scholarly journals Introduction: The Crucial Role of Peer-Learning in Language Learning Spaces

2015 ◽  
pp. 286-287
Author(s):  
Katherine Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Easy Access ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Self Directed Learning ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
The Social

Welcome to the second instalment of the Language Learning Spaces: Self-Access in Action column. While the first instalment examined the process of establishing facilities, this second instalment focuses on the role learners themselves play in the ecology of a self-access centre. When the self-access movement first started, many facilities were labelled Resource Centres and centred around providing physical resources (mainly books and audiovisual materials) for self-directed learning for individuals. In recent years, the rise of the Internet, which provides easy access to learning materials and authentic audio and visual from target language countries has challenged proponents of physical self-access spaces to assert their relevance to learners (Reinders, 2012). These technological advances, in addition to the growing recognition of the social dimension of both language learning and learner autonomy (Murray, 2014), have stimulated a shift from a resource-focused approach to self-access language learning, to one which emphasises the social aspect of learning. In some cases, the term self-access has been rejected altogether, in favour of social learning spaces (Murray, Fujishima & Uzuka, 2014). The previous column in SiSAL documented one such reinvention of a resource-based self-access centre into a social space (Allhouse, 2014).

scholarly journals A REVIEW OF MALAYSIAN SUSTAINABLE BUILDING ASSESSMENT TOOLS: THE SOCIAL DIMENSION

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (26) ◽  
pp. 105-110
Author(s):  
Razlin Mansor ◽  
Sheau-Ting Low
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Tools ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
The Social ◽  
Building Assessment ◽  
Development Goals

Building assessment tools have been introduced for nearly two decades to specifically recognize buildings performance towards sustainable development goals. However, the requirements to achieve sustainability in buildings are mainly focused on the environmental and economic aspects, while the significance of social aspects has been scarcely emphasized in many building assessments tools. This paper presents a review of social aspects in the sustainable building assessment tools adopted in Malaysia. In total, four building assessment tools are selected and discussed with the aim to identify to what extent the building assessment tools cover the social dimension. The results of the content analysis indicate that the assessment tools have included partial criteria of social aspects but the scope could further expand to preserve the key features of the social aspects including quality of life, human health, and environmental satisfaction. The findings provide a valuable overview of the building assessment tools and address gaps in existing building assessment tools from a social aspect perspective.

Kommunikationsprobleme Von "Near Native Speakern" Deutsch

1986 ◽  
Vol 25 ◽  
pp. 37-46
Author(s):  
Erika Niehaus
Keyword(s):  
Speech Acts ◽  
Speech Act ◽  
Native Speakers ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Social Situation ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Social Strategies ◽  
The Social ◽  
Indirect Speech Act

Communication has at least two different aspects: the propositi-onal aspect and the social aspect. Any utterance in a face-to-face-interaction therefore has the function to give information and to indicate how the ralation to the other participant is interpreted. In order to establish his communicative goal, the speaker has to analyse the social situation and the preceding context. Depending on this interpretation he selects between the different verbal patterns to perform a certain speech act. This involves for instance the choice of direct/indirect speech act realizations, the selection of certain linguistic elements (modality markers) for downtoning or upgrading the illocutionary force of speech acts. The contrastive analysis of the realizations of the speech act REQUEST in three different dialogue batteries elicited via role play from Dutch learners of German, native speakers of Dutch and native speakers of German has shown 1. that Dutch native speakers use modality markers in different communicative functions than German native speakers, 2. that Dutch learners of German mostly choose the same social strategies when speaking the target language as they do when speaking the mother tongue, 3. that the learners are not always able to establish their modal goal, that is, the are not able to communicate their intentions on an interpersonal level. The reason for this seems to be that in the Netherlands the teaching of German as a second language is mainly a matter of teaching grammatical rules and linguistic expressions without taking into consideration that the meaning of these expressions is pragmaticalley conditioned and that their usage is motivated by the relevant characteris-tics of such social situations.

scholarly journals Exploring the efficacy of pre-service teachers as makers of virtual language/culture learning environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. 14-32
Author(s):  
Sabrina Priego ◽  
Meei-Ling Liaw
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Virtual Environments ◽  
Social Presence ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Computer Assisted Language Learning ◽  
Language And Culture ◽  
The Social

