Past Seminars

Current Research in Multilingual and Multimodal Literacy across Content Areas

The role of text in literacy development across content areas

Talk 1: A Universal Infrastructure for Learning Languages through Cultural Activities: The ENACT Web App

ENACT is a free web app https://enacteuropa.com/ developed at Newcastle University UK, co-funded by the European Union. The app enables people to learn aspects of foreign languages while performing a meaningful real-world task which enables them to experience the culture of the target language. In this presentation, we will introduce the principles underlying the app design, and briefly demonstrate the key features of the ENACT app: the interactive player, the author, and the community. We will then present our research on vocabulary development outcomes and processes, and locate the findings in a universal infrastructure for language development (SCIERRA) and make recommendations for designers of digital environments and language learners. We will end with an update on the latest materials we have produced for learning Chinese https://enacteuropa.com/?q=node/437, on the impact of the project and our in-press Bloomsbury book.

Talk 2: Investment in Ethnocultural Maintenance: Multimodal Cultural Artifact Creation as a pedagogical tool

Ethnocultural maintenance is important to both the cultural diversity of society and to the well-being of marginalized ethnics. In this presentation, we will present a research study on a group of university marginalized ethnic students’ experience of creating multimodal cultural artifacts, and how this experience shaped their investment in ethnocultural maintenance. Following that, we will also present a study on the impact of multimodal cultural artifact creation on secondary ethnic minority students’ linguistic and cultural collaboration. We argue for multimodal cultural artifact composing as a culturally sustaining pedagogy to enhance ethnocultural maintenance.

This presentation explores the fine-grained processes of adult-child language interactions by leveraging advanced machine learning and natural language processing algorithms. Previous research has largely focused on the frequency of children’s exposure to language features, such as lexical diversity and syntactic complexity, using audio and video samples to predict language development. However, these approaches often overlook the complex semantic relationships and the influence of contextual and individual variability. By employing techniques such as semantic network analysis, probabilistic topic modeling, and sentiment analysis, this study aims to provide a more nuanced understanding of these interactions. The findings indicate that AI-driven methods can significantly enhance our comprehension of children’s language learning environments. They support the development of targeted interventions that adapt strategies to specific activity contexts and individual child characteristics, ultimately advocating for the effective fostering of high-quality language input to meet the diverse needs of young learners.

Talk 1 (by Prof. Kevin Tai):
Transpositioning in Multilingual Classroom Interaction: Insights from a translanguaging perspective

Abstract: The concept of “transpositioning” is a newly emerging idea in the realm of Applied Linguistics, influenced by positioning theory and the concept of liquid modernity. Transpositioning entails individuals moving away from their predetermined roles and adopting different viewpoints through translanguaging. This presentation aims to demonstrate how an English-Medium-Instruction instructor engages in transpositioning by assuming varied positions to create a hypothetical scenario and participating in collaborative learning with students. I will also explain how researchers can combine Multimodal Conversation Analysis with Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to analyse the complexity of translanguaging practices. I argue that posits that transpositioning forms a crucial component of the teacher’s classroom translanguaging competence. This competence not only involves the strategic use of multilingual and multimodal resources to foster new knowledge and achieve specific educational objectives, but also demands that teachers selectively draw from their skill set and adjusts their identity positions to adapt to the changing dynamics of classroom interactions.

Talk 2 (by Prof. Danping Wang):
Decolonising Foreign Language Curriculum: Experiences from New Zealand

Abstract: This talk explores the potential of applying critical theories to advance decolonising approaches in foreign language education, promoting inclusivity and equity in knowledge production. My focus is on New Zealand, a settler colonial nation where Indigenous people have faced longstanding racial and educational discrimination. Over the past decades, the New Zealand government has implemented reforms across all levels of education to integrate Indigenous perspectives into the mainstream system. After providing an overview of early childhood education and schools, I will turn to a university-level curriculum transformation project aimed at incorporating Indigenous epistemologies across all academic disciplines. My research focuses on how non-Indigenous teachers and students engage with efforts to embed Indigenous concepts and language into foreign language teaching and assessment as part of a broader effort to decolonise the foreign language curriculum. By employing translanguaging as a decolonial strategy, I examine the fluidity between languages and epistemological frameworks. This approach demonstrates how translanguaging and transknowledging enable the coexistence of multiple knowledge systems, offering a holistic view of students’ diverse epistemic positions and life experiences. In closing, I will highlight the need for continued efforts to support educators and learners in challenging colonial models of language education and assessment.

What stays the same when everything changes? Technological developments, in particular in AI, present us with challenging and urgent questions. However, these are often prompted by the technology, rather than by us. As a result, we may end up looking for answers to questions that are not relevant to us. In this presentation I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: with us teachers and our learners.
For this, I introduce the concept of Positive CALL (Reinders, forthcoming), or a values-based-approach to the use of technology that aims to enhance learner and teacher wellbeing and thriving. This is a humanistic perspective that places personal growth at the heart of our conversations about technology and that fosters educational sustainability.
At a practical level, I present ways in which teachers can (help their learners to) take a more constructive and agentic approach to technology. I give examples of ways in which technology has served the educational needs and goals of communities, not the other way around. I show everyday strategies that can help us develop digital wellbeing and demonstrate how teachers can exert leadership to maintain control over their professional identity and aspirations. The aim of the presentation is to imagine new, human-centred opportunities for the role of technology in education.