Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators

RESEARCH ARTICLES Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators1 Teletandem Portugués y Español: El Papel de los Mediadores Karin Adriane Henschel Pobbe Ramos2 Kelly Cristiane Henschel Pobbe de Carvalho3 Citation/ Para citar este Artículo: Ramos, K. A. H. P. & Carvalho, K. C. H. P. (2018). Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators. Colomb. appl. linguist. j., 20(1), pp. 35-48. Received: 23-May.-2017 / Accepted: 20-Dec.-2017 DOI: https://doi.org/10.14483/22487085.12055 Abstract Teletandem is a virtual context of learning languages based on principles of autonomy and reciprocity in which two peers collaborate to learn the language of each other. Usually, the interactions occur in institutional groups mediated by a professor or a graduate student. This paper aims to describe the role of a mediator and the process of mediation in Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem. Previous studies have analyzed how the Teletandem practice in the context of very close languages, such as Portuguese and Spanish, presents some inherent specificity related to the natural possibility of certain intercommunication between the interactants (Ramos, Carvalho, & Messias, 2013; Silva-Oyama, 2010). In this case, it is necessary to observe the process of mediation more closely and consider the relevance of cultural and linguistic aspects. The theoretical assumptions that guide our description and discussion are based on sociocultural theory for second language learning and assume that the learning process happens through interactions between people and the environment in a cooperative manner (Vygotsky, 1978). The methodological perspective that anchors this study is grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006), which is based on a systematic collection of data that, after analysis, originate concepts. The reflection corroborates the fact that the development of the process depends on the involvement of the mediator in different roles and suggests that the principles of autonomy and reciprocity are directly related to the mediation process and can contribute to an effective collaborative context of language learning. Keywords: close languages, Teletandem, roles of mediator Resumen El Teletandem es un contexto virtual de aprendizaje de idiomas basado en los principios de autonomía y reciprocidad en el cual dos hablantes colaboran mutuamente a que aprendan sus lenguas maternas o sus idiomas de competencia. Usualmente, las interacciones ocurren en grupos institucionales mediados por un profesor o por un estudiante de postgrado. Este artículo tiene como objetivo describir el papel de los mediadores y el proceso de mediación en Teletandem portugués y español. Estudios previos han analizado que la práctica de Teletandem en el contexto de lenguas muy próximas, como el portugués y el español, presenta algunas especificidades inherentes a 1 This project received the support from São Paulo State University (UNESP). 2 São Paulo State University (Unesp), Brasil. [email protected] 3 São Paulo State University (Unesp), Brasil. [email protected] 35 Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 11-24. la posibilidad natural de existir cierta intercomunicación Previous studies have analyzed how the entre los interactantes (Ramos, Carvalho, & Messias, Teletandem practice in the context of very close 2013; Silva-Oyama, 2010). En este caso, es necesario languages, such as Portuguese and Spanish, present observar más atentamente el proceso de mediación some inherent specificity related to the natural y considerar la relevancia de los aspectos culturales possibility of certain intercommunication between y lingüísticos. Los supuestos teóricos que guían the interactants (Ramos, Carvalho, & Messias, nuestra descripción y discusión se basan en la teoría 2013; Silva-Oyama, 2010). In this case, besides sociocultural para el aprendizaje de lenguas la cual the general aspects also common to interactions asume que el proceso de aprendizaje ocurre a través de in other languages that must be considered in the la interacción entre las personas y el medio ambiente en mediation process of Teletandem, it is necessary to una relación de cooperación (Vygtosky, 1978). Por su pay closer attention to the role of the mediator during vez, la perspectiva metodológica que ancla este estudio the supervision and conduction of the interactions es la teoría fundamentada (Charmaz, 2006), basada to stimulate the interactants to develop intercultural en una recolección sistemática de datos que, tras and language awareness as noted below: analizados, originan conceptos. El análisis señala que el desarrollo del proceso depende de la participación As far as very close languages, such as del mediador en diferentes papeles y sugiere que Portuguese and Spanish, are concerned, los principios de autonomía y reciprocidad están Teletandem practices can work provided directamente relacionados con el proceso de mediación that partners and partner institutions are y pueden contribuir a un contexto colaborativo efectivo committed to the process, there is knowledge de aprendizaje de idiomas. of the languages, and monitoring is done by the mediators in order to stimulate a conscious Palabras clave: lenguas próximas, Teletandem, attitude of the interactants towards difficulties papeles del mediador and inabilities related to language use. Only this way may the virtual context of Teletandem become an environment of discursive practices Introduction that shall contribute to the development of autonomy, responsibility and engagement of the Teletandem (Telles & Vassalo, 2006) is an inter- interactants leading them to a critical awareness institutional collaborative project for learning foreign of their language and their culture. (Ramos, languages in which two students help each other Carvalho, & Messias, 2013, p. 19) learn their own languages or language of proficiency by using technological resources such as computers, As the roles of mediators in Teletandem webcams, and online communication tools, based mediation