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Check Internet Connection: Verify that you have a stable and reliable internet connection. Use a wired connection when possible, as it tends to be more stable than Wi-Fi. If using Wi-Fi, make sure you have a strong signal.
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Test Audio and Video: Before the meeting, check your microphone and camera to ensure they are working correctly. If you are a speaker, you can click on "Start Practice Session" button test to ensure audio and video devices are functioning.
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Allow Necessary Permissions: Make sure the Dryfta meeting platform has the required permissions to access your microphone, camera, and other necessary features.
Disable VPN or Firewall: Sometimes, VPNs or firewalls can interfere with the connection to the meeting platform. Temporarily disable them and see if the issue persists.
Switch Devices: If possible, try joining the meeting from a different device to see if the problem is specific to one device.
Reduce Bandwidth Usage: In cases of slow or unstable internet connections, ask participants to disable video or share video selectively to reduce bandwidth consumption.
Update Drivers and Software: Ensure your operating system, audio drivers, and video drivers are up to date. Outdated drivers can cause compatibility issues with the Dryfta meeting platform.
Contact Support: If none of the above steps resolve the issue, reach out to the platform's support team. They can provide personalized assistance and troubleshoot specific problems.
By following these troubleshooting tips, you can tackle many common problems encountered on Dryfta meeting platform and have a more productive and seamless meeting experience.
20230720T083020230720T1130Europe/Amsterdam[SYMP83] Teaching and Learning European Languages in Chinese Universities100 % Online sessionAILA 2023 - 20th Anniversary Congress Lyon Editioncellule.congres@ens-lyon.fr
The acquisition of L3 Spanish stop contrast by Chinese dialect speakers
Poster Presentation[SYMP83] Teaching and Learning European Languages in Chinese Universities08:30 AM - 11:30 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 06:30:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 09:30:00 UTC
European languages education is under a rapid development in the evolving landscape of higher education in mainland China (Shen & Gao, 2019). However, these fast-growing programs also face a range of challenges (Han et al., 2019), among which L3 phonological acquisition is a newly emerging dynamic area. In Chinese universities, although most of the Spanish learners are L1 mandarin Chinese speakers with English being their L2, many students are also in frequent contact with local dialects in family and community, therefore, more attention should be paid to how dialects play a role in L3 learning. However, existing literature predominantly focuses only on L1 mandarin Chinese transfer in L3 Spanish learning, while dialect contact and L2 English learning experience are often neglected (Lu et al., 2022).
The current study investigates how Chinese dialect speakers acquiring L3 Spanish word-initial stop contrast, and discusses the influence of learners' linguistic experience on their L3 phonological acquisition. The participants in the study are 32 Chinese university students who speak Mandarin Chinese (N=15) or Wu dialect (N=17) as their L1, with English as their L2, and Spanish as their L3. Participants' perception and production of Spanish word-initial stops were measured by an L3 identification task, an L3 reading task, and an L2 reading task. The values and distribution of their voice onset time were analyzed using PRAAT to explore the perception and production of L3 word-initial stops and the influence of learners' dialect experience.
The results demonstrate that: (1) the phonetic similarity in different stop categories between L1, L2, and L3 contribute to learners' confusion in perception; and (2) it is easier for Wu dialect speakers to perceive L3 Spanish voiced stop consonants, although both groups of L3 learners produced a significantly lower proportion of negative VOTs for voiced stops than native speakers. These findings provide support for the Linguistic Proximity Model (Westergaard et al., 2017) and suggest that phonological acquisition takes place property by property based on structural linguistic similarities or universal physiological mechanisms. Pedagogical implications for L3 speech training are discussed based on the results. Bibliography
Han, Y., Gao, X., & Xia, J. (2019). Problematising recent developments in non-English foreign language education in Chinese universities, Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 40(7), 562-575. Lu, X., Liu, J., & Zheng, Y. (2022). 双言双语背景下的西班牙语塞音感知习得研究: 方言差异性与习得普遍性, 语言学研究. 145-157. Shen, Q., & Gao, X. (2019). Multilingualism and policy making in greater China: Ideological and implementational spaces. Language Policy, 18, 1-16. Westergaard, M., Mitrofanova, N., Mykhaylyk, R., & Rodina, Y. (2017) Crosslinguistic influence in the acquisition of a third language: The Linguistic Proximity Model, International Journal of Bilingualism, 21, 666-682.
