Dings2014

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Dings2014
BibType ARTICLE
Key Dings2014
Author(s) Abby Dings
Title Interactional competence and the development of alignment activity
Editor(s)
Tag(s) EMCA, Alignment, Second language acquisition
Publisher
Year 2014
Language
City
Month
Journal The Modern Language Journal
Volume 98
Number 3
Pages 742–756
URL Link
DOI 10.1111/j.1540-4781.2014.12120.x
ISBN
Organization
Institution
School
Type
Edition
Series
Howpublished
Book title
Chapter

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Abstract

Based on qualitative analysis of conversational interactions collected over the course of a Spanish language learner's academic year abroad, this article explores the development of interactional resources related to alignment activity in the learner's conversational participation. Alignment activity refers to the means interlocutors use to demonstrate their intersubjectivity. Alignment moves such as assessments, collaborative contributions, and collaborative completions index shared understanding, the ability to adopt the other's point of view, and the ability to speak in the other's voice. Analysis of the learner's alignment activity over the course of the year abroad reveals changes in participation that allowed the learner to play a more active role in the co-construction of communication as her time abroad progressed. The findings in this study contribute to the operationalization of the concept of interactional competence (IC) and to our understanding of its development over time. This study proposes the inclusion of alignment activity as another important grouping of interactional resources relevant to models of IC (He & Young, 1998; Young, 2008, 2011).

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