are an important part of the foreign on the principles of autonomy, reciprocity, and language learning process, a study on this issue separation of languages. After ten years, the project may inform what the required actions in this context was changed to attend to the new demands which are. These attitudes may occur before, during, and resulted from its own development. In the first stage, after the sessions and will be described in terms of there were no mediators assisting the interactants in the mediation process and the interface between the process, and the partnerships were independent, mediators and institutions; the mediation process not in groups. At present, the interactions take place and the interface among mediators; the mediation between groups of undergraduates, and mediators process and the interface between mediators are included as part of the process. This paper and interactants; and the mediation process and aims to describe the actions that integrate and very close languages implications, in this case, are resultant from the process of mediation and Portuguese and Spanish. Despite this description, the roles of mediators in Portuguese and Spanish this study does not seek to provide formulas for how Teletandem based on the sociocultural theory for to mediate Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem. second language learning. 36 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators Theoretical Framework Nieto (2007) groups studies about mediation into three categories, named depending on whether The theoretical assumptions that guide the the mediation was using a symbolic tool, especially description and discussion in this paper are based language, or other human beings, or a material tool. on sociocultural theory for second language The three categories are mediation by dialoguing learning that assume that the learning process with one self, mediation by dialoguing with the other, happens through interaction between people and and mediation through technology. the environment in a cooperative manner (Vygotsky, 1978). These principles allow us to understand The Teletandem language learning context the sociocognitive development of human beings involves, at the same time, material tools, symbolic and also ground recent trends of foreign language systems, and another human being mediating teaching: less artificial and more natural and human, the process, changing initially unfocused learning more communicative and based on practical actions into communicative skills in the second experiences in transcultural environments, including language, and considering that the best way to technological contexts as Teletandem. achieve proficiency in all aspects of language use is by being exposed to the most varied types of social Mediation in the language learning process verbal interactions possible (Eun & Lim, 2009). The has largely been studied, based on the writings of levels of these changes are based on how mediation Vygotsky (1981, 1978), and suggests that human is conducted and require, on the part of the mediator, mental functioning is fundamentally a mediated a process of volition, choice, and capacity to adapt process that is organized by cultural artifacts, (Brown, 2002). For this reason, in this article, we activities, and concepts. Lantolf and Thorne (2006) discuss the roles of mediators in the interactions, describe the forms of mediation as follows: by considering not only mediation in its strictu sensu, regulation, which can be other-regulation and but also in a broader sense that involves interfaces self-regulation (internalization); and by symbolic with institutions and other partners in the process. artefacts: mediating actions, planning and controlling attention. By creation of auxiliary means of mediation, we are able to assess a situation and Methodology consider alternative courses of action and possible outcomes on the ideal or mental plane before acting The methodological perspective that anchors on the concrete objective plane (Arievitch & van der this study is grounded theory (Charmaz, 2006), Veer, 2004). which is based on a systematic collection of data that, after analysis, originate reflections or concepts. Kozulin classifies three major categories of This perspective starts from the data built through mediation: mediation through material tools; observations, interactions, and materials organized mediation through symbolic systems; and according to the objectives of the research. Based on mediation through another human being (Kozulin, this systematization, the experiences and empirical 1990, 2003). Additionally, Donato and MacCormick events are studied according to the analytical (1994) point out that: possibilities that emerge. For Charmaz (2006), the reflection culminates in a theoretical understanding For Vygotsky, the source of mediation was of the experience studied. either a material tool; a system of symbols, notably language; or the behavior of another Various methods were applied to collect data human being in social interaction. Mediators, in Teletandem: transcriptions of the interaction in the form of objects, symbols, and persons, sessions, transcriptions of the mediation session, transform natural, spontaneous impulses into and memos produced during our experience as higher mental processes, including strategic mediators in a Teletandem partnership between orientations to problem solving. (p. 456) a Brazilian university and Mexican university, 37 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  since 2013. In the Mexican context, Teletandem 2009). Some researchers define this context as a sessions occurred at the Mediateca installed in learning model, as we can see below: the Centro de Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras (Foreign Language Teaching Center) of the It is the tandem language learning, a model of university, which is a space for autonomous collaborative language learning that emerged in language learning designed for undergraduate the end of last century, in its more recent version, and graduate students from several programs