Noticing of Pragmatic Features from a Video Model
Paul Richards
Indiana University - Bloomington
Abstract
According to Schmidt’s (2001) noticing hypothesis, attention to input plays a critical role in second language development. As Bardovi-Harlig and Hartford (1993) point out, however, nonnative speakers (NNSs) do not always have access to relevant input, such as in the case of academic advising sessions, which are typically private. This study investigates what pragmatic features NNS international students notice from a video model of a native speaker undergraduate student and academic advisor performing an advising session roleplay. The roleplay was designed after observing 15 advising sessions and consulting with academic advisors at the institution.
Participants (N = 25) were randomly assigned to experimental and comparison groups. Both groups completed the same advising session roleplay, which was designed to elicit refusals. Participants in the experimental group then viewed the video roleplay, while participants in the comparison group observed a video on how to prepare for an advising session. Participants in both groups took notes while watching their respective videos and then repeated the roleplay.
Noticing was identified through ‘uptake’, incorporation of forms from the video roleplay (Sydorenko & Tuason, 2016). Potential instances of uptake were compared against participant notes. Six out of 13 participants in the experimental group showed uptake of the semantic formula of [alternative], which was depicted in the video roleplay. Only one participant in the comparison group used an [alternative] during the second performance of the roleplay. Participant notes illustrate noticing from the roleplay video. Examples (1) and (2) show how noticing was triangulated for participant (E2).
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<First roleplay>
Advisor: I recommend going ahead and taking Math M118
E2: I don't want to
[Input] (Video roleplay): Are there more options to replace that math supplement?
[Noticing] (E2 Notes): Math is not good idea (more option)
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<Second roleplay>
Advisor: I recommend that you go ahead and take Math M118
E2: No I don't want to take it. Can I replace this course?
The study finds that participants were able to incorporate relevant semantic formulas into production following exposure to input, although they often maintained elements of the semantic formulas used during the first roleplay, as in (2). This study also finds that participants made use of the words ‘replace’ and ‘option’ from the video model, suggesting some noticing and uptake of form. This aligns with Koike’s (1989) finding that transparent lexical items facilitated nonnative speaker identification of speech acts.