Assessing Second Language Pragmatic Competence for Intercultural Communication - Shishi Zhang

Описание: This talk is part of the PIM on Intercultural Communication taking place in person and online at the University of Leeds on 17th June 2022. More information and the whole programme can be accessed here: https://www.baleap.org/event/pim-eap-...

Full title: Assessing second language pragmatic competence for intercultural communication: The case of pre-sessional students in UK higher education

Presenter: Shishi Zhang, University College London. Shishi Zhang’s research interests include assessing pragmatics, EAP, and intercultural communication. She worked as a project manager at Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press in Beijing before commencing her PhD.

Abstract

Second Language (L2) pragmatic competence is deemed essential for language proficiency (e.g., Purpura, 2004) and intercultural communication success (e.g., Taguchi & Ishihara, 2018). Extensive research in L2 pragmatics, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and intercultural communication has shown that diverse spoken language use situations require pragmatic competence (e.g., Bardovi-Harlig & Hartford, 2005). However, the operationalisation of pragmatic assessments is limited. There is a need to update assessments that address such pragmatic needs, taking into account the balance between construct coverage, the practicality of test administration and scoring, and generalisability. This study exemplifies the operationalisation of assessing L2 pragmatic competence for intercultural communication in EAP, targeting UK pre-sessional students. The study utilises a sequential exploratory mixed methods design (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2018) and engages target end-users (i.e., pre-sessional teachers, students). It first investigates UK pre-sessional students’ pragmatic needs through document analysis, and semi-structured interviews and online surveys with pre-sessional teachers. Following data triangulation, a list of pragmatic skills, scenarios are generated to inform the design of multimodal, integrated tasks via online test platform, videoconferencing, video-prompted multiple-choice tasks and open role-plays. Pre-sessional documents (e.g., syllabi, sample tests) and stakeholders’ perceptions are analysed using thematic analysis. Pre-sessional students’ performance is analysed statistically and via discourse analysis. This will culminate in the development of a prototype assessment tool of L2 aural/oral pragmatic competence for UK pre-sessional students. This study broadens the research scope of language assessment, L2 pragmatics and intercultural communication, and could encourage positive changes and washback to pre-sessional and EAP programmes.