approach to language learning (e.g. Valdés, 2003) and argued for the multilingualism from a 'language plenty' perspective (Frimberger, 2016). Based on these considerations, he Welcoming Languages project sought to address the gap identified through a very practical, hands-on approach: onterest from educators was gauged; their language needs analysed alongside those of Arabic speaking children and families; a tailored Arabic language course was designed, developed and delivered; and, finally, the project's outcomes were assessed.
The findings of the Welcoming Languages project are of relevance to language policy and practice in relation to diversifying languages in education to include languages spoken by people seeking refuge. Firstly, education staff recognise the importance of expanding their linguistic repertoires to offer linguistic hospitality to newly arrived children and families, and are open to learning their pupils' languages to improve children's wellbeing. Secondly, children, families and educators value both the practical importance of learning a language but also the huge symbolic role that this can have to make people seeking refuge welcome. Finally, the introduction of a refugee language in education has the potential to benefit everyone, by publicly acknowledging the linguistic expertise of children from refugee backgrounds and practically demonstrating that all languages are valuable.
Bibliography
Frimberger, K. (2016) Towards a well-being focussed language pedagogy: enabling arts-based, multilingual learning spaces for young people with refugee backgrounds. Pedagogy, Culture & Society 24(2): 285-299
Phipps, A. (2012) Voicing Solidarity: Linguistic Hospitality and Poststructuralism in the Real World. Applied Linguistics 33(5): 582–602
Phipps, A. and Fassetta, G. (2015) A critical analysis of language policy in Scotland. European Journal of Language Policy 7(1): 5–28
Civil society engagement in research and innovation – discourse analytical insights from Horizon Europe reference documents
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility01:15 PM - 01:45 PM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 11:15:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 11:45:00 UTC
This paper explores the prioritization of cooperation and collaboration with civil society in Horizon Europe reference documents. Horizon Europe is the world's largest research funding programme, spanning 2021-2027. It is important to study the reference documents that shape the programme, as the texts reflect the values, goals, and expectations of the European Union towards the future. This paper discusses how crucial issues such as inclusivity, diversity, and gender, among various others, are positioned and prioritized in the documents. It also provides insight into how the European Union discusses civil engagement and the cooperation of people in reaching societal goals. This analysis is conducted with discourse analytical methods and social positioning theory. Discourse analysis allows the analyst to closely study language in use (Jones, 2012), while connecting the language to its broader social context. Social positioning theory supports the analysis as it enables the observation of "the roles that are recognizably allocated to people" within social structures (Davies and Harré, 1990/2007, p. 56). Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the EU has emphasized the importance of strengthening the resiliency of people and the commitment to "leaving nobody behind" (European Commission, 2021). Engagement with citizens is strongly encouraged across actions. The green and digital transitions, aiding the journey toward climate neutrality, are also part of the strong rhetoric of the EU. This paper provides answers to the following questions, among others: How are issues of equality, inclusivity, and public awareness present across the Horizon Europe reference documents?To what extent do the documents value the role of citizen engagement and cooperation in the research actions tackling societal challenges?How do the reference documents reflect a prioritization of minority languages, linguistic social issues, diversity, ethnicity, and gender in research actions across various fields and disciplines?This paper is beneficial to researchers applying for EU grants, and to all interested parties. It provides a valuable multidisciplinary view of how social responsibility and citizen engagement is connected to various fields, such as health, culture, security, technology, climate, energy, bioeconomy, and the environment.
References Davies, B., & Harré, R. (1990/2007). Positioning: The Discursive Production of Selves. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 20(1), 43–63. (Original work published 1990). doi: 10.1111/j.1468-5914.1990.tb00174.x European Commission. (2021). Horizon Europe Work Programme 2021-2022 5. Culture, creativity and inclusive society (European Commission Decision C(2021)4200 of 15 June 2021). Retrieved from https://ec.europa.eu/info/funding-tenders/opportunities/docs/2021-2027/horizon/wp-call/2021-2022/wp-5-culture-creativity-and-inclusive-society_horizon-2021-2022_en.pdf Accessed July 9, 2022. Jones, R. (2012). Discourse analysis A resource book for students. Routledge.
