During Threaded Discussions, Are Non-Native English Speakers Always at a Disadvantage?

摘要

When participating in threaded discussions, under what conditions might nonnative speakers of English (NNSE) be at a comparative disadvantage to their classmates who are native speakers of English (NSE)? This study compared the threaded discussion perspectives of closely-matched NNSE and NSE adult students having different levels of threaded discussion experience. Overall, NNSE faced ongoing cultural and linguistic difficulties during threaded discussions not experienced by their NSE classmates. Yet during the initial semester of threaded discussion participation, the NNSE who were long-term immigrants reported a more positive and rapid initial adjustment than the either NSE or the NNSE who was temporarily studying in the U.S. The long-term immigrants reported a greater meta-awareness of the different cultural rules implicit to social interactions since, during their acculturation to the U.S., they had developed adjustment strategies. Findings indicate that this meta-awareness can be facilitated: Novice participants adjusted more positively and rapidly to threaded discussions when their instructor scaffolded student participation in contrats to those whose instructor followed the traditional instructor-led initiation, response, evaluation (I-R-E) discussion pattern. Instructor scaffolding included adjustment of scheduling of class discussions, a requirement that students to serve as discussion facilitators, and use of rubrics which make explicit the rules for participation.