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Staff Profile

Emeritus Professor Paul Seedhouse

Emeritus Professor (Human Spoken Interaction)

Background


Qualifications

Academic Qualifications

  • 1979 University of Durham. BA(Honours)Class 2:1,German(French subsid.)
  • 1992 University of Aston. MSc in Teaching English.
  • 1996 University of York. D Phil. Title of thesis: ‘Learning Talk: a Study of the Interactional Organisation of the L2 Classroom from a CA Institutional Discourse Perspective.’
  • 2016 Newcastle University. D Litt. Title of thesis: ‘Spoken Interaction as a Complex System’.

Professional Qualifications

  • 1983 International House London. RSA Cert TEFL
  • 1984 Durham University School of Education. PGCE
  • 1989 Centre for British Teachers, Brunei. RSA Dip TEFL


Memberships

I am a member of the British Association of Applied Linguistics, the Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society and the British Science Association.


Areas of expertise


The analysis of spoken interaction. Conversation Analysis. Complex Systems. Applied Linguistics. Digital technology for language learning. The IELTS Speaking Test.

 

I research what is universal about human spoken interaction. I argue that human talk emerges from the interplay of two separate complex systems: language and the interaction engine. The ENACT web app aims to provide a universal infrastructure to help people around the world learn language through culture and to appreciate their commonality and diversity. My (2024) book with Aki Siegel Human Spoken Interaction as a Complex Adaptive System demonstrates that talk involves 2 complex adaptive systems – the interaction engine and language(s). Their combination provides talk with both enormous generative power and the stable infrastructure necessary for us to understand each other.

 

Google scholar: Click here.

Research

Research Interests


I research what is universal about human spoken interaction. I argue that human talk emerges from the interplay of two separate complex systems: language and the interaction engine. The ENACT web app aims to provide a universal infrastructure to help people around the world learn language through culture and to appreciate their commonality and diversity. My (2024) book with Aki Siegel Human Spoken Interaction as a Complex Adaptive System demonstrates that talk involves 2 complex adaptive systems – the interaction engine and language(s). Their combination provides talk with both enormous generative power and the stable infrastructure necessary for us to understand each other.

The film of the book is on : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vn_O1gVAxSg


To get free electronic access to a number of my publications, please go to

http://int.ncl.ac.uk/author_pubs.aspx?author_id=72569epr

My Google Scholar page is http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=NjHoLhMAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao     

ENACT: language learning through culture app: https://enacteuropa.com/  


Area of expertise

The analysis of spoken interaction. Applied Linguistics. Digital technology for language learning. The IELTS Speaking Test.

The knowledge which is created by my research is a) what is universal about human spoken interaction b) how people communicate in professional settings. I portray spoken interaction as a complex, holistic, adaptive system. Specifically, I uncover how the organisation of interaction in an institutional setting is related to the institutional goals. Close examination of the detail of the interaction can reveal issues and problems which can then be tackled through policy or training.


A recent book is Seedhouse, P. (Ed.) (2022). Video Enhanced Observation for Language Teaching: Reflection and Professional Development. London: Bloomsbury. It is available on 

https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-human-spoken-interaction-as-a-complex-adaptive-system.html 

 

Previous Research Roles

REF Coordinator for Applied Linguistics for the 2013, 2020 and 2029 exercises.

Editorial Board member for the journals: Language Teaching, Classroom Discourse, Novitas Royal, Bellaterra, ARECLS.

Co-editor, Edinburgh University Press Book Series 'Studies in Social Interaction'. 

 ECLS Director, iLAB:Learn 

Chair, Applied Linguistics Research Group


Previous Postgraduate Supervision

PhD students who have completed are Ghaleb Rababah, Aboubaker El-Aswad, Eda Ustunel, Chris Jenks, Navaporn Sanprasert, Kitcha Thepsiri, Buthayna Al-Garawi, Hanan Waer, Olcay Sert, Chen-Ying Li, Saad Al-Mutairi, Dorine Lugendo, Aki Siegel, Sumita Supakorn, Cihat Atar,  Jaeuk Park, Ming-Fen Lo, Monthon Kanokpermpoon, Khansaa Martakush, Andy Harris, Simin Ren, Yiyin Wang, Saziye Savaskan.


Esteem Indicators

The Modern Language Association of America awarded me its twenty-fifth annual Kenneth W. Mildenberger Prize in 2005 for my book The Interactional Architecture of the Language Classroom: A Conversation Analysis Perspective. The prize is awarded annually for an outstanding work in the fields of language, culture, literacy, or literature with strong application to the teaching of languages other than English. The book was also shortlisted for the British Association for Applied Linguistics Book Prize 2005.

