Expert Talks

Abstracts, readings, recorded sessions

S01: EXPLORATORY PRACTICE – MIRJAM HAUCK

This session is an introduction to “exploratory practice” (Allwright & Hanks, 2009) also referred to as “inclusive practitioner research” which starts from the premise that  “[t]he first two parties for research on education are the teachers and the learners” (p. 145). Exploratory practice attempts to bridge the teacher-researcher gap by focusing primarily on teachers, by trying…

S02: PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH – JONTY RIX

This session will give a brief overview of the history of participatory research, followed by consideration of the various ways in which it is understood and undertaken. Drawing upon two extensive systematic reviews, there will be a discussion about the nature of participation within participatory research, which will then be exemplified with tales and findings…

S03: CORPUS LINGUISTICS AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS – SALLY HUNT

Corpus Linguistics uses specialised software to analyse language in terms of the patterns found in large collections of texts. Any approach to how language works, including syntax, language acquisition, semantics, and so on, can make profitable use of the tools of corpus linguistics. This session will illustrate how the power of CL software can be…

S04: DISCOURSE ANALYSIS – JOHANNES ANGERMULLER

In specialized as well as in everyday discourse, individuals usually use texts to understand their meaning in a community. Understanding is indeed the spontaneous mode of dealing with intellectual discourse since texts are written to convey a message to be understood by the readers. Accordingly, in the social sciences and humanities, many interpretive methodologies have…

S05: EYETRACKING IN A SOCIO-CULTURAL FRAMEWORK – URSULA STICKLER & LIJING SHI

Eyetracking has been used in Applied Linguistics research mainly for reading and related tasks. However, eyetracking can also give us information about the focus of attention during synchronous online speaking tasks. By recording students’ and teachers’ gaze movements during computer-mediated tutorials we can make tentative claims about their attention. Stimulated reflection interviews based on viewing…

S06: ETHNOGRAPHIC DISCOURSE STUDIES: HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS – JASPAL NAVEEL SINGH

In this lecture, I will provide a historical sketch of the foundations of ethnographic discourse studies. Students will learn how, over the course of the last century, the ethnographic study of discourse has developed a rigorous understanding of the importance of context and contextualisation. Contexts make discursive fragments socially meaningful and context is therefore also…

S07: GROUNDED THEORY IN PRACTICE – HELENE PULKER

There are many methodologies for qualitative studies, and it is often difficult to decide which approach to adopt. Grounded theory is one of the most complex and yet most rewarding methods. This presentation will summarise the three main approaches to grounded theory, give an overview of its advantages and pitfalls and, finally provide an example…

S08: ETHNOGRAPHIC METHOD – JACKIE TUCK

This session will explore the use of ethnographic approaches to research. We’ll consider what may (and may not be) core to an ethnographic perspective, some of its theoretical underpinnings, and look at the affordances and possible drawbacks of conducting an ethnographic study. Jackie will illustrate using examples, particularly from her own field of literacies research,…

S09: USING INTERVIEWS AS A RESEARCH INSTRUMENT – CHRISTINE PLEINES

This session focusses on theoretical and practical aspects of using interviews for collecting data within a qualitative or mixed-methods research design. We will refer to different types of interview, and consider the advantages, drawbacks and relevant critiques of this popular research instrument. Participants are encouraged to talk about their own intentions and experiences and share…

S10: MAPPING FOR NON-LINEAR DATA ANALYSIS – MARTINA EMKE

In this interactive session we will explore in what ways maps and mapping can be helpful for doctoral research, in particular for data analysis. The facilitator will draw on mappings from her own thesis on freelance language teachers’ Twitter-based professional development to illustrate how maps can disrupt linear thinking and help gain deeper insights into…

S11: THEMATIC ANALYSIS – ALISON TWINER

In this session we will explore the background to thematic analysis as a method, including its theoretical flexibility, and scope of application. We will look at different models of thematic analysis, but will focus predominantly on Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis (see suggested reading). We will consider the kinds of data and research questions…

S12: FROM SCHOOLBOY TO NURSE TO LECTURER TO COUNSELLOR: AN AUTO ETHNOGRAPHY OF DECONSTRUCTIONS AND RECONSTRUCTIONS OF THE SELF AS A LEARNER – NEIL SUMMERS

This study explores the constructs of self and how learning has been influenced over a lifespan. Autoethnographic narrative methods were used to explore key learning experiences using a timeline to trace significant occurrences that influenced learning over a lifespan. This story telling method is used to illuminate and build historical narratives to challenge and shape…

S13: INTERACTIVE ALIGNMENT – MARCO CAPPELLINI

This module will provide an introduction into the theory of interactive alignment. The first part will be a presentation of the overall lines of the theory and its implications for second language acquisition. The second part will be a hands-on activity using some freely available NLP tools to have a first analysis of lexical alignment.…