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| 2. |
- Aida Niendorf, Mariya, PhD, et al.
(författare)
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Perceptions of intercultural communication in multilingual Swedish workplaces : Findings from a pilot study
- 2023
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Contemporary workplaces are often characterized by diversity, involving participants from multiple linguistic and cultural traditions (e.g., Angouri, 2014). In such settings, participants draw on their rich cultural assumptions and values to co-construct meaning (e.g., Takamiya & Aida Niendorf, 2019), as language use and communication patterns have been found to be inextricably linked to different group belongings. While diversity enriches workplace interaction linguistically and culturally, it also presents “communicative challenges to many employers and co-workers” (Holmes, 2018, p. 335). These communicative challenges include increased likelihood of miscommunication, social exclusion (Lønsmann, 2014), and limited interpersonal communication (Tange & Lauring, 2009). While considerable research has been devoted to understanding intercultural workplaces communication, little research exists on the linguistically and culturally diverse Swedish workplace. To gain greater insights into how diversity may enrich workplace interaction and the communicative challenges employees may experience, this pilot study explores employees’ attitudes to and beliefs about intercultural communication in the Swedish workplace. The pilot study is part of a larger project on digital professional communication in multilingual workplaces in Sweden. Five employees in managerial positions in Swedish higher education and corporations were interviewed. We adopt a critical intercultural communication approach, seeing “culture” as a dynamic concept, which employees may attribute to self and others, and (dis-)align with in different ways. Findings show that: (a) language competence in English is seen as indexing general competence; (b) categorisations of cultures are prevalent: Participants often view culture as synonymous with nation and point at differences between groups as a challenge to achieve effective communication; (c) identity and face are foregrounded: Some participants feel like a different person when using a different language, while others see a specific language as a way to adopt a different persona or professional role; and (d) culture and language are used to explain group dynamics (e.g., feeling as an outsider or as part of the group), and as tools to actively integrate or exclude others. The material has raised our awareness about not seeing the workplace as a monolith, but workplaces may be marked by internal variation when it comes to intercultural communication. References Angouri, J. (2014). Multilingualism in the workplace: Language practices in multicultural contexts. Multilingua 33, 1-9. Holmes, J. (2018). Intercultural communication in the workplace. In B. Vine (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of language in the workplace (pp. 335-347). Routledge. Lønsmann, D. (2014). Linguistic diversity in the international workplace: Language ideologies and processes of exclusion. Multilingua 33, 89–116. Takamiya, Y. & Aida Niendorf, M. (2019). Identity (re)construction and improvement in intercultural competence through synchronous and asynchronous telecollaboration: Connecting Japanese language learners in the United States and Sweden. In Zimmerman, E. & McMeekin, A. (Eds.), Technology-supported learning in and out of the Japanese language classroom: Theoretical, empirical, and pedagogical developments (pp. 111-145). Bristol: Multilingual Matters. Tange, H., & Lauring, J. (2009). Language management and social interaction within the multilingual workplace. Journal of Communication Management 13(3), 218–232.
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| 3. |
- Garcia-Yeste, Miguel, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Applied Linguistics, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Communicative practices in the multilingual workplace in Sweden : Lay categorisations of languages
- 2023
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Contemporary workplaces are characterized by diversity, involving participants from multiple linguistic and cultural traditions. In such settings, translanguaging is considered a common practice in which multilinguals “create an apparently seamless flow between languages and language varieties and to transcend the boundaries between named languages and/or language varieties as well as the boundaries between language and other semiotic systems” (Hua et al., 2022, p. 315). Little research, however, exists on such practices in multilingual workplaces (Du & Zhou, 2022), and even less on the linguistically diverse Swedish workplace. To gain greater insight into the seamlessness, transcendence, and boundaries such language users create and perceive, we explore the communication practices of employees in different Swedish workplaces. As an initial departure point, five employees in managerial positions were interviewed in the pilot study. We adopt a critical intercultural communication approach, seeing “culture” as a dynamic concept, which employees may attribute to self and others, and (dis-)align with in different ways. Findings show that categorisations of languages are prevalent, with participants applying a scale of linguistic sophistication or complexity and ranking formality conventions on a strong-to-weak scale. When categorising people and groups, participants foreground identity and face, and group dynamics is a recurring theme, with distinctions made between groups and orientations. This presentation focuses on participants’ descriptions of L1 and L2 identities and their perceived effects on workplace communication. Findings suggest that translanguaging has yet to be commonplace in the workplaces we investigated and shed light on lay perspectives on (trans)languaging in the workplace.ReferencesDu, J., & Zhou, X. (2022). Translanguaging practices in Chinese/English bilingual engineers’ communications in the workplace. Applied Linguistics Review, 13(3), 389-402.Hua, Z., Jones, R.H. & Jaworska, S. (2022). Acts of distinction at times of crisis: An epistemological challenge to intercultural communication research. Language and Intercultural Communication, 22(3), 312-323.