Teletandem, which uses instant messaging and also for the university’s employees. applications for virtual contact among foreign Learners were guided by language assessors language learners. (Benedetti, 2013, p. 66) to develop their learning process autonomously, considering their own methods and objectives. Recently, one of the aspects that started to be In the Brazilian context, sessions occurred at considered in the scope of research on Teletandem the Laboratório de Teletandem (Teletandem was the transcultural contact integrated in these Laboratory) with groups of students, mostly from interactions. Thus, in a new version of the project, the Language Arts Program, as an extracurricular Teletandem is redefined as: activity to complement their education as teachers of Spanish. A mode of telecollaboration—a virtual, collaborative and autonomous context for Setting and Participants learning foreign languages in which two students The partnership focused on in this paper can help each other to learn their own languages (or be classified as an institutionally nonintegrated language of proficiency). They do so by using Teletandem modality (Aranha & Cavalari, 2014, the text, voice and webcam image resources p. 187), because the interactions are set between of VOIP technology (such as Skype), and by the institutions by the mediators, but they are not adopting the three principles of tandem learning: integrated into the regular program curricula of both autonomy, reciprocity, and separate use of both contexts. languages. (Telles, 2015, p. 652) The organization of Teletandem activities is It is important to mention that the Teletandem agreed between mediators, who are, in the case, a teaching and learning process has always been professor of Portuguese as a foreign language from based on the principles of autonomy and reciprocity the Mexican university and a professor of Spanish as shared by the interactants. It is not a simple chat a foreign language from the Brazilian university. The between a bilingual pair; instead, “Teletandem sessions are settled according to the availability of interactants are interested in learning each other’s the groups and the institutions. language through a distance learning process and in a relatively autonomous way” (Telles & Vassalo, 2006, p. 194). Teletandem: Instituting the mediation process Throughout the years, many changes have The initial proposal of the project (Telles taken place concerning the form and consolidation & Vassalo, 2006) emerged as an initiative for of partnerships as well as the way sessions are democratization of access to foreign languages conducted. In the beginning, interactions were through establishment of partnerships between independent and scheduled by the interactants Brazilian undergraduate students and undergraduate themselves in an autonomous way, and there students from foreign universities. The interactions was no mediation process as it occurs after the among these students take place in a virtual context establishment of group interactions. According of collaborative and autonomous learning in which to Aranha and Cavalari (2014), technology- participants teach a language they know and, at the mediated Teletandem emerges as a “way to same time, learn the other’s language, by using chat promote foreign language learning and teaching and/or instant messaging tools (Telles & Vassalo, through regular virtual meetings between two 38 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators speakers of different languages living in different into pairs, learn each other’s language by using text, countries” (p. 184). Nowadays, interactions voice, and webcam image resources. Mediation happen in groups, in laboratories from partner sessions take place after each interaction session, universities, during a schedule previously set when participants have the opportunity to report and by teachers or graduate students who act share their experiences. In this context, mediators as mediators of the process, coordinating, have to create strategies of intervention to trigger organizing, and conducting the sessions. These the teaching and learning process proposed by changes require the establishment of a mediation Teletandem. According to Telles (2015): process, and the way activities are conducted has to be considered, depending on whether or not Mediation sessions are conducted by the the interactions integrate the schedule of regular teachers after each Teletandem session. They classes and whether or not the activities are focus on aspects of the target languages, the related to foreign language subjects. students’ learning processes and the cultural aspects and themes that emerge (implicitly or When the interactions take place during classes explicitly) during the interactions. Mediation as a part of the activities required in a language sessions can be conducted in either the native subject, they are called institutionally integrated or target language, depending on the students’ Teletandem (Aranha & Cavalari, 2014). When level in the latter. The practice of conducting the interactions are not required as activities of Teletandem mediation sessions requires a language subject, they are called institutionally knowledge about intercultural contact, discourse nonintegrated Teletandem. In some cases, and communication. (p. 655) Teletandem can be a voluntary practice, generally certified as complementary activities or counted as However, the roles of mediators are not only language laboratory exercises. restricted to supervising sessions, but they also develop different activities, such as researching, The organization of the mediation process teaching, managing, supervising, etc. They can be has changed as new partnerships between other professors, graduates, or undergraduate students institutions and foreign universities have joined who are a part of the Teletandem project and the project. Consequently, the objectives of this are responsible for organizing and supervising new format have been enlarged compared to the interaction and mediation sessions in their the previous model, when