Representation and reconstruction of Hispanic cultural contents in localized Spanish as foreign language textbooks in China: A Multimodal Discourse Analysis perspective
Poster Presentation[SYMP83] Teaching and Learning European Languages in Chinese Universities08:30 AM - 11:30 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 06:30:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 09:30:00 UTC
This study examines the Hispanic cultural contents in the most popular Spanish as a foreign language textbooks published in China and analyzes how Hispanic cultures are represented and reconstructed by Chinese Spanish as foreign language textbook. A Multimodal Discourse Analysis approach was employed. Our findings show that, the textbooks include a wide scope of Hispanic cultures, but the cultures of Spain and the dominant elite's life pattern are favored and the minority groups in the Hispanic world culture are under-represented. Meanwhile, there is a lack of depth in the teaching of culture. Small "c" elements in the textbooks constitute a disportionate percentage in comparison with Big "C" elements, and there is a paucity of cultural activities targeting the development of students' intercultural communicative skills. The findings also reveal that four methods were used to construct Hispanic cultures: Introducing Hispanic material culture through learning language; Parallel-phrasing Hispanic institutional culture with direct translation; Comparing Hispanic behavioral culture with Chinese culture; Reframing Hispanic conceptual culture in a multicultural context. These findings have important implications for the development of Spanish textbooks for China and Spanish language education in global contexts.
Textbooks play a fundamental role in providing learners with authoritative linguistic and culture information. (Luke, 1989; Matsuda 2002). As many previous studies on Spanish as a foreign language (SFL) textbook focused on the language elements (Lu, 2009; MartÍnez et.al, 2020), a scarcity of research has critically investigated the representation of Hispanic culture contents in the local context of Chinese secondary and tertiary schools, where LOTE education is experiencing a rapid growing, and Spanish was recently officially included in the high school foreign language curriculum. Thus, we aim to identify and analyze the Hispanic culture contents in China's SFL (CSFL) textbooks. Data were collected from four sets of most popular CSFL textbooks . The first two volumes of these textbooks, which correspond to CEFR A1 Level in general, were chosen as analysis object. We conducted a multimodal content analysis method to discover how Hispanic culture contents (HCC) are represented and constructed through the deployment and coordination of textual and visual semiotic resources (Weninger,2020; Xiong et al.2020). Departing from the "big C and small c" conceptualization of culture (Xiao, 2010; Kramsch et.al, 2015), we adapted a criterion to classify HCC into 2 dimensions and 17 types. Based on this framework, each HCC in the main body of textbooks, including text, vocabulary, explanation, exercises, activities and pictures were examined and coded carefully by one researcher and two senior SFL major university students with a consensus of at least 2 people. Some of main findings include: (1) The CSFL textbooks have rich HCC in general. On the whole, 617 big C and 1997 small c HCC were spotted.（2）However, the quantity of culture points is inconsistent among different sets and levels of textbooks. The fluctuating unpatented quantity changes represent the arbitrary of culture contents planning and designing. (3) The distribution of culture contents among different types is unbalanced "hard core" and "safe" culture contents (such as geography and food culture) are favored by CSFL textbook authors while "peripheral" and "sensitive" contents (such as social norm and value) are ignored. (4) The teaching of culture is shallow and narrow. Exercises and activities are centered on language elements (See note 4, pic 1). A single Spanish and European angle were emphasized (note 4, pic 2). An external viewpoint of foreign tourists (note 4, pic 3) and the inner standing point of the "middle-class white man elite" (note 4, Pic 4) were used alternately. Some common strategies of cultural reconstruction are revealed in this preliminary study. For example, direct translating is used widely to introduce Hispanic classic cultures, and parallel narrating is preferred to exhibit Hispanic institutional cultures, while a contrastive tone is added in teaching Hispanic behavioral and conceptual culture to Chinese students. These strategies reflect the agency of CSFL textbook author and editor to rearticulate and reconstruct the target language culture in local context, especially their endeavor to achieve a balance between academic pursuits, and commercial needs and political requirement. Taken as a whole, this study helps us better design and use Spanish textbook, and learn how to in view and teach multiple cultures in the era of globalization.
