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The integration of digital multimodal composing (DMC) in the second language (L2) and heritage language (HL) classrooms has expanded our notion of writing, shifting from a focus on the written mode to include other modes of expression (e.g., visual, textual, or aural). Notwithstanding the increasing presence of L2 multimodal learning tasks, which combine different semiotic resources (e.g., language and visual components such as images or videos) as intrinsic elements used to generate meaning, instructors have not yet modified the way in which they provide feedback. That is, despite the increasing integration of different modes in a multimodal task, instructors still focus exclusively on language development -- replicating the feedback behaviors modeled by non-digital writing assignments -- rather than on all the components of multimodal texts. In digitally influenced environments and societies, however, there is a need to reconsider our approaches to feedback to pay greater attention to the linguistic and nonlinguistic elements of DMC. With the scarcity of research on feedback in DMC, this article first identifies a gap in multimodal teaching and research regarding the role and focus on feedback in DMC, and, second, provides an assessment rubric from which to base formative feedback that addresses both linguistic and nonlinguistic elements to help students develop their multimodal texts.

The use of social technologies, such as wikis and chats, has brought a renewed attention to L2 collaborative writing. Yet, a question that still remains to be answered is the extent to which learners’ writing is enhanced when using these tools. By analyzing learners’ individual and collaborative writing, this study (a) explores L2 learners’ approaches to the writing task in the wikis, (b) examines learners’ collaborative synchronous interactions when discussing content, structure and other aspects related to the elaboration of the writing task, and (c) describes learners’ perceptions of individual and collaborative writing and their impressions of the use of social tools in the FL writing class. Analysis of the data showed that while statistically significant differences were not evident in terms of fluency, accuracy and complexity when comparing the individual and collaborative assignments, there were observable trends that inform us about how learners’ interactions with the text differ when working individually or collaboratively. Further, an analysis of learners’ approaches to collaborative writing through the use of social tools shows that wikis and chats allowed them to concentrate on writing components in a different, yet complementary, manner depending on whether they interacted in the wikis or in the chats.

Following the appraisal framework (Martin & White, 2005), in particular the two discourse-semantic systems of Engagement and Attitude, this study examines the extent to which second language learners in a US-Spain telecollaborative project (a) engaged with their own ideas and those of their partners and (b) expressed their attitude towards their own and the second language culture. The results of the analysis suggest that learners reacted differently when discussing their own culture and that of their foreign language. The data collected provides evidence that learners avoided using monoglossic (i.e. bare) statements regarding both their L1 and L2 cultures, and fewer contracting statements for the latter. Overall, learners also presented a preference for positive Affective, Judgment, and Appreciation markers, which suggests their interest in creating an environment of solidarity and closeness with their telecollaborative partners. The results also indicated the value of discussing the topic in general, without particular reference to the first or the second culture, as a safe space to address conflicting issues that might result in communication breakdowns and move beyond personal, superficial, and anecdotal references.

This article provides an overview of how digital stories (DSs)--storylines that integrate text, images, and sound--have been used in second-language (L2) contexts. The article first reviews the methodical and planned, albeit non-linear, steps required for successful implementation of DSs in the L2 classroom and then assesses the observed linguistic and rhetorical gains learners may experience in their language skills (speaking, listening, and writing), including their use of correct grammar, vocabulary, and writing conventions. This article also points out the shift from a traditional literacy concept to a new concept of multi-literacies, exploring the notions of new genres and the application of social-semiotic perspectives to understanding the development of DSs. The final section illustrates limitations of current DS research and concludes with a discussion of the future roles of DSs in CALL.

This study examines the linguistic resources by which foreign language (L2) learners express their ideological positions in online discussions taking place in a telecollaborative encounter during one semester. More specifically, the study attempts to decipher how L2 learners discuss and argue their points of view regarding their first culture, their second culture, and the topic in general, depending on the issue under discussion (immigration and nationalism or patriotism) and to the country where the learners were based (US or Spain). Twenty-four learners, organized into six groups, each with two students from the US and two from Spain, participated in three online forums. For the analysis, learners' postings were subjected to quantitative and qualitative content analysis applying two discourse-semantic subsystems of the Appraisal framework, Engagement--the linguistic resources used to reflect the writer's position and willingness to recognize alternative positions--and Attitude--the linguistic resources used to indicate positive or negative assessment of people, places, things, and states of affairs. This study concludes that there were clear differences in the discursive styles between both sets of learners and topics. Overall, for instance, the learners employed more monoglossic statements when discussing nationalism or patriotism rather than immigration and Spain-based learners made more use of judgment markers than their US-based counterparts did.