partnerships were multiple aspects, such as orientation of the use completely independent. On the one hand, this type of technological tools, orientation of cultural and of institutional modalities in groups was included linguistic issues, and negotiation of partnerships. to meet the demand from foreign universities interested in implementing Teletandem as a part of Thus, mediation can be understood as a students’ regular activities in Portuguese lessons. complex process with broader characteristics that, On the other hand, this new configuration also although including the mediation session in its meant, for Brazilian universities, the creation of a restricted sense (cf. Telles, 2015, p. 655), does not new environment outside the classroom for foreign imply that it is the only procedure involved. It is a language learning, where students not only find whole process that is initiated with first contact with opportunities to be inserted in authentic contexts foreign institutions and extends to organization, of communication but also share their experiences, monitoring, supervision, and evaluation. which contributes to critical and reflexive learning. According to Ramos (2013), the kind of Thus, the whole Teletandem process is control set up by this new configuration in a certain constituted by interaction sessions and mediation way has direct repercussions for the Teletandem sessions. During the interaction sessions, groups principles of autonomy and reciprocity. However, of students from two different universities, divided without the presence of a mediator, as it occurs 39 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48. in the independent modality, even though the The process of establishing a partnership interactants have much more autonomy, the levels involves a long-term negotiation that includes of responsibility can vary according to partners’ exchanges of e-mails by the members in charge of characteristics, which can make the process less the first contacts, rehearsal interaction sessions for stable and less durable. demonstration, face-to-face and virtual meetings to explain the objectives of the project, and the actions The following descriptions discuss the required for its development. integrated actions of this mediation process and the roles of mediators, based on the interfaces imposed The partnership between the universities in by this new context with groups’ interactions. This Brazil and Mexico is an outcome of this interface discussion is an attempt not only to systematize the established between institutions by means of the process but especially to examine how Teletandem contact and negotiation between mediators and has been developed. The descriptions of interfaces professors from these universities, in a trajectory are based on our experience as mediators in the that has been consolidated since 2013. In both partnership between a Brazilian university and a universities, there is the common objective of Mexican university and on the theoretical framework creating an institutional context to promote the of mediation. The reflections emerged from the teaching and learning of foreign languages, in this collected data analyzed according to the grounded case, Portuguese and Spanish. theory principles. In an institutional partnership, mediators have the function of organizing, in their respective contexts, Results all the logistic aspects for the interactions (Garcia, 2015). These arrangements include setting the Interface Between Mediators and appointments at the laboratories of the institutions; Institutions checking the condition of the language laboratory The changes the project has been through in equipment (computers, installation of application the latest years, already pointed out in this paper, software, internet connection), as well as setting up have given institutions a very important role not a schedule for interaction sessions considering the only regarding logistic support for the development number of meetings, number of interactants, dates of the project but also as supporters and sponsors and times, time zones, and daylight-saving time. of the studies that discuss the specificities of this technological context of teaching and learning It is also necessary to count on the technical foreign languages. support of the employees of the institution and on trainees and monitors who assist with equipment To maintain these partnerships and establish new maintenance and related tasks, such as installation ones, the first step is to work to publicize the project, of application software and recording programs. emphasize its contributions for the institutions This help is essential, given that many unexpected involved, and explain the counterparts of each one situations may happen during the interactions. in the process. The publicizing of the project has been undertaken in many ways, such as through the As we can note, mediators must build this creation of an official website4, through participation relationship not only between the institutions, but in scientific events, through publications, technical also inside them, considering that issues concerning visits, and meetings of research groups5, and teaching and learning languages are not always through explanatory materials available for those seen as a priority. Financial investments are needed interested. to sponsor the project and recognize its value. Teletandem has been demonstrated to be an initiative 4 http://www.teletandembrasil.org/ that contributes to institutional visibility and allows 5 http://dgp.cnpq.br/dgp/espelhogrupo/2209139477462677: the sharing of cultural experiences and scientific Teletandem: Transculturality in Online Communication in Foreign Languages by ​​ Webcam. knowledge. For this reason, mediators must claim 40 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators an institutional status for the project by pointing out semester. Therefore, the interface among mediators their importance for institutions themselves. is extremely relevant because, many times, some adjustments and concessions are required. An example of this is