This is a collaborative project with the Linguistic Risk-Taking Initiative led by Prof. Dr. Nikolay Slavkov at the Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute of the University of Ottawa, Canada. For more details about the original version of the Linguistic Risk-Taking Passport, please click here.

What is Linguistic Risk-Taking (LRT)?

A linguistic risk is “an authentic, autonomous communicative act where learners are pushed out of their linguistic and cultural comfort zone” (Slavkov and Séror, 2019, 254; Griffiths & Slavkov, 2021, p. 129). It involves “a situation where an individual has to make a decision involving choice between alternatives of different desirability; the outcome of the choice is uncertain; there is a possibility of failure“ (Beebe, 1983, 39).  Such choices in language learning require courage and can involve, for example, trying out new and difficult structures the learner is not sure of, speaking the target language in front of others, or exposing oneself to the target language in situations that may be perceived as beyond one’s linguistic abilities. This carries the prospect of failure, such as making errors, making oneself look foolish, being negatively judged or misunderstood (Beebe, 1983, 44-45; Slavkov, 2023, 33). Therefore, learners can be hesitant to make such choices and prefer to stay within the comfort zone of their L1 to avoid anxiety and discomfort. Engaging in linguistic risk-taking is important, however, as it can lead to a higher level of competence and confidence in the target language as well as increased exposure and opportunity to practice (Slavkov & Séror, 2019, p. 259-260; Griffiths & Slavkov, 2021, p. 128-129, 132).

Most importantly, daring to take linguistic risks can lead to feelings of empowerment, pride, enjoyment and success. In line with Slavkov (2023, 38-39), we argue that this is why and how Linguistic Risk-Taking (LRT) can contribute to learner well-being and resiliency. The key prerequisite is that learners engage in healthy risk-taking (Cervantes, 2013). This term captures the difficulty of determining an ideal level of risk-taking, which is inherently abstract (Beebe, 1983, 58-59; Oxford, 1992, 38). In our research efforts, we understand this ideal level of risk-taking as one that contributes to educational success, learner strength and resiliency without causing extensive frustration or an overwhelming experience of failure that is unsettling for learners. Healthy risk-taking is both individual and dynamic, which makes establishing what a healthy risk is for any specific learner in any specific situation a major challenge in research and teaching practice.Data from our own study, for example, suggests that learners with Developmental Language Disorder may perceive a strong fear of being laughed at by peers, but that this also greatly depends on any specific group dynamics (Schick & Rohde, 2024, accepted). Risk-taking is not a stable personality variable: it is dynamic and influenced by situational variables such as prior experience, rewards and social settings (Beebe, 1983, 41-42).

Practical implications for linguistic risk-taking originated at the University of Ottawa. In accordance with this Canadian LRT initiative, we propose that LRT can be productively utilized as a pedagogical tool in language learning and teaching.The essential language learning tool within the LRT initiative is the ‘Linguistic Risk-Taking Passport’, which was designed for the bilingual university campus in Ottawa, Canada (uOttawa; Slavkov & Séror, 2019).

The reframed perspective on LRT within the framework of well-being and positive psychology necessitates further research to develop and customize this pedagogical tool of LRT for different learning contexts. Our research project at the English Department II in Cologne aims to explore the potential of an LRT initiative within the German context: specifically for university students studying to be English teachers as well as younger and vulnerable learners in inclusive settings within the German school system (Mizelle & Schick, work in progress; Schick, Rohde & Riehemann, work in progress).

From a broad and multidimensional perspective, risk potential exists across all four skills – reading, writing, speaking, listening – both within and beyond the classroom walls (Slavkov & Séror, 2019, p. 257; Cajka et al., 2023, 208). We argue that linguistic risk-taking can take place not only when using and learning any second language, but also when using and learning a first language. This may be especially true for vulnerable learners such as those with Developmental Language Disorder (Schick & Rohde, 2024, accepted).

Project: Linguistic Risk-Taking in the German Context

1. Sub project: Linguistic risk-taking for younger and vulnerable learner groups in the German school system (Kim Schick, Andreas Rohde & Stephanie Riehemann)
The goal of our study is to explore the potential of the LRT initiative from Canada for the German school context. Specifically, we are interested in

• LRT in younger learners, and
• LRT for vulnerable learners in inclusive settings.

