A significant delegation from the GRAPE research group recently participated in the Joint AELFE-LSPPC International Conference, held in Zaragoza (Spain), under the title, “GENRES AND LANGUAGES IN DIGITAL ENVIRONMENTS: Trends and new directions”.
The event brought together the 21st annual conference of the European Association of Languages for Specific Purposes (AELFE2023) and the 7th Conference of the Asia-Pacific LSP & Professional Communication Association (LSPPC7). Both associations share a common mission of promoting languages for specific purposes and professional communication.
During the conference, members of the GRAPE research group delivered a series of insightful presentations from various lines of research conducted within the group. Julia Valeiras Jurado and Inmaculada Fortanet explored «Multimodal and digital literacy in EMI: The case of a business administration course» within the field of multimodal discourse analysis. Noelia Ruiz Madrid and María Ángeles Mestre Segarra (PhD student) presented their research on «Developing business students’ multimodal communicative competence through video resumes.» Miguel Ruiz-Garrido and Juan Carlos Palmer shared their findings on «Annual reports in the digital era: The case of video chairman/CEO statements.»
The application of genre analysis with a pedagogical aim in ESP courses was another significant topic addressed. Vicent Beltrán Palanques and Nuria Edo Marzá presented their proposal on «Reshaping communicative practices through digital genres: A proposed ESP-EMI teacher collaboration using video highlights to promote multimodal literacies.» Lastly, Carolina Girón-García examined «Cybergenres and ESP in higher education: A multimodal analysis of digital academic genres and their pedagogical implications.»
Additionally, Inmaculada Fortanet, in collaboration with Viktoriia Drobotun from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv (a visiting scholar from Ukraine at Universitat Jaume I), discussed the benefits of COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) between Spanish and Ukrainian students.
More information about the studies presented at the conference can be found in the «Book of Abstracts.» This joint conference provided an invaluable opportunity for scholars, researchers, and practitioners to engage in discussions and exchange views on the conference theme, drawing from multi- and inter-disciplinary perspectives. The GRAPE research group’s contributions at the conference showcased their dedication to exploring innovative approaches to language teaching and communication in specific contexts through the integration of digital technologies and multimodal approaches.