The article titled "From Dissertation to Publications" provides guidance for authors who have completed their dissertations and are looking to publish their work. The authors recommend that instead of trying to summarize the entire dissertation in one article, authors should focus on presenting their work in shorter yet meaningful manuscripts that can be directed towards different audiences or focus on different aspects of the research. The article also emphasizes the importance of selecting relevant content from the dissertation for each manuscript and provides recommendations for structuring the manuscripts. Additionally, the article highlights the importance of timing and planning in maximizing the impact of the dissertation. The article concludes by introducing the contents of the current issue of the CALICO Journal, which includes articles on topics such as mobile-assisted language learning, automatic speech recognition, and social media in language education. [Extracted from the article]

Despite the availability and growing use of digital story software for authoring and instructional purposes, little is known about learners' perceptions on its integration in the foreign language writing class. Following both a social semiotics approach and activity theory, this study focuses on six advanced Spanish learners' perceptions about the production of a digital story in which they integrated a variety of modes (written, oral, images, sounds) and manipulated the semiotic resources within each mode (size, color, lines in the image mode), to convey meaning. Analyzing participants' reflections, questionnaires, and online journals, results highlight learners' (a) interpretation of the tools and artifacts and their effect on their understanding of a final product, (b) connections between short-term goal-oriented actions and the longer-term object-oriented activity of developing a multimodal text, and (c) linguistic reorientations when creating a digital story.

The educational use of computer-based feedback in the classroom is becoming widespread. However, less is known about (1) the extent to which tools influence how instructors provide written and oral comments, and (2) whether receiving oral or written feedback influences the nature of learners' revisions. This case study, which expands existing research on computer-mediated feedback, examines how four Spanish learners enrolled in a Spanish advanced writing course received multimodal feedback while working on the different drafts of a narrative essay. The instructor provided written feedback via Microsoft Word and oral feedback using screencast software. Results indicate that the tool used affected the quantity and quality of the instructor's comments. When using the screencast software, the instructor provided additional and lengthier comments on content, structure, and organization; the instructor was more explicit on form when using the coding system in Word. Although learners revised similarly regardless of the tool being used, they tended to prefer the oral feedback for global aspects, such as content, structure, and organization, and the written feedback for form. However, learners agreed that no matter the mode and the tool, both approaches to feedback helped them improve their writing skills.

Following appraisal theory (Martin & White, 2005), which examines the linguistic resources through which texts/speakers express, negotiate, and naturalize particular intersubjective or ideological positions (White, 2015), this study addresses (1) the extent to which second language (L2) learners express their attitudes toward their own and the L2 culture, and (2) the stance L2 learners take when addressing values and behaviors associated with both cultures. Analysis of the linguistic choices of L2 learners in a fourth-year Spanish language class's online discussions revealed that the learners' views and attitudes toward their own culture were somewhat negative, whereas their orientations in relation to the L2 culture were positively skewed. The analysis also illustrated how learners engage or disengage with their own statements and negotiate their ideological positions where the first and second cultures are concerned. Despite certain limitations and a need for further research, this study suggests that appraisal theory can provide insightful and exciting information about L2 learners' attitudes and ideological positioning with regard to first and second cultures, indicating, therefore, that appraisal theory presents itself as a different, complementary approach to research L2 learners' cultural discussions.

The article focuses on the impact of digital mobile connection on language education, emphasizing the shift to multimodal learning in heritage language (HL) and second language (L2) classrooms. Topics discussed include challenges in adapting to this shift, exploration of diverse genres like infographics and digital stories in language education, and the significance of learners' identity development and voice representation in crafting multimodal texts.