What learners perceive as a linguistic risk is highly individual. Accommodating diverse learner needs in an LRT initiative necessitates a thorough exploration of these individual perceptions in an inclusive educational context. We will concentrate on learners with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) who may be particularly vulnerable due to prior negative experiences (Riehemann, 2024). We aim to contribute to the development of an LRT initiative tailored for learners with DLD.

Research questions:

1. What may characterize specific linguistic risks for vulnerable learners in inclusive settings?

1. 1. Which linguistic actions inside and outside school can be particularly risky for them?
   2. In which areas might these learners need to take (more) linguistic risks in order to realize their learning potential?

2. (How) Does an LRT passport need to be adapted, introduced and supervised for vulnerable learners?

*Vulnerable learners= Learners with DLD, possibly to include other learners in future.

These questions are being explored by considering both expert (teacher) as well as learner perspectives to further identify the specific linguistic risks of these learners and the type of guidance that would be necessary for healthy risk-taking among learners with DLD.

2. Sub project: Linguistic risk-taking for university students studying to be English teachers (Natascha Mizelle & Kim Schick)
The LRT Passport of the University of Ottawa currently exists as both a paper version and an application for smart phones. In our project, we are pursuing the long-term goal of introducing an LRT app suitable for our university students here at the English department. That involves extending the LRT app to our teacher training environment, in which the language to be learned (English) is not spoken widely outside the classroom. The goal is not only to improve the risk-takers‘ language skills through LRT, but also their ability to encourage this risk-taking in their future pupils. The underlying assumption is that becoming aware of the challenges, benefits and significance of LRT, and reflecting on these experiences, will enable future language teachers to implement a similar approach in their own classrooms.

Research questions:

1. What are linguistic risks for our university students studying to be teachers of English as a foreign language?
2. How can we support our university students to use more English through LRT?
3. To what extent does the University of Ottawa's LRT initiative need to be adapted for English students in a non-English speaking environment?
4. How can we make an LRT Passport available as an app to our students?

Phase 1 of the project consists of constructing and conducting a survey amongst our university students to answer RQ 1 and 2. The findings from this phase will then form the basis to subsequently answer RQ 3 and 4 in phase 2 (developing/adapting as well as implementing an LRT app).

References

Beebe, L.M. (1983). Risk-taking and the language learner. In H.W. Seliger & M.H. Long (Eds.), Classroom oriented research in second language acquisition (pp. 39–66). Newbury House.

Cajka, S., Vetter, E., Griffiths, E., & Slavkov, N. (2023). 10 Linguistic risk-taking and informal language learning in Canada and Austria. In D. Toffoli, G. Sockett & M. Kusyk (Eds.), Language Learning and Leisure: Informal Language Learning in the Digital Age (pp. 207–238). De Gruyter Mouton. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110752441

Cervantes, I. M. (2013). The role of risk-taking behavior in the development of speaking skills in ESL classrooms. Revista de Lenguas Modernas, 19, 421–435.

Griffiths, E., & Slavkov, N. (2021). Linguistic Risk-Taking: A Bridge Between the Classroom and the Outside World. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 24(2), 127–158. https://doi.org/10.37213/cjal.2021.31308

Oxford, R. L. (1992). Who are our students? A synthesis of foreign and second language research on individual differences with implications for instructional practice. TESL Canada Journal, 9(2), 30–49. https://doi.org/10.18806/tesl.v9i2.602

Schick, K., Rohde, A., accepted, Linguistic risk-taking in inclusive contexts: The case of Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI) Journal

Slavkov, N., & Séror, J. (2019). The development of the linguistic risk-taking initiative at a bilingual post-secondary institution in Canada. Canadian Modern Language Review, 75(3), 254–271. https://doi.org/10.3138/cmlr.2018-0202

Slavkov, N. (2023). Linguistic Risk-Taking: A New Pedagogical Approach and a Research Program. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 26(2), 32-59. https://doi.org/10.37213/cjal.2023.33038

uOttawa – linguistic risk-taking initiative: https://www.uottawa.ca/about-us/official-languages-bilingualism-institute/ccerbal/research-groups/linguistic-risk