Zusammenfassung
Adult foreign language play has been an under-explored phenomenon in
the field of applied linguistics, despite the fact that strong claims have been
made about its importance in instructed foreign language learning. This article
documents the nature of adult foreign language play in the electronic medium
and examines the ways in which computer-mediated communication may
afford opportunities for its occurrence. It is further argued that examination
of this phenomenon provides insights into issues of advanced foreign language
proficiency. The article presents a case study of a 19-year-old American
college student who was a participant in a telecollaborative course between
the United States and Germany in the fall of 2002. Data are drawn from
(a) his course web site, (b) his in-class electronic correspondence with his
German keypals, (c) his out-of-class correspondence with these same keypals
and his German-speaking girlfriend, (d) his cumulative course portfolio, and
(e) focus group interviews.
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