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| 4. |
- Garcia-Yeste, Miguel, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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Digital communication in professional contexts : Video meetings in multilingual workplaces in Sweden
- 2023
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Ingår i: 2nd International Conference On Digital Linguistics, University Of Alicante, Spain, May 4-5, 2023.
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- In this talk, we present a research project that we plan to launch in late 2023. The aim of the project is to investigate professional communication in video meetings, which is justified given their growing importance in the modern and post-pandemic workplace. The setting is workplaces in Sweden where English is used as a lingua franca, due to the increasing societal impact of multilingual workplaces. In the specific context of study, communication is embedded in several layers of complexity: It takes place in an institutional setting; it is digital and takes place in video mode; it is done across cultures and marked by diversity; and it is done partly in English as a lingua franca. The project focuses on internal communication within the workplace and does not consider external communication, for example involving customers. The overarching research question is: What factors contribute to (un)successful digital intercultural interactions in multilingual workplaces, specifically in video meetings? To map the characteristics of video meetings, we compare them to in-person meetings. We thus ask: (a) What (perceived and actual) differences and similarities are there between digital and in-person workplace meetings? To map the video meeting as a genre, we ask: (b) What are the key structural, linguistic, and interactional patterns of the video meeting? Given the central role of English as a lingua franca in these workplaces, we ask: (c) To what extent and how does English language proficiency—including participants’ beliefs about and attitudes to English language proficiency—affect workplace communication in digital intercultural interactions? Finally, we adopt a critical intercultural communication approach, seeing ‘culture’ as a dynamic concept (e.g., Hua et al., 2022), which employees may attribute to self and others, and (dis-)align with in different ways. We ask: (d) To what extent and how is culture seen as relevant in multilingual workplaces? Participants will be interviewed about communication practices in the workplace both individually and in focus groups. We will also record and analyze samples of (i) video and (ii) in-person meetings, to enable triangulation of different types of data. We conclude by discussing how the project's findings can be used as a basis for best practices and for developing workplace communication training materials.
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| 5. |
- Garcia-Yeste, Miguel, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Applied Linguistics, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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From “go to the writing centre” to “we can work on these things ourselves”: University lecturers’ changing views on Academic Literacies in the Social Sciences
- 2024
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the last few decades, Higher Education institutions in Sweden and across the globe have been working on widened participation, sustainable development, and increased accessibility to university studies. The impact of these initiatives can be seen in today’s student populations, which are characterised by diversity and a wider range of academic skills. Other effects, however, include (a) concerns about lowering standards, (b) a discourse of deficit that focuses on the knowledge and skills students lack, and (c) a remedial approach to tackle said deficits. A common (mis)conception is that students lack language skills (e.g., language proficiency, writing skills) and that referring students to writing centres will solve the issue. However, research (e.g., Blåsjö, 2004; Barton, 2007; Shanahan & Shanahan, 2012; Wingate, 2012; Catell, 2013; Solheim et al. 2022) shows that integrating literacy efforts within disciplines is a more effective way to scaffold student learning. This presentation reports on preliminary findings from an ongoing empirical study on teaching practices for the development of university student’s academic literacies in the social sciences. In particular, the focus is on the changing views of teaching staff on scaffolding and the role of academic literacies in the students’ learning journey. The study rests on Academic Literacies (Lea & Street, 1998; Lillis, 2003; Lea, 2004; Eklund Heinonen et al., 2018) as its theoretical framework. The data consists of: (a) video-recorded ethnographic interviews with two lecturers in an undergraduate programme in the Social Sciences; (b) text analyses of, e.g., assignment instructions, feedback provided by lecturers, and samples of student writing; and (c) workshop-style sessions where the informants were given opportunities to explore hands-on strategies to scaffold the development of their students’ academic literacies.The results show a change from a discourse of deficit and a remedial approach to integrating academic literacies in the discipline. More specifically, the findings illustrate the lecturers’ changing views in relation to:1. The students’ needs: From basic proficiency to disciplinary practices. 2. The lecturers’ own abilities: From outsourcing to collaboration.3. Teaching practices: Modelling, strategy use, and formative feedback emerge as useful scaffolding tools. 4. The role of writing in the development of content knowledge.This study highlights the benefits of a collaboration between researchers at a writing centre and subject lecturers. The results show that applied linguistics can contribute to scaffolding the students’ learning journey by fostering engagement with disciplinary discourse to build disciplinary knowledge.
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| 7. |
- Garcia-Yeste, Miguel, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Integrating reference practices and information literacy in academic writing: A collaboration between faculty and library
- 2016
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Ingår i: Nordic Journal of Information Literacy in Higher Education. Vol 8, No 1 (2016): Creating Knowledge VIII - Special Issue. Creating Knowledge VIII, Reykjavík 2-3 June 2016. - : Universtity of Bergen Library. - 1890-5900.
