Dr. John Liontas,
Department of Language, Literacy, Ed.D., Exceptional Education, and Physical Education, College of Education, University of South Florida, The United States of America
The primary aim of this presentation is to introduce “The Dialogic Circles of Digital Pedagogy” as a dynamic, evolving framework that shapes and enriches idiomatics—the scientific study of idiomatic and figurative language—among language professionals and educators worldwide. A central focus is the establishment of the International Society of Idiomatics (ISI) as an independent and globally recognized academic field. The presentation explores how teacher agency, coupled with continuous professional development and critical self-reflection in diverse teaching contexts, fosters innovation and growth. These didactic cycles of reflective practice are fundamental to ISI’s mission, and the presentation delves into strategies for promoting the society’s expansion both now and in the future. Idiomatics plays a critical role in understanding language acquisition, cultural fluency, and human cognition. Its interdisciplinary relevance spans numerous fields, including cognitive science, linguistics, translation studies, literature, psychology, and education. Moreover, idiomatics significantly contributes to advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning, particularly in enhancing natural language processing, sentiment analysis, and human-computer interaction. The presentation underscores the importance of interdisciplinary research, robust methodological frameworks, and global collaboration as essential for elevating idiomatics to an autonomous academic discipline. Furthermore, the presentation explores the pedagogical implications of idiomatics, offering practical insights into how idiomatic expressions can be effectively integrated into language instruction at various levels. It provides actionable strategies for leveraging digital tools to teach idiomatic and figurative language more effectively, thus fostering both linguistic competence and cultural understanding in diverse educational settings worldwide.
Keywords: Idiomatics, Digital Pedagogy, Teacher Agency, Interdisciplinary Research, Authentic Language Use
The above abstract is a part of the article which was accepted at The 10th International Conference on Languages, Linguistics, Translation and Literature (WWW.TLLL.IR), 1-2 February 2025, Ahwaz.
