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Running head: Role Of Video-Concerning In Pragmatic Linguistic Competence

Role of Videoconferencing in Developing Pragmatic Competence in keeping Language Skills Alive

for Graduating and Non-Graduating Students

Nina Gill

California State University, Monterey Bay

Abstract
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

This paper expands on the precedence of video conferencing over text book reading, online self-

learning and a traditional class room setting, and what it can do for military students when train-

ing at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) to become linguists. It also describes how video confer-

encing can help keep students’ second language skills stay current once they graduate and move

on to their respective duty stations. Second language acquisition is very crucial for US troops, es-

pecially with the ongoing omnipresent threats from other nations in the world, and for the USA to

survive as a leading nation. Knowing another language alone does not completely fulfill the pur-

pose, so having socio-cultural language competence for soldiers is key. With the evolution of tech-

nology, globalization and e-learning, there has been integration of cultures, and by bridging

these cultural gaps, language learners not only get the opportunity to speak the language but

also have a truly authentic experience. Video conferencing aids in building relationships and pro-

motes understanding of other cultures. Talking to a native anytime and anywhere is only possible

through video conferencing and the advantages of this are irreplaceable. Language schools can-

not circumvent from the fact that once soldiers graduate, their speaking skills in the Target Lan-

guage decline as most of them do not have the opportunity to speak with a native speaker in

their respective duty stations. There are a few ongoing programs where students get the opportu-

nity to brush up their speaking skills by video conferencing, but it is not a widespread program for

all graduates. Implementation of video-conferencing with teachers in the Defense Language Insti-

tute for all graduates, even if it’s once a month, can allow students to master their target lan-

guage and receive the practice necessary to maintain their speaking skills for life.

While discussing the advantages of video conferencing for military linguists, we cannot

overlook the effect of globalization and importance of pragmatic linguistic competence. A study

done at the University of Malaysia Terengganu shows the influence, attitudes and perceptions of

students who are taking an undergraduate course on global culture. Students in the participating

universities discuss various topics ranging from personal life, family and social traditions, cultural
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

norms and etiquettes during the semester virtually along with their counterparts in Namibia and

the USA. Global culture course provides a unique platform for students to learn the international

culture without traveling. The empirical results of this study show students’ real sentience and helps

them understand and tolerate cultural diversity.

Another study done by Wang at Dalarna University in Sweden examined students learning

Chinese. It was an empirical study of video conferencing with eight distance language learners of

Chinese, and it explores the capabilities of the video conferencing tool: NetMeeting, and partici-

pants’ perceptions of the new learning environment. According to Wang, the new generation

video conferencing tools, such as NetMeeting, allow for better audiovisual interaction between

teachers and students and greatly enrich the learning environment for language learners in virtual

spaces.

Research shows that video conferencing has helped students in a class room setting to pro-

cure cross cultural communication. To be an expert at their second language, students need to de-

velop second language competence, and this includes: intercultural communication competence,

schema competence, pragmatic competence, grammatical competence, socio- cultural competence

and discourse competence. If linguists don’t have all the above-mentioned competences, they lose

motivation to use their second language efficiently. This situation especially applies to students of

DLI, having the socio-cultural linguistic competence is extremely crucial for them. Since students at

DLI learn languages of almost every country in the world, something said which is culturally inap-

propriate in an assigned country can become cataclysmic, and there are reports of such inci-

dences happening. Acquiring sociocultural linguistic competence is on the top of list, while training

military linguists for their mission at DLI. Video-conferencing with natives eliminates these chances

and is paramount. A study done in a university in Seoul, Korea showed that in learning English as

a foreign language, videoconferencing proved to be very effective in class. When forty-five stu-

dents of this class had the opportunity to communicate with the students of seven asian countries
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

they were able to have a two-way communication which was a far superior method to acquire

second language competence. This study was conducted by Mi-Young Jung for her PhD from Ko-

rea University in 2009. Her principal research area is computer-assisted language learning

(CALL). Her interest was also sociolinguistics and second /foreign language acquisition (SLA).

Video-conferencing is effective as it is not one-way learning like that from a book or watching a

YouTube video. Students from diverse backgrounds could come together and engage with each

other in removing language barriers as they develop cultural values through face to face commu-

nication along with linguistic social norms, and this is the core of second language acquisition es-

pecially in the military.

