A 'hermeneutic approach' in research?

[Mehrgan]

Dear members,
Would anyone please give me some information on the title? A research is supposed to be carried out on how to develop self-regulation in ESL/EFL learners, using a hermeneutic approach. I've already searched a lot but still haven't got a clue how such an approach could function in ESL studies! Any slightest piece of hint or any link to any resource would be of great help!



Thank you so much in advance!

[konungursvia]

My interpretation would be to use reading texts as the tool, and allow the students to read and publicly share their reactions and interpretations freely, according to a schedule and duration they themselves organise (no 'right answer' or 'correct method' is ever given, they can say what they feel about the texts, in the manner they choose). This can also be done as reviews or opinions of any other art form. This form of self-expression with learner autonomy comes closest to what you describe, in my view.

[konungursvia]

Another interpretation: you are to carry out your research hermeneutically (based on people's reception of methods) and determine which strategies for developing learner autonomy give learners the most satisfactory result. I'm not sure which is being sought, in fact, between my first and second interpretations of the 'assignment.'

[5jj]

TGFK - Thank goodness for konungursvia. I had not the slightest idea of what the original question was about. If it's any consolation, Mehrgan, I had never heard of the word ' hermeneutic' until you started this thread.

[Mehrgan]

Another interpretation: you are to carry out your research hermeneutically (based on people's reception of methods) and determine which strategies for developing learner autonomy give learners the most satisfactory result. I'm not sure which is being sought, in fact, between my first and second interpretations of the 'assignment.'

Dear konungursvia,
Thank you so much for the time you've put into this! I'm now really interested to follow your interpretations as I had no idea where to start from. Hope I can make more out of this thread.

Best, ever!

[Mehrgan]

TGFK - Thank goodness for konungursvia. I had not the slightest idea of what the original question was about. If it's any consolation, Mehrgan, I had never heard of the word ' hermeneutic' until you started this thread.

And you know how you've always been a source of motivation, don't you?! I'm happy I've got your post in my thread! Thanks!

(And yes, the term is one of those freak ones I've got to get on with! )

[konungursvia]

TGFK - Thank goodness for konungursvia. I had not the slightest idea of what the original question was about. If it's any consolation, Mehrgan, I had never heard of the word ' hermeneutic' until you started this thread.

Thanks very kindly. In literary criticism, hermeneutics is the approach which focusses on the reader's reception (interpretation, evaluation) rather than the author's life, stated desires, obvious literary structures, etc. For this reason, it's quite modern -- and espouses the idea that all interpretations are valid, from the reader's point of view. Or at least that there are many valid answers to interpretative questions.

See Kurosawa's film, Rashomon, for a film whose script lends itself well to a hermeneutical approach involving different types of veridiction -- truths which depend on point of view.

[Mehrgan]

Thanks very kindly. In literary criticism, hermeneutics is the approach which focusses on the reader's reception (interpretation, evaluation) rather than the author's life, stated desires, obvious literary structures, etc. For this reason, it's quite modern -- and espouses the idea that all interpretations are valid, from the reader's point of view. Or at least that there are many valid answers to interpretative questions.

See Kurosawa's film, Rashomon, for a film whose script lends itself well to a hermeneutical approach involving different types of veridiction -- truths which depend on point of view.

Thanks again for the information above. Can you personally think of any methods, regarding the hermeneutic apprach, which could lead to a development of learners autonomy and self-regulation? As I mentioned before, I'm not trying to misuse the page and all I need is a thread to start with.

Thanks in advance.

[konungursvia]

Maybe, if you quote the assignment verbatim, I can help you. I still don't know which of the aspects needs to be hermeneutical -- the activity the students engage in, or the method for evaluating your activities.