illustrated in the following chart, Interface Among Mediators which shows that the Brazilian group went through The relationship established among mediators several changes of interaction schedule throughout is a fundamental part of the Teletandem language the second semester of 2016 to adapt it to the teaching and learning process. Because the Brazilian needs of the Mexican students. This resulted from institution maintains several partnerships with different facts related to the availability of the laboratory and universities6, there is a group of mediators who are other activities at the Mediateca, and also from responsible for intermediating partnerships, according variation of daylight saving time schedules. While to the languages and the availabilities of the schedules, Mexican groups maintained the same schedule, generally established by the foreign institutions. Brazilian groups started the interactions at 1 pm, then at 2 pm, and finally 3 pm. This means that In this paper, we focus on the mediation when Brazilian students commit themselves to the process that occurs in the partnership between process, they are committing almost the whole two universities in Brazil and Mexico due to our afternoon during the semester. interest in the process of learning Spanish and teaching Portuguese, both as foreign languages. TELETANDEM SCHEDULE Thus, since the beginning of the first negotiations Brazilian University-Mexican University (related to the logistics aspects of the interactions), Thursday (2016-2) constant communication with the Mexican mediator Mexico Time Brazil Time was developed to discuss the groups’ needs and September 20 11 am 1 pm characteristics, considering the interactants’ September 27 11 am 1 pm learning objectives as well as their language levels October 4 11 am 1 pm and intercultural issues involved in the process. October 11 11 am 1 pm October 18 11 am 2 pm October 25 11 am 3 pm The interactants’ objectives were very distinct. November 8 11 am 3 pm On the one hand, Brazilian students looked for November 22 11 am 3 pm Teletandem to improve their foreign language proficiency and to enlarge their intercultural experiences, since they are involved in a context Figure 1. Teletandem sessions example schedule. of pre-service Spanish teachers’ development; on the other hand, Mexican students wanted to For this reason, another aspect to be considered learn Portuguese to take internships, participate is the necessity of establishing a relationship in exchange programs, and attend postgraduate of cooperation among mediators. Many times, courses in Brazil, or even to train for official exams throughout the process, new situations emerge of language proficiency. and demand adjustments that are implied in decision-making. It is important to emphasize that Because the partnership is inserted in an those decisions must be made together. Thus, institutionally nonintegrated Teletandem modality in mediators have to maintain an open channel for both contexts, Brazil and Mexico, it was necessary to communication so that problems may be solved consider the specificities related to a larger flexibility and possible occurrences may be foreseen. and participation of the interactants who had to, for instance, adapt to the changes of schedule during the Mediators may also choose themes to be discussed during interactions. These themes aim 6 At present, this Brazilian university maintains partnerships to deepen students’ knowledge of issues related to with about 10 universities abroad, such as Georgetown linguistic, discursive, and intercultural aspects so University, Harvard University, Miami University, Princeton University, and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. that exchanges among interactants overtake the 41 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48. limits of a simple chat about daily matters. These For this reason, various aspects must be topics generally emerge in the first interactions pointed out in the interface between mediators and in which interactants build a bond. However, the interactants, considering not only the operation selection of themes motivates students to search of interactions but also mainly the strengthening contents related to the proposed issues as well of actions. In this context, the responsibility of as to prepare activities to be used in the session. the mediator covers phases that extend from The following chart shows a list of the themes that the publication of the availability of vacancies to were chosen for the interactions in the second consultancy during and after the sessions, especially semester of 2016 with the purpose of deepening regarding the definition of specific learning objectives intercultural issues. and the development of autonomy in the process by the interactants. THEMES 1. My country: Mexico and Brazil To create the groups, mediators first open 2. Mexican and Brazilian people enrollment in each institution, considering the 3. My food: spicy or sweet vacancies available, the schedule, and number of 4. My music sessions previously agreed upon and scheduled at 5. Immigration the laboratories of each institution. Then, they make 6. The university of the 21st century arrangements to publicize the vacancies through different means, such as through social networks, Figure 2. Example themes discussed in e-mail lists, and posters for interested students Teletandem sessions. to enable them to register. Finally, they make the lists of interactants and match the partners. In this One point that must be highlighted about the process, it is very important to note that, besides project is that the context is the field of research, the vacancy announcement, it is the mediator who and for this reason, a lot of mediators also develop intervenes in the process of stimulating participation studies examining the process of teaching and as well as making students aware of the level learning foreign languages. Then, interactions of commitment involved in the activities of the and the process of mediation become objects project regarding attendance, punctuality, etc. In a of