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The Development of L2 Japanese Self‐Introductions in an Asynchronous Computer‐Mediated Language Exchange
Author(s) -
Hirotani Maki,
Lyddon Paul A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
foreign language annals
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.258
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1944-9720
pISSN - 0015-718X
DOI - 10.1111/flan.12044
Subject(s) - asynchronous communication , computer science , computer mediated communication , task (project management) , linguistics , comprehension approach , first language , second language acquisition , language assessment , natural language processing , psychology , mathematics education , natural language , the internet , world wide web , computer network , philosophy , management , economics
Abstract Computer‐mediated communication is an increasingly popular means of conducting classroom language exchanges, but those requiring asynchronous modes must generally forgo oral options in favor of text. This study explores the potential of asynchronous video, focusing on 15 university learners of Japanese in the United States in an interclass project with 26 English‐learning peers in Japan. Both groups performed online video self‐introductions in their second language (L2) before modeling the same task in their first language, completing a language awareness–raising activity on target language models of their choice, and performing a second self‐introduction in L2. The second L2 performances showed more elaborate discourse but no improvement in syntactic complexity. Implications are discussed for maximizing the pedagogical benefits of similar asynchronous online exchanges.