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Language and Culture in Sync:
Teaching Linguistic Politeness and Intercultural Awareness

June 24–July 12, 2024
Asynchronous* 3-week online summer institute


Noriko Ishihara

A truly daunting challenge for second language learners is to adjust their language use so that it is socially acceptable for a variety of sociocultural contexts. How, for example, are learners supposed to address strangers, close friends, or people of higher social status in the L2 culture? Although acquiring culturally-sensitive discourse practices can take learners many years, research has shown that the process can be facilitated through explicit instruction.

This institute provides practical insights for teachers on how to enhance the learning of linguistic politeness/pragmatics and boost students' intercultural awareness of linguacultural diversity. Participants will have hands-on opportunities to develop activities and materials for the classroom.

Program Schedule
Week 1
  • Terms and Definitions for Teaching Linguistic Politeness (Pragmatics)
  • Recording and Studying Language Use
  • Needs Assessment for (Im)politeness, (In)directness, and (In)formality
Week 2
  • Theories and Practices in Applied Linguistics and Instructional Pragmatics
  • Pragmatics-Focused Lessons
  • Exploring Instructional Resources
  • Classroom-Based Assessment of Pragmatics
Week 3
  • Textbook Analysis and Adaptation
  • Teaching Pragmatics in Lingua Franca or Other Culturally Diverse Contexts
  • Developing Lesson Plans and Exchanging Feedback
  • Goal-Setting for the Future

After this institute, participants will be able to:

  • Identify general similarities, differences, and variation in face and politeness in at least two languages;

  • Identify learners' needs in intercultural communication;

  • Develop pragmatics-focused instruction and assessments that incorporate research-based information; and

  • Demonstrate awareness of the link between sociocultural identities and pragmatic choices and develop culturally-sensitive instruction and assessments based on this awareness.


Instructor

Noriko Ishihara is a Professor of Applied Linguistics and (T)ESOL at Hosei University, Japan. She has designed and researched pragmatics-focused instruction and classroom-based assessment in ESL, EFL, and Japanese. She has been facilitating professional development for language teachers in Japan, the US, and elsewhere since 2005 and is the author of a teachers' guide, Teaching and Learning Pragmatics: Where Language and Culture Meet (2nd edition).

Target Audience: Elementary to postsecondary foreign language and ESL teachers, material developers, curriculum coordinators, teacher educators, administrators, and researchers.

*IMPORTANT NOTES FOR THIS ASYNCHRONOUS ONLINE INSTITUTE:

  • Book Purchase: The book Teaching and Learning Pragmatics: Where Language and Culture Meet (2nd edition) is required for this online institute. The paperback version of the book (ISBN: 978-0367767082) is approximately $47 USD; the cost of an ebook version from Amazon is approximately $33. You may also be able to request a copy from your school or university library.
  • This institute is almost entirely asynchronous (not real time) with two deadlines each week.
  • You must keep up with assignments each week as they build on each other. Many assignments involve facilitation from the instructor and/or collaboration with other participants.
  • This institute will require a minimum of 12 hours of work per week.
  • Make sure you can meet the tech requirements for this institute.

Priority Teacher Professional Development Scholarship Program

Logo - PriorityThe Priority Teacher Professional Development Scholarship program is designed to promote equity and access to affordable professional development for world language educators who are currently teaching at a Community College, Minority Serving Institution, or Historically Black College/University in the United States and/or are currently teaching a Less Commonly Taught Language in the United States. The program provides funding for selected teachers in these categories to attend a CARLA Summer Institute for no charge.

Learn more and apply on the Priority Teacher Professional Development Scholarship website.

Quote MarksRight quote marksI would highly recommend this CARLA Summer Institute to any language educator. It fit every language and provided an excellent balance of research and ways to apply this information to our specific teaching contexts.
Maggie Rutkowskii, 2023 Institute Participant
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