The book Conceptualising Learning in Applied Linguistics, for which I was first editor, was runner-up in the  British Association for Applied Linguistics Book Prize 2011.

The French Digital Kitchen project won the 2012 European Language Label prize. 

Linguacuisine was selected for HundrEd’s Spotlight on Bilingual Education 2020 as “one of the world’s most inspiring innovations in Bilingual Education”. 


I have given invited plenary talks at events in Denmark, UK, Italy, Korea, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Turkey, Finland, Thailand, New Zealand, Vietnam, Norway, Sweden, Israel and Malaysia.

Here you can watch videos of some of my talks:

 

Invited plenary presentation: Language Learning Round Table, Eurosla 20 Conference, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Italy. 1.9.10. ‘A Holistic Approach to Task-based Interaction’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPR-uCbC_AA

 

Invited plenary presentation. ‘Learning a Language through Classroom Interaction’. BAAL Language Learning & Teaching SIG Annual Conference. 2.7.15. University of Edinburgh. https://iptv.ncl.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=8131~4n~NUVu9fmG

 

Invited plenary presentation. ‘The European Digital Kitchen’. 6.8.16. IAKLE Conference, Seoul, Korea.

https://iptv.ncl.ac.uk/View.aspx?id=11754~5f~xexCbLDnGH

 

Invited plenary presentation: 13.10.16. ‘The IELTS Speaking Test: Interactional Design and Practice in a Global Context.’ New Directions in English Language Assessment Conference. Hanoi, Vietnam.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6ZHZ0WT2n0&index=10&list=PLklwCZNOMbIhxtTq94CMyct6VQjd7WtV0

 

Virtual exchange workshop at IVEC conference Newcastle University 15.9.20

https://vimeo.com/459018271/ba1202e113

 

Invited masterclass plenary. ‘Learning Languages, Cultures and Cuisines while Cooking: Linguacuisine’. 3.11.20. Bilingual Education Online MasterClass. Helsinki Education Week

Spotlight on Bilingual Education | HundrED Innovation Summit 2020

 

Invited workshop. ‘Learning Languages, Cultures and Cuisines while Cooking: Linguacuisine Workshop’. 4.11.20. Online workshop, HundrED Innovation Summit.

https://youtu.be/eKt3xySjwwM


Invited speaker presentation. ‘Learn Language through Culture: The ENACT Web App’. 15.10.21. Oxford University, Oriental Studies, Hertford College. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Zpvms5yyJw&t=33s


Invited interview with Faculti. 6.2.22 ‘The Linguacuisine Project: A Cooking-based Language Learning Application.’ https://faculti.net/the-linguacuisine-project:-a-cooking-based-language-learning-application/  


Invited speaker presentation. ‘Learn Language through Culture: The ENACT Web App’. The Media & Learning Association. 17.2.22. https://media-and-learning.eu/event/media-supported-language-teaching/


Invited speaker presentation. ‘Learning Languages through Cultural Activities: The ENACT Web App’. 28.10.22. Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.52843/cassyni.l7x6z8


Invited plenary presentation. ‘Promoting and Analysing Spoken Interaction in English Classrooms in Thailand’. 22.4.24. International CARDIT Symposium. Prince of Songkla University, Thailand. https://youtu.be/Y59uR3ZUyI0  


Invited plenary presentation. ‘A Universal Infrastructure for Learning Chinese Language through Cultural Activities’. 5.7.24. 21st International Conference on Teaching and Learning Chinese in Higher Education. Newcastle University. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUCNTzHPtpE&list=PL25Utx80XUxfYMMMJKZDcpr4v18c00-Li&index=11


I have been external examiner for 24 UK doctorates as well as for theses in Australia (3), Finland, New Zealand, Spain and Switzerland. Expert list member, EU Comenius and Erasmus programmes.


Impact


A film summarising the impact of the Linguacuisine and ENACT apps is on: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxGZCqprggs&t=10s

Current impact work on ENACT is summarised on https://enacteuropa.com/?q=impact


Industrial Relevance


Able to record and analyse communication in institutional settings. Close analysis of details of the interaction can uncover the sources of communication problems and suggest solutions to these.

Applications of digital technology to language learning. 

Teaching

Postgraduate Teaching

I no longer teach.

I was module leader for the following modules : Spoken Interaction in Language Learning and Testing Contexts , Research Methods in Applied Linguistics for Doctoral Students and Dissertation. I also taught on the HASS Faculty research training programme.




Publications