their academic papers. We have noticed that focused partnership, eight meetings are settled each when mediators are involved in research about semester. These interaction sessions take place Teletandem, partnerships tend to be longer and once a week, last one hour, and are succeeded be more intense. This attitude can be found in the by mediation sessions with discussions that last partnership studied in this paper once its mediators approximately forty minutes. are involved in research activities that have even resulted in a co-authorship scientific publication Before the interactions begin, it is necessary to (Carvalho, Messias, & Días, 2015). prepare interactants by giving them some pertinent previous information. It is the orientation session that, according to Telles (2015), focuses “on what Interface Between Mediators and tandem learning is about and its principles— Interactants autonomy, reciprocity, and nonmixture of As an institutionally nonintegrated Teletandem, languages. Basic language learning strategies and in the partnership between the Brazilian university ways of behaving for learning foreign languages and the Mexican university, interactions are optional are also presented to the students by the teacher” in both contexts. Consequently, we can say that (p. 655). the bond described in this paper is guided by a principle that emphasizes interactants’ autonomy, Therefore, the orientations include both since they are the ones who decide whether or not technical questions and information about the to participate, according to their interests. structure, operation, and objectives of Teletandem 42 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators interactions. At this moment, a list of themes can This is the mediator’s role–the one who can, also be suggested to the interactants, considering at this time and place, intervene by stimulating the agreements made by the mediators. It is reflection and raising awareness on the part of the important to mention that, in the beginning, interactants of the need to set specific learning themes are only suggested and that, throughout goals, whether related to linguistic contents, the interactions, the mediator can intervene such as grammar and vocabulary, or related to indicating that participants should define their intercultural aspects, such as social practices and choices with their partners, according to the behaviors, or related to the strategies of teaching specificities and interests of each. That can and learning languages and strategies to overcome advance the development of the Teletandem the difficulties agreed between the partners. At this principles of autonomy and reciprocity. point, we reiterate the importance of Teletandem as a context of reflection upon the process of teaching During the interactions, mediators conduct and learning languages and, therefore, as a unique the sessions, supporting and controlling the experience in teachers’ training: pairing; they give instructions on the use of Skype and its respective tools, such as screen sharing, We believe that institutional Teletandem virtual dictionaries, and writing tools to register represents, for language teaching education the conversation and check spellings. They also programs, a context where students dialog with verify the operation of computers and indicate the knowledge of their interlocutors and also with moment the interactants must change the use of their own knowledges. It is a scenario which languages so that both can enjoy positive outcomes enables reflections that potentialize and help to from the interaction. Concerning the last aspect, build empirical, theoretical and methodological according to other studies, it is important to observe knowledges that are important to strengthen that the first half of the session is generally more their teacher’s identity, in this case of Spanish productive. Thus, it is convenient to indicate the as a foreign language. (Carvalho & Messias, alternation of languages to start the sessions, 2017) and it is the mediator who has to pay attention to this orientation. Warning each student about the In relation to intercultural issues, given to the importance of attending the scheduled sessions and specificity of Teletandem, it is also fundamental to accomplishing the timetable is also the duty of the conduct reflection in a way that differences and mediator. social comparisons may indeed cooperate for the comprehension of other cultures and not reinforce After the interaction session, the mediation prejudice based on stereotypes. Discussion of the session occurs, as was pointed out before. In this cultural issues that emerge in Teletandem can be case, we noticed that the mediator’s intervention found in many recently publications, such as Zakir is extremely necessary and, at this point, the (2015), Costa (2015), Andreu-Funo (2015), and preference for a language teacher to intermediate Salomão (2012). The following Teletandem dialog, the process becomes more evident. From where interactants discuss how to eat avocado, being an authentic context of communication, illustrates the way these comparisons easily occur. Teletandem can easily become a “simple chat,” The mediator can also pay attention to them to and students’ learning objectives can end up stimulate intercultural learning: diluted during the conversation. Although, on the one hand, this “simple chat” can itself promote Mexican interactant: And do you know anything language learning, according to the sociocultural about Mexico? perspective of language, on the other hand, if Brazilian interactant: About Mexico... specific learning goals for Teletandem are set up Mexican interactant: Do you know Mexico? and followed by the students, this context can Brazilian interactant: Let me see... you guys eat become much more effective. avocado with salt 43 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Mexican interactant: Yes... avocado is very tasty Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem [rico] Mediation Brazilian interactant: No... Here we eat with sugar One of the principles of Teletandem is not