Event

Language Learning and Identity: From Learner Variables to Co-Construction

Friday, May 20th, 2005, 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Speaker: Gabriele Kasper (University of Hawaii)

The talk by Dr Gabriele Kasper will take a conversation-analytic perspective to examine identity at work in interactions between L2 users and their co-participants. The relationship between L2 learning and learners' identity has been a topical concern in SLA from early on, yet widely differing proposals have been offered to theorize this relationship - and, indeed, the notions of 'identity' and 'L2 learning' themselves. While earlier approaches favored correlational or causal models, the last decade has seen an upsurge of accounts that view language use, learning and identity as mutually constitutive, situated, emergent, and inextricably intertwined with the participation structure of specific activities. The many proposals that subscribe to this understanding have as their common denominator a view of language learning and use as social practice and of identity as something a person does (and does differently in different contexts) rather than something a person 'is' or 'has'. But the various social practice approaches differ considerably in their specific theoretical assumptions and research methodologies, with attendant consequences for their analytical capability to demonstrate rather than merely postulate the link between identity and L2 learning. The talk will take a conversation-analytic perspective to examine identity at work in interactions between L2 users and their co-participants.

Spaces are limited for participation in this seminar. If you are interested in attending please contact Megumi Kawate-Mierzejewska at jaltwesttokyo@yahoo.com

This event is co-sponsored by JALT Tokyo Chapter, JALT West Tokyo Chapter, JALT Pragmatics SIG & Temple University Japan.

Organization: Tokyo Chapter of the Japan Association for Language Teaching (Tokyo JALT)

Cost: JALT Members: free
Non-members: 1000 yen

Venue: Temple University Japan Rooms 206/207

Location: Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis, Japan

Contact Tokyo JALT

Tokyo JALT (gmail)

Tokyo JALT (Teaching Young Learners)