Interactional competence: what it is and how it can change learning, teaching and testing

What is it about?

Second language learning, teaching and testing is based on understandings of what learners should learn in order to become successful speakers of a given language. Often enough, what is considered essential for second learners to learn and display is the ability to produce complete sentences, without hesitations, repetitions, or seemingly unnecessary ‘filler words’ (particles). This is an understanding that is at odds with what we know about language in real-time social interaction. The notion of interactional competence in a second language (L2 IC) helps us revise this understanding and reconceptualize the object of second language learning, teaching, and testing. It foregrounds second language speakers’ practices to get things done in ways that become more fine-tuned over time. This means, for instance, being able to do small talk inside the elevator with a neighbor in ways that are more specifically designed for that particular person (or the category ‘neighbor’) or that are more in line with one’s pursued outcomes, e.g., be seen as a friendly neighbor or avoid disclosing personal information (after all language is not just about transmitting messages!). In a nutshell, the L2 IC framework can ensure that second language learning, teaching and testing tools are closer to real-world conduct. The contributions to this special issue show what this can mean in practice: They employ conversation analysis to identify assessable features of L2 IC that can inform the development of institutional testing instruments and practices – and thus also teaching practices (‘what gets tested, gets taught’) – that realistically capture what second language speakers can (and need to) actually do.

Featured Image

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Interactional Competence is a complex construct and its implementation requires multiple expertises. However, scholars in the areas of, on one hand, social interaction and second language acquisition, and, on the other hand, language assessment, have only recently begun to collaborate systematically. This Special Issue fosters this collaboration by combining new research on describing and assessing L2 IC with commenting papers, thus giving readers an inside view of the ongoing dialogue between researchers across the two disciplines. With an eye on extending this dialogue to practitioners (policy makers, teachers, test makers), this special issue also connects research on L2 IC in various settings (classrooms, virtual exchanges, etc.) with practical questions and tools for assessing learners in a range of testing contexts.