DOCUMENT RESUME ED 468 314 FL 027 394 AUTHOR Witten, Caryn TITLE Using Video To Teach for Sociolinguistic Competence in the Foreign Language Classroom. PUB DATE 2000-00-00 NOTE 35p.; In: Proceedings for the Texas Foreign Language [Education] Conference (Austin, Texas, March 31-April 1, 2000); see FL 027 384. PUB TYPE Journal Articles (080) Reports Research (143) Speeches /Meeting Papers (150) JOURNAL CIT Texas Papers in Foreign Language Education; v5 n1 p143-175 spec iss Fall 2000 EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS College Students; Feedback; Global Approach; Higher Education; *Interpersonal Competence; Language Proficiency; Second Language Instruction; *Sociolinguistics; Spanish; Teaching Methods; *Videotape Recordings ABSTRACT This study worked to develop the sociolinguistic competence of college learners of first-year Spanish using input enhancement techniques that required learners to actively view video. Research shows that native speakers are more sensitive to sociolinguistic errors than to grammatical errors made by nonnative speakers. Therefore, the study hypothesized that educating language learners about sociolinguistic differences would result in their having more positive relationships in future contacts with speakers of other languages. On nine occasions, the control group students independently viewed episodes of a Spanish videotaped soap opera that used authentic language and culture. Following each viewing, they took in-class quizzes on the plot of the story. The intervention group viewed the same video and took the same quizzes, but before each of the nine viewings, they were given a take-home quiz to fill out while watching the video. At the end of the semester, all students completed three feedback instruments to determine their sociolinguistic awareness. Results indicated that the intervention group outperformed the control group at statistically significant levels in several areas. Interactive video viewing positively influenced their affect and time on task and enhanced sociolinguistic competence. It also increased students' global comprehension. (Contains 49 references.)(SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Using Video to Teach for Sociolinguistic Competence in the Foreign Language Classroom* CARYN WrnEN, The University of Texas at Austin U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND ATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION ED DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as BEEN GRANTED BY received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to Irperrie& improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES document do not necessarily represent INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) official OERI position or policy. 1 2 BESTCOPYAVAILABLE Using Video to Teach for SociolinguisticCompetence in the Foreign Language Classroom* CARYN WITTEN, The University of Texas at Austin This paper examines the findings from a classroom researchproject that involved developing the sociolinguistic competence of learners of first-yearSpanish. This project used input enhancement techniques thatrequired the learners to actively view video. Research shows that native speakers are moresensitive to sociolin- guistic errors than to grammatical errors made bynonnative speakers. Therefore, it is hoped that educating language learnersabout sociolinguistic differences will result in their having more positive relationships infuture contacts with speakers of other languages. The data from the study areencouraging regarding learners' ability to both recognize and use more culturallyappropriate linguistic forms once they are overtly made awareof sociolinguistic differences. INTRODUCTION The focus of the classroom research projectdescribed in this paper was to assess the effect ofimplementing input enhancement strategies that encourage active video viewing on the development of thelearners' sociolinguistic compe- tence in a second-language (L2). Todate, studies have been conducted in this area that employ video,audiotape, role play, and classroom meta-pragmaticdis- cussion as independent variables to assessthe development of sociolinguistic competence (Overfield, 1996) and thatemploy mainly meta-pragmatic classroom discussion (Pearson, forthcoming). The uniquenessof this current project is that it attempted to hold classroom discussion as constant aspossible while isolating the effect of independent viewing of video withconsciousness-raising activities on the L2 learning process. Consciousness-raising has been defined as "the deliberate attempt todraw the learner's attention specifically to the formalproperties of the target lan- guage" as opposed to "natural