Dr. Hanh Thi Nguyen Invited Talk
The Development of Interactional Competence:
Insights from Research on Second Language Learning, Workplace Communication
Training, and Child Language Socialization
Abstract: How does one learn to participate in social interaction in a new language? This question has stimulated a robust body of research on the development of interactional competence. In this talk, Hanh thi Nguyen draws on her empirical research in three learning settings—second language acquisition, workplace communication training, and child language socialization—to reflect on core questions in research on the development of interactional competence. Through an analysis of data samples, she reflects on what mechanisms facilitate interactional competence development, what practices are modified when interactional competence develops, and what factors seem to trigger interactional competence development. Also in the context of the data analysis, Nguyen discusses methodological issues such as the use of ethnomethodological conversation analysis in a longitudinal design for applied endeavors. She concludes with a discussion on current debates and future directions in research on interactional competence development.
Bio: Dr. Hanh thi Nguyen is Professor of Applied Linguistics in the TESOL Programs at Hawaiʻi Pacific University. Her work includes Conversation Analytic Perspectives on English Language Learning, Teaching and Testing in Global Contexts (2019, with T. Malabarba), Developing Interactional Competence: A Conversation Analytic Study of Patient Consultations in Pharmacy (2012), Talk-in-Interaction: Multilingual Perspectives (2009, with G. Kasper), Pragmatics of Vietnamese as Native and Target Language (2013, with C. Roever), and multiple journal articles and book chapters on the topics of interactional competence development, classroom discourse, workplace communication, and Vietnamese applied linguistics