| dc.description.abstract | This research has come up from the interest in aligning English as a Foreign Language (EFL)
classroom practice to the current global landscape, which pushes the need for communication
in multicultural settings in which, besides information exchange, symbolic values and
positioning are negotiated. Thus, I have adopted an ecological perspective of foreign languages
acquisition and privileged the fostering of symbolic competence (SC). If according to Kramsch
(2006) SC is about how students are to position themselves and their ability to produce and
exchange symbolic goods in today’s complex, globalized world, then fostering SC through
language teaching presents itself a coherent alternative as far as students can benefit from the
contextual meanings of language. SC can only be developed if, besides structures and their
meanings, students have the opportunity to understand the power game intrinsic to
communication (which is rooted in the relation between immediate interaction and layered
cultural context), to reframe such a game in order to accomplish positive results, and yet to save
face. I have based myself in some linguistic-discursive notions to propose four principles which
can work as entries to foster SC: i- reframing, or the ability to step out of certain frames, i.e.,
experientially-based situation models, in order to see things differently; ii- indexing, that is, the
ability to make meaning in indirect ways; iii- desynchronizing, or the ability to deal with the
various historical layers of discourse; and iv- aestheticizing, or the ability to position oneself in
discourse in order to exert influence on the interlocutor’s perception. Acknowledging that sense
of humor and these very principles share some elements has encouraged me to use humorous
texts as a basis to devise classroom activities. That said, this paper’s research problem is: how
is it possible to foster SC through pedagogical activities devised from humorous texts? Thus, I
have for objective to investigate how SC can be fostered through pedagogical activities devised
out of applying the four abovementioned principles to the observation of some humorous texts.
I have adopted action research methodology for this participative, applied investigation and
also a qualitative approach for data analysis. Besides other benefits, the results suggest that
learners understood various notions which were approached, constructed subject positionings
as negotiated symbolic values, and made some progress in relation to interpretation. The context
of intervention was that of a Federal Institute in Brazil. For a theoretical basis, I have made use
of available literature on SC (KRAMSCH, 2006, 2009a, 2009b, 2011), humor (ATTARDO,
2001; RASKIN, 1979; POSSENTI, 2010), frames (FILLMORE, 1982; LAKOFF, 2010),
indexicality (OCHS, 1996; JOHNSTONE, 2008), layered simultaneity and synchronization
(BLOMMAERT, 2005), divergent and convergent conditions (WIDDOWSON, 1992) as well
as some aspects of literary discourse (MAINGUENEAU, 2016). | |