Presenters Heidi Puputti Doctoral Researcher, University Of Oulu
Revolution, Toaster, Sailboats? On advertising electromobility by French and Italian car manufacturers
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility01:45 PM - 02:15 PM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 11:45:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 12:15:00 UTC
Revolution, Toaster, Sailboats? On advertising electromobility by French and Italian car manufacturers (Sabine Heinemann, Institut für Romanistik, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, Austria)
Selected symposium: SYMP58 – Social responsibility Presentation language: English
The change in the brand communication of existing products is due to various social changes. In recent years, there has been an increasing focus on the environmental friendliness of products. This is often associated with the deliberate modification of the brand image and thus of the associative structures associated with a brand (cf. Franzen/Bouwman 2001), which can be seen above all in advertising. In the automotive industry, electromobility has only gained more attention in most European countries in the wake of Fridays for future and the increasingly visible climate policy, alongside technically sophisticated solutions that are geared towards further digitalisation or even autonomous driving and thus more towards driving comfort. In brand communication, electric mobility is now advertised as environmentally friendly using components of green washing - this is done using both verbal and visual elements. Interestingly, in recent months there have been political efforts in France and at the European level to restrict green washing in advertising in the sense of social responsibility towards (potential) customers. In this contribution, a frame-semantic analysis of the brand communication of some selected French and Italian car manufacturers (including Renault, Citroën, Fiat) will first be carried out for classic advertising (above all advertisements/posters) (cf. Heinemann (submitted), Ziem 2012, Joy/Scherry/Deschenes 2009). In addition to linguistic aspects, as indicated, the integration of pictorial elements is also essential, which independently evoke frames (cf. Fillmore 1985; Minsky 1975; Busse 2012). In this context, the text-image relationship is particularly relevant, for example with regard to multimodal metaphors or conceptual blending (cf. Forceville 2016; Pérez Sobrino 2017; Fauconnier 2001; Turner 2008). A comparative examination of advertisements over the last few years should make any politically induced modifications visible with regard to the proportions of green washing and their presentation.
Bibliography Busse, Dietrich (2012): Frame-Semantik. Ein Kompendium, Berlin/Boston. Fauconnier, Gilles (2001): "Conceptual blending", in: Wright, James D. (ed.): International Encyclopedia of the Social and Behavioral Sciences, Amsterdam, 2495-2498. Fillmore, Charles J. (1985): "Frames and the semantics of understanding", in: Quaderni di Semantica 6 (2), 222-254. Forceville, Charles (2016): "Pictorial and Multimodal Metaphor", in: Klug, Nina-Maria/Stöckl, Hartmut (edd.): Handbuch Sprache im multimodalen Kontext, Berlin/Boston, 241-260. Franzen, Giep/Bouwman, Margot (2001): The Mental World of Brands, Henley-on-Thames. Heinemann, Sabine (eingereicht): "Frames in der Markenkommunikation", in: Gautier, Laurent/Varga, Simon (edd.): Frames und Fachwissen, Berlin/Boston. Joy, Annamma/Scherry, John F. Jr./Deschenes, Jonathan (2009): "Conceptual blending in advertising", in: Journal of Business Research 62, 39-49. Minsky, Marvin (1975): "A Framework for Representing Knowledge", in: Winston, Patrick H. (ed.): The Psychology of Computer Vision, New York, 211-277. Pérez Sobrino, Paula (2017): Multimodal Metaphor and Metonymy in Advertising, Amsterdam. Turner, Mark (2008): "Frame Blending", in: Rossini Favretti, Rema (ed.): Frames, Corpora, and Knowledge Representation, Bologna, 13-32. Bologna. Ziem, Alexander (2012): "Werbekommunikation semantisch", in: Janich, Nina (ed.): Handbuch Werbekommunikation: sprachwissenschaftliche und interdisziplinäre Zugänge, Tübingen, 65-87.
Creating shared value: a social semiotic analysis of ESG discourse on social media
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility02:15 PM - 02:45 PM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 12:15:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 12:45:00 UTC
For decades, institutions, businesses, and individuals have engaged in discourse regarding their commitment to building a better world. In 2022, however, we are still a long way from achieving sustainable development. While institutions have struggled to agree on common standards and regulations, businesses have shifted their corporate discourse to focus on environmental, social, and governance themes (ESG), which reflect their efforts to preserve the planet (E), generate positive societal impact (S), and operate in compliance with economic policies (G). This new rhetoric is the result of corporate peer pressure, increased activism and consumer engagement on social media, and growing risks for reputational damage and financial impacts on corporations. Among all business sectors, luxury has historically been associated with qualities such as overconsumption and social stratification that do not naturally align with sustainability (Thurlow & Jaworski, 2017; Veblen, 1957), however, it has been integrating ESG factors into corporate discourse. This study is concerned with the semiotic construction of meanings related to the renegotiation of the oxymoronic concept of 'sustainable luxury' (Nervino, 2016; Wells et al. 2021). This study adopts a social semiotic approach to analyse Instagram posts shared by luxury brands in 2020 and 2021 (Bateman et al., 2017; Kress & van Leeuwen, 2001; 2006; Nervino, 2018). The analysis identifies the semiotic resources involved in the meaning-making process enabling the coexistence of luxury and sustainable discourse. Preliminary findings show how the discourse shared on Instagram constructs environmental, social, and governance claims by deploying a diversified set of semiotic resources enacting both conceptual and narrative processes, intertextual references, cohesive devices such as colour and medium-specific features to articulate a call for collective action and play the role of a catalyst for certain causes. In this vein, brands discursively construct an alignment between their financial ambitions and long-term value creation for society to advocate, influence, and drive the sustainability discourse.
