Abstract
The aim of this paper is to analyze the online English course My English Online (MEO) in relation to its efficiency in developing communicative competence. In order to do so, the study offers a brief review of literature of concepts related to the potential of English to promote access to information (Finardi; Prebianca; Momm, 2013) and online education (Finardi; Tyler, 2015); as well as its potential for expanding this access through virtual learning environments (Leffa, 2016); to computer assisted language learning (Cardoso, 2012); hybrid approaches (Graham, 2006) such as the Inverted Classroom approach (Lage; Platt; Tregial, 2000) to foster additional language teaching and learning (Finardi, 2012; Silveira; Finardi, 2015). Results of Finardi et al., (2014) and Finardi, Prebianca and Schmmit (2016) were contrasted with the analysis of MEO taking into consideration Bachman’s description of Communicative Language Ability and Communicative Competence (Bachman, 1990). Results of the study corroborate previous ones (Finardi et al., 2014; Finardi, Prebianca; Schmmit, 2016) with regards to the lack of feedback for oral production activities in the MEO course, for opportunities for real interaction and also insufficient feedback for oral production tasks. The study thus concludes that the MEO course falls short in recognizing the importance of pragmatic aspects in the development of Communicative Competence and as such should be used in the hybrid format as a way of compensating this shortcoming.
Highlights
The rapid dissemination of digital resources significantly impacts the access and production of knowledge as well as the use, the teaching and the learning of additional languages (L2) in the 21st century (Menezes, 2012; Finardi & Porcino, 2014)
Finardi et al (2014) and Finardi, Prebianca and Schmitt (2016) analyzed the potential and limitations of an English (L2) distance learning course offered for free to university students in Brazil with the support of the Brazilian government funded program Languages without Borders (LwB)4, the My English Online (MEO)5 course. These studies analyzed the potential of the MEO course for English (L2) teaching/learning in a hybrid format, concluding that the limitations found in the MEO can be somehow circumvented or minimized if the course is used in the hybrid format, combining face-to-face classes and online instruction
Because most of the limitations identified in the MEO course are thought to be circumvented if this course was used in the hybrid approach, this study aims to go a step further analyzing the potential of this course to develop pragmatic competence
Summary
The rapid dissemination of digital resources significantly impacts the access and production of knowledge as well as the use, the teaching and the learning of additional languages (L2) in the 21st century (Menezes, 2012; Finardi & Porcino, 2014). Finardi et al (2014) and Finardi, Prebianca and Schmitt (2016) analyzed the potential and limitations of an English (L2) distance learning course offered for free to university students in Brazil with the support of the Brazilian government funded program Languages without Borders (LwB), the My English Online (MEO) course. These studies analyzed the potential of the MEO course for English (L2) teaching/learning in a hybrid format, concluding that the limitations found in the MEO can be somehow circumvented or minimized if the course is used in the hybrid format, combining face-to-face classes and online instruction. The study offers a brief review of literature of online courses for the teaching and learning of L2 and of the concept of pragmatic competence as well as its implications in the development of communicative competence
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