Previous literature in the area of computer assisted language learning in Second/Foreign Language (L2/FL) education has highlighted the benefits of using virtual environments for learning the target language and culture (e.g. Blyth, 2018; Lloyd, Rogerson, & Stead, 2017; Shih, 2015). In addition, a number of researchers have demonstrated that one of the important attributes of virtual environments for language learning is the affordances of physical and social presence (e.g. Cho, Yim, & Paik, 2015; McKerlich, Riis, Anderson, & Eastman, 2011; Peterson, 2011; Wang, Lawless-Reljic, Davies, & Callaghan, 2011). However, to our knowledge, no previous studies have investigated the affordances of virtual environments from the makers’ point of view. In this present study, 22 Canadian pre-service teachers used a 360 degree camera and Virtual Reality (VR) software to construct VR environments that were used as cultural virtual tours. They then invited 24 Taiwanese students to interact with them in their created immersive environments. Analyses of the pre-service teachers’ final written reflections showed that most of them reported that they experienced a sense of physical and social presence in their self-created VR environments and that they enjoyed participating in the VR project. However, various factors, such as the design of the task, technical difficulties with the VR equipment, and limits of the social VR network were also found to have negatively influenced their satisfaction with the VR experience. Findings from this study might inform other L2/FL teachers who design VR environments and integrate social VR in their classes. Suggestions for future research are also provided.

scholarly journals Language Policy in Non-Classroom Language Learning Spaces

2018 ◽  
pp. 156-178
Author(s):  
Katherine Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Language Policy ◽  
Learning Opportunities ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Official Policy ◽  
Classroom Language ◽  
First Languages

As self-access centres become increasingly social in function, the language of the interactions which take place in such language learning spaces (LLSs) and the guidelines or policies which guide their use have become increasingly important. Despite this, little research has been conducted into language policy. This preliminary study surveyed 50 self-access language learning practitioners in 30 institutions around the globe about their language policies and how they are received by different stakeholders, including learners. A range of approaches to language policy are in place, from strict policies that only permit the target language, to more flexible ones that allow or encourage learners’ first languages. Around a third of institutions reported no official policy in place. The data reveals that LLSs with strict policies tend to be found more in EFL contexts, but the factors governing policy choice are complex and depend on local context. While support for all kinds of policies is present in the data set, there is a distinct trend towards flexibility and acknowledgement of the complexity of creating an environment which maximises learning opportunities for all users.

scholarly journals Konstruksi Kearifan Lokal Islam Aboge di Probolinggo

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-29
Author(s):  
Haqqul Yaqin
Keyword(s):  
Social Dimension ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Community Life ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Political Interests ◽  
The Social ◽  
Individual Thing

Religion is a phenomenon associated with many dimensions, including the social dimension. Social thinkers such as Durkheim, Marx, and Weber also imply that religion is essentially more of a social aspect than a purely individual thing. Hence it can be said that there is an inevitable connection between religion as one of the social phenomena with many aspects of community life. Religion can also be said to be inseparable from the influence of the context of the society in which the religion develops. These influences can then be carried away in tradition and it is not uncommon to find that the content of religious interpretation has already contained a tendency of certain political interests.

Principles for code choice in the foreign language classroom: A focus on grammaring

2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 332-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glenn S. Levine
Keyword(s):  
Language Learning ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Classroom Interaction ◽  
Language Education ◽  
Target Language ◽  
Language Pedagogy ◽  
Code Choice ◽  
Language Classroom ◽  
Effective Use

The social and cultural ‘turn’ in language education of recent years has helped move language teaching and curriculum design away from many of the more rigid dogmas of earlier generations, but the issue of the roles of the learners’ first language (L1) in language pedagogy and classroom interaction is far from settled. Some follow a strict ‘exclusive target language’ pedagogy, while others ‘resort to’ the use of the L1 for a variety of purposes (see ACTFL 2008). Underlying these competing views is the perspective of the L1 as an impediment to second language learning. Following sociocultural theory and ecological perspectives of language and learning and based on the findings of research on classroom code-switching and code choice, this paper lays out an approach to the language classroom as a multilingual social space in which learners and teacher study, negotiate, and co-construct code choice norms toward the dynamic, creative, and pedagogically effective use of both the target language and the learners’ L1(s). Learner use of the L1 for the purpose of grammatical or lexical learning is also considered, and some examples for instruction are offered.

scholarly journals Topographies of the afterlife: Reconsidering infant burials in medieval mortuary space

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Hausmair
Keyword(s):  
Social Status ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Burial Practices ◽  
Infant Baptism ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Theories ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Interpretative Framework

Across societies, deaths which take place in early infancy often trigger distinctive responses in burial practices, signifying the ambivalent social status of those who died before they really lived. This paper focuses on burial practices in medieval Central Europe pertaining to children who died before, during or shortly after birth. It discusses the relationship between medieval laity, ecclesiastic power and social space, using three medieval cemeteries in Switzerland and Austria as examples. By integrating considerations of medieval practices of infant baptism, afterlife topography and social theories of space, a methodological and interpretative framework is outlined and employed for approaching burials of early-deceased infants, the social dimension of related local burial practices, and processes of power negotiation between medieval laypeople and church authorities.