Learners engaged in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) work collaboratively to construct knowledge by providing each other with implicit and explicit feedback. In addition to its value in encouraging learners to make modifications toward target-like forms, the implicitness or explicitness of the feedback provides a means to understand the individual learner's language development (Aljaafreh & Lantolf, 1994). Being that microgenetic growth results from learners who provide each other with gradual and contingent help in face-to-face interactions (Ohta, 2000), it would be of interest to learn if such gradual and contingent help appears in SCMC with the same positive effects. Thus, this study explores two questions: (a) To what extent do learners in SCMC engage in similar patterns of assistance to those used in face-to-face interactions between students? (b) To what extent does microgenetic growth occur as a result of learner-learner interactions? For this study, two full classes of Intermediate Spanish I students were selected. Students were placed in pairs (plus two triads) and participated in a series of tasks as a part of their assigned class work. The researcher analyzed the discussion transcripts, identified different moments of assistance, and examined the data for instances of microgenetic growth. The results of this study suggest that, although learners did indeed provide each other with gradual and contingent feedback and, in some instances, showed microgenetic growth, neither were as apparent as those found in face-to-face interactions. (Contains 3 tables.)

In light of the increasingly blurred line between mediated and nonmediated contexts for social, professional, and educational purposes, attention to the presence and use of innovative digital media is critical to the consideration of the future of computer-assisted language learning (CALL). This article reviews current trends in the use of mediated communication and offers a vision for near-future second and foreign language (L2) learning that utilizes emerging media as (a) meaningful contexts for L2 language development and (b) a means for adding real world relevance to in-class uses of internet-mediated communication tools. In this article, we first explore a sampling of Web 2.0 technologies (e.g., blogs, wikis, and social bookmarking) related to collaborative content building and dissemination of information. We then consider three types of 3-dimensional virtual environments, including open social virtualities (such as "Second Life and There"), massively multiplayer online games (MMOGs) (e.g., "World of Warcraft," "Everquest," and "Eve Online"), and synthetic immersive environments (SIEs, i.e., visually rendered spaces which combine aspects of open social virtualities with goal-directed gaming models to address specific learning objectives). In particular, we report on SIEs as they might be used to foster interlanguage pragmatic development and briefly report on an existing project in this area. The ultimate goal is to spark future research and pedagogical innovation in these areas of emerging digital media in order to arrive at a greater understanding of the complexities involved in their integration with language learning in ways that will be most relevant to the communicative contexts of the 21st century. (Contains 15 notes.)

An essential instructional goal in foreign language education is the enhancement of students' intercultural competence. This article reports on a study that examined how intercultural competence developed between study abroad and at home students (in Spain and the United States, respectively) who used blogs as a mediating tool over the course of a semester. The data, blogs and two questionnaires, were analyzed by applying Byram's (2000) assessment guidelines. The results showed that: (1) both study abroad and foreign language learners presented instances of intercultural competence as described in Byram's guidelines, with each group reflecting the unique characteristics of its context, and (2) blog interactions had a positive effect on the development of both groups' intercultural competence. (Contains 8 tables.)

While there is ample documentation on the use of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) in the foreign language classroom for instructional purposes (Beauvois, 1994, 1998; Beauvois & Eledge, 1996; Chun, 1994; Darhower, 2002; Kelm, 1992, Kern, 1995; Warschauer, 1996), research devoted to assessment in this area is quite rare (Heather, 2003; Oscoz, 2003). One reason for this lack of research is the process-oriented nature of SCMC that demands new research and evaluation tools (Furstenberg, Levet, English, & Maillet, 2001). This study explores the possibility of applying dynamic assessment (DA), which focuses on process rather than on the product, to SCMC. The study draws on the work of Anton 2003), who examined students' performance in oral interaction following DA techniques and on Aljaafreh and Lantolf's (1994) 5-level scale (based on the frequency and type of assistance provided to the learner) to assess learners' language development in SCMC. The data presented in this study shows that the application of the 5-level scale makes it possible to obtain a more accurate picture of learners' stage of development. In spite of the benefits of DA, the study also suggests that the traditional modes of assessment are still required to assess students' performance in SCMC. As Johnson (2004) stated, both modes are needed to obtain a richer and more complete understanding of students' language development. (Contains 1 table.)