Operationalizing Defining from a Cognitive Discourse Perspective for Learners' Use

Abstract

Dalton Puffer's (2016) construct of cognitive discourse functions invites TESOL and CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) educators to make ¿the process of thought available for learning¿ and to enable students to verbalize these thoughts. The construct includes seven interdisciplinary academic functions with different maco-realizers and internal structures, which are classifying, defining, describing, evaluating, explaining, exploring and reporting. The point of departure for this chapter was the operationalization of one of the CDFs for learners¿ use, namely ¿defining¿ (Dalton¿Puffer, 2016, pp. 29¿54). This operationalization took the form of a template that was extended to a group of tertiary students in an English Medium Instruction program that adopts CLIL principles. The definition template, illustrating the possible macro‐moves when defining, was then incorporated in different activities in a core non-language subject in the degree of education between February and May 2016. Students¿ perceptions about the template and the activities were anonymously surveyed, and their actual use of the template during activities and their written definitions were used to determine the usefulness of the initiative.