M A S T E R T I T L E

Second Language Learners’ Perceptions of Email

Communication in English

Jia Ma Queen’s University TESL Ontario, 2010

Copyright Jia Ma (2010). This work is the intellectual property of the author. Permission is granted

for this material to be shared for non-commercial, educational purposes, provided that this copyright statement appears on the reproduced materials and notice is given that the copying is by permission of the author. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the author.

Overview

• Rationale• Purpose• Research questions• Methodology• Data collection and analysis• Results• Implications• Resources

Rationale

• Experience of email communication

• Literature about email communication

Rationale—Experience

• My own experience From the year of 2000, constant email

communications with native-English speakers

• My change in English language learningo Like writingo Larger amount of writing in comparatively less timeo Fewer grammar errorso More imitations of words, phrases and styles used by

native-English speakers

Rationale—Literature review

• Potential of integrating email communication in language learningoLearner-centered and active learning (Haworth, 1999;

MeLester, 2001; Sabieh, 2001)oQuantity of writing (Gonzalez-Bueno & Perez, 2000;

Barile & Durso, 2002)oCultural learning (Jogan, Heredia & Aguilera, 2001;

Hilton & Kameda, 1999; Warschauer, 1996)oSocial interactions (Baron, 1998; Bloch, 2002)oPurposeful writing (Fedderholdt, 2001; Jung, 1999 )

Rationale—Literature review (cont.)

• By 2000, there were over 800 million people using email, and about 100 million email are sent each day (Crystal, 2001).

• More than 50,000 email discussion lists are operating; many of them are related to language learning (Gaer, 1999).

• However…

Purpose

• The purpose of the study is to learn how ESL learners see the effect of regular email communication in English on their English learning, cultural learning and social interactions.

Research Questions

• Environment for English learning

• English language learning

• Cultural learning and the development of social interactions

Methodology

• Qualitative Methodso Analysis of Email samples o In-depth Interview

• Participants Four students at Queen’s University owho speak English as a second language; owho have at least one-year experience using email

communication in English; owho view English email communication has some

effect on them

Data collection and analysis

• Data of Email sampleso6 emails with around 200 words of each participant

3 of personal interactions 3 of school work

• Data of In-depth interviewso4 one-hour interview with each participants

Data collection and analysis (cont.)

• Research instrumentoEmail analysis checklisto Interview guide

• Analysis oEmail sample analysiso Interview data analysis

Results

• Environment

o “Self-created” learning environment

oComfortable and relaxed environment

oSense of audience

Results (cont.)

• English learning

oVocabulary

oThinking in and understanding English

oDeveloping writing conventions short paragraphs, connection words, repetition of terminology

Results (cont.)

• Cultural learning and development of social interactions

oLearning knowledge of English language culture and of Canadian culture

oTo maintain and build friendly relationships

Implications

• Practice

oFor language teachers

oFor language learners

oFor native-English-speaking email users

Implications (cont.)

• Future research

oEmotional colouring & compensation for language proficiency

oLongitudinal study—vocabulary variety and English emails

Resources

• Linguistic Funland http://www.linguistic-funland.com

• Internet for English Teaching

Warschauer, M., Shetzer, H., & Meloni, C. (2000).

Internet for English Teaching. Alexandria, Virginia: Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.

Next time when sending emails…