References
Bateman, J., Wildfeuer, J., & Hiippala, T. (2017). Multimodality: Foundations, Research and Analysis - A Problem-oriented Introduction. Boston: Walter de Gruyter.
Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2001). Multimodal discourse: The modes and media of contemporary communication. London: New York: Arnold; Oxford University Press.
Kress, G., & Van Leeuwen, T. (2006). Reading images - the grammar of visual design. London: Routledge.
Nervino, E. (2016). Sustainability is the new black: CSR and luxury branded discourse in the cyberspace. Joint conference of English Linguistics Society of Korea and Korea Society of Language and Information, Kyung Hee University. Seoul, Korea, 28 May 2016.
Nervino, E. (2018). Social media is the new black. A social semiotic analysis of branding discourse. Unpublished PhD Thesis submitted to The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Thurlow, C., & Jaworski, A. (2017). Introducing elite discourse: The rhetorics of status, privilege, and power. Social Semiotics, 27(3), 243–254. Veblen, T. (1957). The theory of the leisure class. London: George Allen and Unwin. Wells, V., Athwal, N., Nervino, E., Carrigan, M. (2021). How legitimate are the environmental sustainability claims of luxury conglomerates? Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management. Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 697-722.
Plain Language Initiatives for Democracy and Multilingualism: The Case Study of the ‘Easy Japanese’ Initiative in the Era of Internationalisation
Oral Presentation[SYMP58] OPEN CALL - Social responsibility02:45 PM - 03:15 PM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 12:45:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 13:15:00 UTC
This paper examines the implications of the 'Easy Japanese' initiative in Japan from a comparative point of view. In Japan, the number of immigrants and foreign residents has recently been increasing and there are greater needs for national and municipal governments to provide information in multiple languages. The importance of the equal access to information is evident especially at times of a natural disaster or a pandemic as we learnt from the 1995 and 2011 earthquakes as well as the recent Covid-19 crisis, as information is crucial for one's health and safety. Under such a context, there have been efforts to use easy Japanese as a lingua franca to widely distribute essential information. According to a survey carried out by the National Institute of Japanese Language and Linguistics (2009), Japanese is the most common second language among permanent residents in Japan, spoken by 62.6%, followed by English spoken by 44% and Chinese spoken by 38.3%. Furthermore, according to a survey carried out by Tokyo International Communication Committee (2018), the language in which the largest number of foreign residents Japan wish to receive information is easy Japanese (76%) followed by English (68%). Based on these survey results, the Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Immigration Service Agency published the Easy Japanese Guideline in August 2020. The use of simple and straightforward language supports smooth and democratic communication in multicultural societies, as it is equally understood by native and non-native speakers. From this point of view, it corresponds to the principles of multilingualism and World Englises. For this reason, the use of plain language initiatives has been promoted in other parts of the world. The European Union, for example, promotes multilingualism and cultural diversity with its twenty-four official languages. Official documents in European institutions are therefore translated into multiple languages. In such an environment, English and French are often used as base languages from which documents are translated into various other languages. In order to ensure the clarity of these working languages, the European Parliament encourages the use of 'clear language'. Comparing the 'Easy Japanese' initiative in Japan with the 'clear language' initiative in Europe, the paper discusses possible contribution of plain language initiatives to the internationalising and globalising world.
Bibliography: •European Commission. 2011. How to Write Clearly. https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/c2dab20c-0414-408d-87b5-dd3c6e5dd9a5. •Immigration Service Agency and Agency for Cultural Affairs. 2020. Easy Japanese Guideline for the Support of Foreign People Living in Japan [Zairyu Shien no tame no Yasashii Nihongo Gaidorain]. https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/content/930006072.pdf. •Iwata, Kazuhiro. 2010. "The Preference for English in Linguistic Services: 'Japanese for Living: Countrywide Survey' and Hiroshima". The Japanese Journal of Language in Society, 13/1, 81-94. •National Institute of Japanese Language and Linguistics. 2009. Japanese for living: Countrywide Survey' Result Report. https://www2.ninjal.ac.jp/past-projects/nihongo-syllabus/research/pdf/sokuhou_english1.pdf. •Tokyo International Communication Committee. 2018. Survey Result on Communication for Foreign People Living in Tokyo. https://tabunka.tokyo-tsunagari.or.jp/info/files/a70d5ac7db12bd5c538a3b38f2a01613c262657e.pdf.
Presenters Naoko Hosokawa Postdoctoral Fellow , The University Of Tokyo
Lei Jiang
Olga Makinina
Jacqueline Ng
Heejin Song
Kathleen McGovern
Heidi Puputti
Naoko Hosokawa