circumstanceswhere attention to form may be minimal and sporadic" (Sharwood-Smith, 1981).The term "consciousness- raising," which refers to processes occurring in thelearner's brain, is often re- placed with the term "input enhancement"(Sharwood-Smith, 1993), which refers to what the instructor is doing tomanipulate the learning process. This redefini- tion came about because it is much easier todocument what the instructor is do- ing externally than to document whatthe learner is doing internally. The first studies that looked at input enhancement in the L2 contextexamined the acquisi- tion of grammatical structures (Gass andMadden, 1985; Schachter, 1988; Shar- wood-Smith, 1981, 1986; Tomlin and Villa, 1994).These researchers concluded that focusing the learner's attention on specificfeatures of the L2 did increase ac- quisition of those features. 1 * Presented at the Texas Foreign Language EducationConference 2000 (TexFLEC CNI 2000), University of Texas at Austin, March 31-April 1,.2000. 144 Texas Papers in Foreign LanguageEducation SinceHymes (1968, 1971) seems to imply that inputenhance- coinedtheterm"communicative ment techniques may be even more competence," L2 instructors havebeen important in the area of L2 pragmatics' increasingly interested in areas of lin- than in the area of L2 grammar. guistic competence other than gram- Unlikegrammaticalcompe- mar. Asdefined,communicative tence, sociolinguistic competenceis competenceis composed of three much harder to teach in the classroom abilities. These are grammatical com- setting. It may require contextualized, petence, strategic competence,and so- interactivelanguage suchasthat ciolinguistic competence (Cana leand found in video (Koike, 1989). Fortu- Swain, 1980; Cana le, 1984).These re- nately, modem technology hasmade searchers later added discourse com- video much more accessible forL2 in- petence. This paper examinesthe area struction. Not only are manyclass- of sociolinguistic competence,which rooms nowequipped with VCRs, but these researchers defined as theability it is reasonable to ask learners toview to use languageappropriately in a video independently outside ofthe given social context. Pragmatic com- classroom. petence is a closely relatedconcept. In part because of the popular- While Cana le and Swainproposed ity of Krashen's Monitor Model(1982, that pragmatic competence is a com- 1983,1985),instructorsoftenuse ponent of sociolinguistic competence, video for passive "comprehensible in- other researchers (Bachman, citedin put" to develop learners' listening Hadley, 1993) have proposed that so- comprehension skills. Further compli- ciolinguistic competence is a compo- cating this situation encounteredin L2 nent of pragmatic competence.Be- pedagogy, which encourages passive cause of this ambiguityof terminology viewing, is the observation that since in the research, the two termswill be childhood, we have become accus- used interchangeably in this paper. tomed to watching television pas- Soon after some researchers sively (Lonnergan, 1984), so it is natu- began looking at the connectionbe- ral for the learner to viewpedagogical tween input enhancementstrategies videos this way. Current research pro- and grammar acquisition,other re- jects, such as mine, considerresearch searchers, especially Schmidt (1990), on inputenhancement in addition to began theorizing about their applica- Krashen's Monitor Model and attempt tion to the development ofsociolin- to change the learners'mode of inter- guistic competence. Otherresearch action with the video componentof (Ochs, 1979; Gleason, 1980; Bruner, the language course. In an attempt to 1981; Becker 1990, 1994) hasdocu- change the learner's lifelong viewing mented that, while the bulk ofthe habits, some researchers and instruc- grammar of a child'sfirst language tors are asking learners towatch video (L1) is not overtly taught, the prag- actively, by noticing and recording matics of the L1 are overtly taught by formal properties of the languagein the child's caretakers. This difference addition to following the develop- 4 Using Video for Sociolinguistic Competence 145 ment of the plot (Overfield, 1996; First, EFL instructors are dealing with Pearson, forthcoming; Altman, 1989; learners who are in total immersion Garza, 1996; Berwald, 1985; Gale and situations. Furthermore, learners of Brown, 1985; Gillespie, 1985; Lavery English are often more motivated by 1984; Mount, 1988). both intrinsic and instrumental factors One way for learners to acquire (Terrell, 1977), because many plan to the pragmatic features of an L2 would eitherimmigratetoanEnglish- be to immerse themselves in the target speaking country or to obtain em- culture. Since immersion is