ET917-10 Language and Interaction in Context
Introductory description
When working in an intercultural context, the ability to spot potential problems caused by language use could be extremely useful. Intercultural competence is essentially about awareness of a range of issues and understanding language in context is one of the most important of these. This module will critically examine different theoretical approaches associated with communication, and students will learn how to identify different types of communication across cultures, exploring recent research in the area of language and interaction. Students will learn how to analyse and describe interaction in intercultural contexts leading to a small scale research project of their choice.
Module aims
The aims of this module are to:
- Critically examine different theoretical approaches, models and concepts associated with communication as well as key theories of language and interaction
- Identify different types of communication across cultures
- Explore recent research in the area of language and interaction and methodologies used for researching this topic
- Analyse and describe processes involved in interaction in intercultural contexts
- Relate theoretical models and concepts to authentic examples of different communication types.
- Provide an opportunity to conduct a small scale research project in an intercultural context of their choice
Outline syllabus
This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.
1 Language and social Interaction
2 Talk in context
3 Interactional Resources
4 Discursive Practices
5 A framework for describing discursive practices
6 Interactional Competence
7 Co-constructing identity
8 Summary and Project Plans
Learning outcomes
By the end of the module, students should be able to:
- - Relate theoretical models and concepts to authentic examples of intercultural interaction- Analyse different types of intercultural communication- Plan a small scale research project on the analysis of a communicative event in an intercultural context.
Indicative reading list
Young, R.F (2008) Language and Interaction: an advanced resource book
Goffman, E. (1981) Forms of Talk Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania
Hutchby, I., & Wooffitt, R. (1998). Conversation Analysis: Principles, practices and applications.
Cambridge: Polity.
Hymes, D.H. (1971). On communicative competence. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania
Press.
Ikas, K., & Wagner, G. (Eds.). (2009). Communicating in the third space. Abingdon: Routledge
Kiesling, S. F., & Bratt Paulston, C. (2005) Intercultural discourse and communication: The
essential readings. Oxford: Blackwell
Morson, G.S., & Emerson, C. (1990). Mikhail Bakhtin: Creation of a poetics. Stanford: Stanford University Press
Scheff, T. (2006). Goffman unbound!: A new paradigm for social science. Boulder, Colorado: Paradigm Publishers.
Searle, J.R. (1969). Speech Acts: An essay in the philosophy of language. Cambridge: University Press.
View reading list on Talis Aspire
Research element
In this module students complete an ethics form and gain consent from participants before recording a natural conversation in which they participate. They then transcribe a part of the interaction and analyse the data closely using frameworks and theories discussed in the module. This allows them to develop research skills used in ethnography and discourse analysis.
International
The students on this module come from a variety of backgrounds, countries and ethnicities. These are a rich resource for module discussion on questions of intercultural pragmatics, identity, discursive practices and so on. Students thus gain a better appreciation of their own position in the world and that of their peers.
Subject specific skills
- Analyse different types of intercultural communication
- Plan a small scale research project on the analysis of a communicative event in an intercultural context
Transferable skills
- Communicate clearly and contribute effectively to discussions
- Work collaboratively in teams
- Read academic papers effectively
- Communicate ideas effectively in writing, using appropriate wording and structure
- Work independently
- Plan and manage time and workload to meet deadlines
Study time
| Type | Required |
|---|---|
| Lectures | 8 sessions of 2 hours (16%) |
| Seminars | 10 sessions of (0%) |
| Private study | 84 hours (84%) |
| Total | 100 hours |
Private study description
Students are given weekly readings and homework tasks such as analysing short interactions that they have overheard. The assignment requires transcription of between 3 – 4 minutes of a conversation which may take up to an hour per minute. The weekly PowerPoint is uploaded to Moodle for students to review, along with access to a student-paced online presentation of the material. It is estimated that the student should spend 8 hours a week on reading and 20 hours on the assignment.
Costs
No further costs have been identified for this module.
You must pass all assessment components to pass the module.
Assessment group A1
| Weighting | Study time | Eligible for self-certification | |
|---|---|---|---|
Assessment component |
|||
| Written assignment | 100% | Yes (extension) | |
Reassessment component is the same |
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Feedback on assessment
Students must record a natural, unscripted speech event in which they are one of the participants. (Consent must be obtained in advance.) They will transcribe a few minutes of this event. Then, in an essay format, they will then analyse the discursive practices that are evident in the speech event using, as appropriate, the various frameworks studied in the module. Finally they must choose one aspect of the interaction (eg. turn taking, identity management, participant roles etc.) and relate relevant research and theory to the data in the speech event.
Courses
This module is Optional for:
- Year 1 of TETS-X9PL Postgraduate Diploma in Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions
- Year 1 of TETS-X9PM Postgraduate Diploma in Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions
- Year 1 of TIMA-L981 Postgraduate Social Science Research
- Year 1 of TETS-X9PJ Postgraduate Taught Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions
- Year 1 of TETS-X9PT Postgraduate Taught Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions (Part-time - 2 years)
This module is Option list B for:
- Year 1 of TETS-X9PJ Postgraduate Taught Intercultural Communication for Business and the Professions