to Mexican interactant: Yes [sí] mix languages. For this reason, in an interaction Brazilian interactant: Not with salt session, the time of each language must be equally Mexican interactant: No... I would never eat with divided. This practical principle tends to promote sugar students’ commitment with the task and with the Brazilian interactant: But here we/ wow it’s learning process (Telles, 2009, p. 24), and it is delicious with sugar... I’ve never tasted with important to build a non-hegemonic relationship salt... but it’s delicious with sugar between languages. Mexican interactant: I’ll taste it Brazilian interactant: Here we make avocado However, in the case of interactions in juice... sweet... but nothing salty Portuguese and Spanish, we have noticed that it is Mexican interactant: I’ll taste avocado with sugar very common that languages sometimes interflow Brazilian interactant: I’ll taste with salt then... just because of their closeness and relative possibility of to get to know… how it tastes7 mutual intelligibility. When this occurs in a way such (Interaction Session) that differences are contrasted, it can contribute to learning according to Benedetti (2013): During the interactions described here, the mediator can also intervene by creating and Although the mixture of languages may break managing activities or tasks throughout the one of the tandem principles of learning, i.e., development of the interaction sessions. These the separate use of languages in focus, the procedures contribute to potentialize learning. It is confrontation between languages/cultures common for interactants to keep diaries, which are during dialogical communication can contribute shared and can contribute not only as research data significantly for the understanding not only of but also as instruments for the mediator to better the language system but also of the values that evaluate the entire process, consider its implications permeate meanings in this language in contrast for teaching and learning languages, and predict with the other. (p. 80) possible difficulties. Besides the production of diaries, it has also been a practice of mediators to This situation can be observed, for example, in stimulate exchanges of pieces of writing between the following dialog, in which the Brazilian student interactants for peer correction. It would help to states that after being corrected by his partner, he understand if “other partnerships” were introduced could understand the appropriate use of pronouns and contextualized earlier. of treatment in Spanish in contrast with their use in 7 M: E você sabe algo do México? Portuguese. B: Do México M: Você conhece o México? Mediator: And could you talk more, compared B: Vamo vê... que vocês comem abacate com sal to last week? M: Ah... abacate muito rico Brazilian interactant: Yes, last week I was making B: Não aqui a gente come com açúcar a confusion because I started to mix Portuguese M: Sí and Spanish... I think I was a bit nervous and B: Com sal não M: Não... eu não comeria com açúcar began to mix Portuguese and Spanish… so B: Mas aqui a gen/ nossa é uma delícia com açúcar... nunca I was… because usted for them is a formal provei com sal... mas é uma delícia com açúcar treatment, isn’t it? So every time I couldn’t M: Vou provar speak tú, I spoke usted and then he corrected B: A gente aqui faz suco com abacate... doce... agora salgado nada me, because it would be like if I was saying M: Eu vou provar abacate com açúcar Mister and so on. … Then today I said tú, B: Eu vou provar com sal então... pra ver... como é que fica 44 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48.  Portuguese and Spanish Teletandem: The Role of Mediators and then he told me I spoke better... I could talk Mediator 3: And in what language did you start, more.8 Portuguese or Spanish? (Mediation session) Mediator 1: Did you only speak Spanish? Brazilian Interactant: Well, it’s like this... I asked in However, when this situation does not occur, Portuguese and then she answered in Spanish… the intervention of the mediators in monitoring After she asked me in Spanish and I answered in and supervision of interactions is needed to avoid Portuguese… language fossilization and the false feeling of full Mediator 3: You have to define! communicative competence. This feeling is very Mediator 2: Ouch... the ideal is that you define... common when Portuguese speakers learn Spanish that you define, even if it turns into Portunhol or Spanish speakers learn Portuguese. In this way in the beginning… but you can say: now it’s we can show that groups’ institutional modality of Portuguese. Teletandem has demanded a type of monitoring, […] according to what we have been discussing: Mediator 2: And you both should control Mediator 1: And neither you nor she can make In the case of Portuguese/Spanish interaction, progress… because she needs to speak the bounders between the languages… are not Portuguese and to listen Portuguese and you always evident, especially when the learners need to speak Spanish and to listen Spanish… are beginners. This way, we believe… that right? But always keeping this communication… the presence and supervision of a mediator first one language after the other language9 teacher are important so that participants get (Mediation session) better results from the process. The mediator teacher can, while monitoring, observe and Considering the possibility of mutual evaluate the interactions and, by doing so, intelligibility, interactants feel comfortable using interfere to help the students notice these their mother tongue. The intervention of mediators occurrences as well as their own and their here is essential for partners to feel challenged to partners’ interlanguage signs. (Ramos, take risks in the foreign language according to the Carvalho, & Messias, 2013, p. 17) principles and objectives established for learning in the Teletandem context. This aspect has been the great difference in this Teletandem modality, especially in Portuguese In a situation where differences are not always and Spanish interactions, which, because of their noticeable, it is the mediator, in this case, a teacher singularity, allow some degree of mutual intelligibility of Spanish as a foreign language and a teacher of between partners. The following dialog is an example of how, during a mediation session, mediators can 9 Mediador 3: E em que língua você começou, em português intervene based on what interactants say about ou espanhol? mixing languages. It can be noticed that the Brazilian Mediador 1: Só falou em espanhol? interactant uses only Portuguese and the Mexican Interagente brasileiro: É que é assim, eu perguntava em interactant uses only Spanish. In such situations, português aí ela respondia em espanhol, aí depois ela perguntava em espanhol e eu respondia em português. there is no second language learning process. Mediador 3: Tem que definir! 