scholarly journals Beyond climatic intervention: The social dimension of a biogas project in Sogwala village, Zimbabwe

2020 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
Nyaradzo Dhliwayo ◽  
Nelson Chanza ◽  
Anton De Wit
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Dimension ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Field Reconnaissance ◽  
Climate Change Responses ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Impact

There is now considerable interest to understand how local communities experiencing climatic risks can benefit from climate change responses. As this agenda unfolds, there is need to understand the impact of climate-related interventions from the perspective of local populations targeted by such projects. Existing assessment approaches tend to concentrate on the environmental and economic impacts of projects that minimise greenhouse gas emissions. This study assesses the social aspect of a domestic biogas project that was intended to address the twin challenges of poverty and climate change in Sogwala village, Zimbabwe. A three-tier methodological execution process was adopted, involving field reconnaissance, household survey and key informant interviews. The focus was on measuring the social dimension of the changes brought about by the project, from the experiences of participating households. With a consciousness of assessment challenges associated with community projects, social capital parameters were used to assess the project’s contribution to the social well-being of the villagers. Overall, results show that the biogas project has the potential to facilitate social development through improved trust and social networks. Despite the contested climatic benefits associated with small-scale household biogas digesters, projects of this nature can enhance community relationships and networks, upon which other development interventions can be operationalised.

scholarly journals Social Language Learning Spaces: Globalization Glocalized

2017 ◽  
pp. 235-246
Author(s):  
Garold Murray ◽  
Mariko Uzuka ◽  
Naomi Fujishima
Keyword(s):  
International Students ◽  
Social Learning ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Japanese Society ◽  
Theoretical Orientation ◽  
Learning Spaces ◽  
Learning Space ◽  
The Social ◽  
National University ◽  
Local Students

In this era of globalization, Japanese universities will have to accommodate an increasing number of local students wishing to learn foreign languages and they will also have to welcome more international students to their campuses. While universities will undoubtedly take steps to ensure that both groups have positive educational and intercultural experiences, we contend that it is also incumbent upon them to implement measures designed to facilitate the adaptation of international students to Japanese society. In this article, we examine the role social learning spaces can play in helping universities respond to these challenges. We argue that these facilities can make an invaluable contribution by supporting language learning and cross-cultural acclimatization for both international and Japanese students. The term social learning spaces refers to places where students can come together in an informal or quasi-formal environment in order to learn from and with each other. To illustrate our points, we draw on the data from a five-year ethnographic inquiry carried out at one such facility on the campus of a large national university. After describing the social learning space, outlining the study, and tracing the theoretical orientation guiding the interpretation of the data, we focus on the benefits social learning spaces can afford international students wishing to improve their language skills and adapt to Japanese society. To conclude, we reflect on how social learning spaces can support the process of glocalization by making local universities more globalized places.

scholarly journals Limitations and transformations in the social space of coronacrisis: assessments of regions during the COVID-19 pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 32-50
Author(s):  
Sergey Gordeev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Path Dependence ◽  
Social Space ◽  
Social Constraints ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Spatial Transformation ◽  
Economic Space ◽  
Spatial Transformations ◽  
The Social ◽  
Economic Transformations ◽  
Industrial Regions

The realities of the coronavirus crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, in many cases, become decisive for adjusting the prospects for socio-economic development. The article presents the main results of studying the social aspect of the pandemic in the context of social heterogeneity and specific regional differences. The main points of the study are focused on analyzing the dynamics of the pandemic spreading in Russia’s regions, the specifics and effectiveness of social restrictions, and the transformation of social space. The analysis of the pandemic dynamics was carried out taking into account the information from four large industrial regions in the center of Russia and the Urals. As part of the analysis, a number of problematic issues of the social constraints effectiveness are considered, among which there are the following ones: specificity of the pandemic dynamics by regions in the context of various options for self-isolation, factors of «Path Dependence» of the social space, the consequences of redundant restrictions, social «fatigue» and «erosion» of requirements for isolation. From the viewpoint of updating the transformation priorities - spatial transformations during a pandemic, the following aspects are considered: background for moving from isolation restrictions to spatial transformations, regional employment specificity, socio-economic priorities of spatial transformation, problem-oriented zoning of a heterogeneous socio-economic space. The study is aimed at developing an adequate authorities’ and society’s response to the problems of coronacrisis, forming a regionally adapted set of measures and strategies of socio-economic transformations during the pandemic, creating a basis for solving interdisciplinary issues in the subsequent situation of «normality 2020».

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