Chatting in Paragraphs: Towards Academic Discourse in Foreign Language Chat

Abstract

Abstract: This paper presents a case study of an individual student’s increasing approximation of academic discourse during a third-semester Spanish class that included chat-based instruction. During both chat-based activities and oral discussions in class, the student’s language use became increasingly characterized by longer turns and the use of subordination to express opinions. At the same time, her engagement in online play decreased over the course of the semester. This case suggests that, depending on the overall instructional context in which text-based chat is integrated, this medium, which is generally assumed to be social and informal, may actually be flexible enough to also support the development of academic discourse. Furthermore, the detailed description of language use and development across online and off-line environments invites consideration of the relationship between chatting and speaking.