Strategies for effective communication in Dutch as a lingua franca telecollaboration

Abstract

Taking the interactionist perspective, this study investigates the use of communication strategies in Dutch as a lingua franca videoconferencing discussions within a telecollaboration project between Polish and Hungarian learners (N = 21). Specifically, the study explores the types and frequencies of the strategies used, the influence of the proficiency factor on strategy choice, and participants’ reflections on the exchanges and accounts of strategy application. Qualitative data, collected through recordings of the videoconferencing sessions and post-exchange interviews with the Polish participants (n = 13), underwent a content analysis and were quantified to detect frequencies of strategy use. The results reveal a range of strategies with a primary focus on the fluency and naturalness of the interactions, and the emergence of a special category of videoconferencing-related strategies. A certain influence of proficiency on the volume and choice of strategy use was also found, and the interviews revealed a positive role of the lingua-franca context and of metacognitive pre-exchange strategies in enhancing learners’ confidence and communicative effectiveness. The results have practical implications for the use of computer-mediated communication options for authentic language practice in the learning of less commonly taught languages.