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of our presentation is to show the advantages of collaboration between faculty and library when it comes to introducing students to different aspects of academic writing. We will share our experience on integrating reference practices, reference management software (Zotero) and information searching into the curriculum. The English Studies section at the Department of Languages and Literatures and the University Library at Gothenburg University have a history of collaboration at all undergraduate levels in order to support the development of the students’ information literacy. During 2014-2015 the courses in academic writing have been revised, which has led to rethinking the collaboration with the library. The syllabus has been redesigned following the principle of progression, so that students: (a) learn the formal aspect and style basics of academic writing (first term); (b) critically assess previous research and identify a gap for future research (second term); and (c) pose an original research question in the form of a research proposal (third term). As a result of the close collaboration between faculty and library, the course progression described above is also reflected in the library sessions. In an attempt to address some aspects of academic and digital literacy more explicitly, the library sessions (offered to the students in the form of workshops) have been designed to: (a) use reference practices as a starting point to explore information searching and metadata; and (b) to integrate the use of digital tools specific to academia. In addition, specific tasks have been designed in collaboration between the teacher and the librarians for the students to work on during the library sessions. These tasks must then be submitted as part of the students’ coursework. In our presentation, we discuss and evaluate the outcomes of this initiative, as well as the students’ perceptions.
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| 9. |
- Garcia-Yeste, Miguel, PhD, Senior Lecturer in English Applied Linguistics, 1983-, et al.
(författare)
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“The best way to explain it is to do it” : An ongoing empirical study focusing on how university teaching staff use modelling to help students develop their academic literacies
- 2023
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Over the last few decades, Swedish Higher Education institutions have been working on widened participation (Högskolelagen, 1992, p.1434) as part of a wider effort towards sustainable development and increased accessibility to university studies (Agenda 2030). As a consequence, student populations today bring with them a wider range of academic skills. This, in turn, means that teaching staff across disciplines face a myriad of challenges. In our presentation, we discuss an ongoing empirical study on teaching practices for the development of university students’ academic literacies in the social sciences, with a particular focus on the role of modelling as a teaching strategy. Using Academic Literacies (Lea & Street, 1998; Lillis, 2003; Lea, 2004; Eklund Heinonen et al., 2018) as the theoretical framework, the study aims at (a) identifying challenges as experienced by teaching staff in the Social Sciences, and (b) carrying out a pedagogical intervention. The project, which is a collaboration between two lecturers from the Social Sciences and two researchers from the Language Support Unit, comprises four stages, namely: (1) a needs analysis to map the faculty’s existing teaching practices and to identify their challenges in relation to their students’ academic skills; (2) planning of a pedagogical intervention through a series of workshops; (3) implementation of the intervention; and (4) assessment of the project. So far, the findings reveal that modelling is a crucial teaching strategy in making tacit knowledge and task instructions explicit. The project is also expected to contribute to our understanding of (a) the challenges teaching staff experience in Swedish Higher Education today and (b) how to best support university students’ development of academic literacies. Furthermore, the project’s findings will be used to develop a course for professional development targeting teaching staff at our university.
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| 10. |
- Negretti, Raffaella, 1971, et al.
(författare)
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"Lunch keeps people apart": Social interaction in a multilingual workplace
- 2014
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Ingår i: English in Europe conference, Prague. ; March 22-23
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Konferensbidrag (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Language practices have been extensively investigated in the context of multinational companies, especially from a language management perspective (e.g. Angouri & Miglbauer, 2013; Tange & Lauring, 2009; Marschan-Piekkarai et. al., 1999). Previous research has explored issues of informal communication and language choices, indicating that social interaction in the workplace is crucial for information sharing and rapport establishment. However, little attention has been paid to workplaces within the knowledge industry (e.g. research centres), even though they are also experiencing a process of internationalization, and despite evidence suggesting that informal knowledge sharing in a university department is key to a favourable social climate (Lauring and Selmer, 2011). Thus, there is a need for research exploring everyday language practices connected to social interaction, sociocultural adjustment, and rapport management in the context of multilingual research-based workplaces. We investigate the role language (mostly English, but not exclusively) plays in everyday socialization between employees with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Language practices are tied to issues such as social identity, professional role and access to power, often to the detriment of the less proficient speakers (Canagarajah, 2013). These issues remain unexplored in multinational academic workplaces where English is the “unofficial” lingua franca for social interaction. Adopting exploratory interviewing techniques of grand tour and mini tour (Johnson & Weller, 2002), we aim to elicit an initial understanding of the communicative needs of five researchers within an international science department at a major Swedish university. A bottom-up approach is adopted to identify tacit knowledge about everyday language practices, the value of social interaction, and different experiences of intercultural communication. Lunch emerges as the key activity for social interaction and informal communication. The place where lunch occurs, the people involved, and the language they use seem to have a crucial role in the establishment of phenomena such as language clustering and thin communication (Tange and Lauring, 2009). Language practices during lunch are associated with two social groups in our study, with symbolic power attached to the language adopted by the more prestigious group. This, together with self-perceived low proficiency in communicative uses of English, makes informal communication face threatening for the other participants, who therefore avoid social interaction in English or limit it to strictly necessary occasions.
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