Defense Language Institute has ongoing programs like video tele-conferencing in which

instructors are conducting speaking, and formal listening and reading classes in which students get

instant feedback on both these skills which they find very engaging and productive. Not only are

they able to do one on one sessions with a professor but they get instant feedback. Margaret

Hawkins, a professor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison School of Education, talks about

the advantages of online communication. According to her, online communication provides more

opportunities for expression and meaningful discourse as there is more student engagement and

multidirectional interaction. Technological oral communication enables students in remote areas

from all over the world to communicate. For example, students of linguistics in Australian Universi-

ties could overcome the problem of insufficient contact with native language speakers. Online au-

dio and video tools allow the development of aural, vocal and visual-cognition skills that are im-

portant in verbal and linguistic education. Oral group discussions in the form of video conferenc-

ing can help non-native speakers of a language with natural language negotiation and cultural

intonations in ways that have hitherto not been possible due to geographic isolation/distancing.
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

For second language learners, developing pragmatic competence is far more important

than developing grammatical or discourse competence. Speaking the language with fluency is re-

quired, but it is meaningless if the linguist does not have pragmatic competence. Therefore, study-

ing language in a class room from text books or recorded lectures does not compare to the wealth

of knowledge and skill that comes by speaking or interacting with a native, and video conferenc-

ing provides this. In the research paper on Pragmatic Competence in Foreign Language Education,

Naoko Taguchi from Carnegie Mellon University, talks about the importance of how the textbooks,

instructional material and curricula for language learners are not focused to educate the learners

about pragmatic competence but are more inclined to teach grammatical and discourse compe-

tence. Moreover, grammar appears to be systematically put in in the syllabi but pragmatics are

addressed randomly. Defense Language Institute has culture topics separately taught in English,

but the big question is why they are not integrated in the curriculum that is taught every day in the

target language. This gap can be fulfilled by incorporating video-conferencing with natives.

Furthermore, using mobile devices like smart phones and tablets has become extremely

popular in instruction at the Defense Language Institutes. There are various programs that have

been developed by the faculty and curriculum teams that are being used by students. These pro-

grams are especially geared towards vocabulary retention, improving pronunciation and increas-

ing reading speed. Students simply download these apps and use them anywhere and anytime

they want. Instructors make use of these as well in everyday classrooms to do various activities.

These tools are used to give students homework as well. Moreover, in an article that author Joana

Nortan wrote for British Council, she describe how seamlessly students and teachers can communi-

cate and interact with each other in a both formal and informal learning context. A great activity

that a teacher can do is ask the students to create personal visual story of their daily routine. The

students can take a series of snapshots of the things that they do in a day. An example of this
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE

would be a picture of their alarm clock proceeded by talking about their bed and describing the

way the bed is made, and pictures of exercise equipment and talking about their workout routine.

The students can do this as a homework activity and then take feedback from the teacher in class

or while they video conference.

Overall, incorporation of technology into instruction is one of the standards that the in-

structors have to meet at the Defense Language Institute and video conferencing could be the fu-

ture of this standard. Video conferencing, if used properly, will benefit all linguists learning a lan-

guage and students will be able to develop sociocultural and pragmatic competence. DLI man-

agement should consider making it plenary for graduating students to do video conferencing at

least once every month with their professors in order to maintain and improve their language

skills. Video conferencing can also be used in class for non-graduates as it may be used to interact

with other native professors in different locations so students are exposed to a diverse group of

people who come from different backgrounds and possess unique sociocultural values.

References:

https://conference.pixel-online.net/ICT4LL2012/common/download/Paper_pdf/158-IBT31-FP-
Ip-ICT2012.pdf

https://www.britishcouncil.org/voices-magazine/teaching-tips-how-students-can-use-mobiles-to-
learn-english

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/wol1/doi/10.1002/tesj.112/full

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/suren-ramasubbu/how-technology-can-help-l_b_7489002.html

Taguchi, N., Xiao, F., & Li, S. (2016b). Development of pragmatic knowledge in L2 Chinese: Effects
of intercultural competence and social contact on speech act production in a study abroad
context. Modern Language Journal, 100, 775–796.]
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ROLE OF VIDEO-COFERENCIG IN PRAGMATIC LINGUISTIC COMPETENCE