8 Mediadora: E você conseguiu falar mais em relação à semana passada? Mediador 2: Ai, o ideal é que você defina, que você defina nem que vire um portunhol no começo, mas você pode falar, agora Interagente brasileiro: Sim, na semana passada, eu tava fazendo é o português. muita confusão porque eu comecei a misturar português, eu acho que estava meio nervosa e comecei a misturar português [...] com espanhol, então eu tava... porque usted pra eles é como Mediador 2: E vocês controlam. um tratamento formal, né? Então a todo momento eu não conseguia falar o tú, eu falava o usted e daí ele me corrigiu, Mediador 1: Não há um aproveitamento seu nem dela. Porque porque seria como se eu estivesse falando senhor né e tal. ela precisa falar português e ouvir português e você precisa falar Daí hoje eu já falei o tú, daí ele até falou que eu falei melhor, o espanhol e ouvir o espanhol. Certo? Mas mantendo sempre consegui falar mais. esta comunicação. Uma língua e depois outra língua... 45 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. (2018) • Colomb. Appl. Linguist. J. Printed ISSN 0123-4641 Online ISSN 2248-7085 • January - June 2018. Vol. 20 • Number 1 pp. 35-48. Portuguese as a foreign language, who can indicate, organization and supervision, and culminate based on observation in monitoring and supervising in evaluation, through cyclical, constant, and, the interactions, possible difficulties and strategies sometimes, simultaneous movements. to overcome them. As we observed, the importance of understanding Although Teletandem interactions can be guided the mediation process as a whole is essential for the by distinct objectives, it is necessary to consider development of institutional Teletandem interactions the specificity of the partnership focused on in this in groups. Therefore, the implementation of study, in which there are, on the one hand, learners Teletandem should start with a mediator, motivated of Spanish in a context of preservice teachers and, by the desire to promote an interactive, intercultural, on the other, learners of Portuguese for working and technological context that corroborates a social purposes. It is necessary to carefully pay attention to interactionist conception of teaching and learning these facts to promote the proficiency and linguistic languages. From this perspective, the mediator competence required. must necessarily be committed to the institutions, the mediator partner, and the group of interactants. Even though, at first, we can accept some interlanguage occurrence (as a natural result of As far as close languages are concerned, we this process), it is necessary to know that it is one emphasize the importance of the mediation process thing to recognize its existence; another, very regarding the attention given to the linguistic different, is to help students to take on the study of discursive aspects that emerge in this specific Portuguese as a foreign language and of Spanish context, especially when we intend that students as a foreign language in order to overcome it and become able to identify the differences between very not be satisfied with the possibility of attending close languages to achieve linguistic proficiency in only primary communication needs by speaking both of them. In this sense, Teletandem mediation is a Portunhol, which is, in general, far from any essential to monitor the interactants’ development, usual expression in the target language. (Ramos, aiming at critical awareness, perception, and Carvalho, & Messias, 2013, p. 18) reflection, not only on linguistic reality but also on intercultural aspects. For this reason, further inter- Conclusions institutional partnerships and research are necessary. In this article, we aimed at explaining the As pointed before, the Teletandem language Teletandem mediation process and the roles of learning context involves, at the same time, material mediators, understood in a broader sense, based on tools, symbolic systems, and another human being a partnership between two universities in Brazil and mediating the process, which changes initially Mexico. To reach this objective, we systematized the unfocused learning actions into communicative analysis grounded on established relationships and skills in the second language. Students have the on the roles of mediators in the development of the opportunity to use the language by being exposed process, which are as follows: the interface between to varied types of social verbal interactions. mediators and institutions; the interface among mediators; the interface between mediators and Thus, even restricted to a specific case, we interactants; and, finally, Portuguese and Spanish believe that the path we outlined in our discussion, Teletandem mediation. in its more general aspects, can support or guide other experiences. Further experiences may be The results show that the Teletandem mediation related to the improvement and implementation process is intrinsically related to the mediators’ of Teletandem practices in other educational involvement in different procedures, which begin environments to establish new partnerships and, with the first negotiation, continue through the consequently, reinforce the project. 46 Ramos, K. & Pobbe de Carvalho, K. 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