Translanguaging in a Chinese university Spanish audio-oral classroom: practices and attitudes
Poster Presentation[SYMP83] Teaching and Learning European Languages in Chinese Universities08:30 AM - 11:30 AM (Europe/Amsterdam) 2023/07/20 06:30:00 UTC - 2024/07/20 09:30:00 UTC
The concept of translanguaging has been widely used in foreign language classrooms, which refers to a holistic conceptualisation of diverse multilingual and multimodal practices. In this study we explore translanguaging practices and students' and teachers' attitudes towards it in L3 Spanish audio-oral classroom in a Chinese university. A mixed-methods approach has been applied: (1) 360 minutes classroom observation helps to look into multilingual and multimodal practices, (2) a questionnaire and four focus group interviews to understand the students' attitudes, (3) a stimulated recall interview to understand teachers' strategies and attitude in using diverse translanguaging practices. The result shows that multilingual ELE (español como lengua extranjera) teachers' translanguaing practices include gestures, visual cues, touch, tone, pictures and shuttle between different languages. The content knowledge localization has been taken as an effective translanguaging strategy used by the teacher in our study to engage students' full linguistic and cultural repertoire. The teacher recognizes the effectiveness of translanguaging in audio-oral classroom, and most students also hold a neutral-to-positive attitude towards it. This study concluded by discussing the pedagogical implications for L3 Spanish learning and teaching from a translanguaging perspective and provides insights into the teaching of LOTEs in China.
Translanguaging is "the deployment of a speaker's full linguistic repertoire without regard for watchful adherence to the socially and politically defined boundaries of named languages" (Otheguy, García, & Reid, 2015, p. 281). Previous studies have shown that translanguaging can be used in foreign language classrooms for specific functions, such as concept/language point explanation, comprehension check, content knowledge localisation, instruction reinforcement and creation of class rapport (Fang & Liu, 2020). However, most of these studies were conducted in European countries (Cenoz & Gorter, 2019) or were observed in contexts where students are bilinguals in English and another language (Lin & He, 2017). Rare attention has been paid to the L3 (a LOTE language) learning in Chinese context, where multilingual education is experiencing a fast-growing process (Shen & Gao, 2019). In this study we explore translanguaging practices and students' and teachers' attitudes towards it in L3 Spanish audio-oral classroom in a Chinese university. 20 students and 1 Spanish native teacher participated in the study. A mixed-methods approach has been applied in this study：(1) 360 minutes classroom observation helps to look into multilingual and multimodal practices in classroom, (2) a questionnaire and four focus group interviews to understand the students' attitudes, (3) a stimulated recall interview to understand teachers' strategies and attitude in using diverse translanguaging practices. According to data collected in this study, translanguaging practices conducted by the teacher in Spanish audio-oral classroom are mainly manifested in the following aspects：(1) concept/language point explanation: multimodal practices used for concept or content explanation include language shift, gestures and body movements, pictures, word cloud, asking students to refer to the dictionary, props; and those for language point or grammar explanation mainly reflected in using pictures and languages shifts. (2) instruction reinforcement: language shifts are the main method for the classroom instruction. (3) content knowledge localisation: task distributions were built around Chinese local culture, such as Chinese food, Chinese brands, etc. (4) comprehension check：the teacher using language shifts and gestures to confirm key concepts. (5) creation of class rapport：the teacher, although being Spanish, used Chinese humours to enhance the classroom interaction. In addition to the teacher's part, students also show translanguaging practices, such as gestures, language shifts, using pictures, computer and mobile phone etc. As for the attitude towards translanguaging in classroom, the teacher expressed positive attitudes, while students revealed ambivalent attitudes: some found translanguaging a very effective way to understand and participate in the classroom, but others felt guilty for relying on translanguaging in a Spanish audio-oral language classroom. Pedagogical implications for L3 Spanish learning and teaching from a translanguaging perspective were also discussed in the study.
Bibliography
Cenoz, J., & Gorter, D. (2019). Multilingualism, translanguaging, and minority languages in SLA.The Modern Language Journal,103, 130-135. Fang, F., & Liu, Y. (2020). 'Using all English is not always meaningful': Stakeholders' perspectives on the use of and attitudes towards translanguaging at a Chinese university.Lingua,247, 102959. Otheguy, R., García, O., & Reid, W. (2015). Clarifying translanguaging and deconstructing named languages: A perspective from linguistics.Applied Linguistics Review,6(3), 281-307. Shen, Q., & Gao, X. (2019). Multilingualism and policy making in greater China: Ideological and implementational spaces. Language Policy, 18, 1-16.
