Fluency
Multilingual approaches to fluency
Convenors:
- Pauliina, PELTONEN, University of Turku, Finland, AFinLA
- Clare, WRIGHT, University of Leeds, UK, BAAL
Scope:
The AILA Research Network (ReN) “Multilingual approaches to fluency”, focuses on current trends in second language (L2) fluency research. L2 fluency is a current topic in second language acquisition and relevant to applied linguistics more broadly, including language assessment and L2 teaching, with many scholars calling for more interdisciplinary research. By encouraging interdisciplinary connections and highlighting a multilingual approach to fluency, the “Multilingual approaches to fluency” ReN extends current L2 fluency research to new areas, with a more ethical inclusive focus on multilingual populations than often currently included, and provides directions for future studies. The ReN highlights theoretically or methodologically novel perspectives on fluency and provides a platform for researchers studying L2 fluency from different perspectives. More specifically, the fluency research relevant to the ReN includes, for instance, the following topics:
- connections between L1 and L2/L3 fluency
- continuum between fluency and disfluency
- fluency across different language skills
- fluency and socio-affective factors
- fluency and cognition
- fluency development
- fluency in assessment
- fluency in interaction
- multimodal approaches to fluency, and
- task-based effects on fluency.
The ReN builds on collaborations and fluency-themed research presented at two consecutive AILA World Congresses: “Interdisciplinary approaches to L2 fluency” at AILA 2021 (convenors Pekka Lintunen & Pauliina Peltonen; online) and at AILA 2023 “Fluency as a multilingual practice: Concepts and challenges” (convenors Pauliina Peltonen & Clare Wright; hybrid). The ReN ensures the continued collaboration across fluency researchers working in different countries – even on different continents – and provides a platform for facilitating the development of fluency research on a global scale (e.g. by facilitating the planning of multinational research projects).
Highlight of 3 scientific works by ReN members:
- Lintunen, P., Mutta, M. and Peltonen, P. (eds) (2020) Fluency in L2 Learning and Use. Multilingual Matters.
- Tavakoli, P. and Wright, C. (2020) Second Language Speech Fluency: From Research to Practice. (1st edn). Cambridge University Press.
- Wright, C. and Tavakoli, P. (2016) New directions and developments in defining, analyzing and measuring L2 speech fluency. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching 54 (2), 73–77.
Some members:
- Ghadah ALBARQI, Taif University (Saudi Arabia)
- Joe KAKITANI, Lancaster University (UK)
- Elina LEHTILÄ, University of Turku (Finland)
- Pekka LINTUNEN, University of Turku (Finland)
- Maarit MUTTA, University of Turku (Finland)
- Daphnée SIMARD, Université du Québec à Montréal (Canada)
- Shungo SUZUKI, Waseda University (Japan)
- Magdalena SZYSZKA, University of Opole (Poland)
- Kotaro TAKIZAWA, Waseda University (Japan)
- Parvaneh TAVAKOLI, University of Reading (UK)