Abstract

In this article, we explore multimodal communicative competence in L2 English for professional purposes, given that communication today is sustained by technology and occurs in a globalized context. More specifically, we examine the extent to which teaching practices prepare learners to develop these skills, which represents a challenge for higher education institutions. To this end, we study in particular the non-verbal part of communication as developed in an L2 English learning environment specifically designed and implemented for the training of professional adults enrolled in a continuing training program in the LSP sector. Our results show that language teachers are indeed involved in the development of learners’ multimodal communicative competence—an essential skill, since becoming a professional entails mastering the semiotic resources employed by the professional community—but to varying degrees, and that they would benefit from support in order to further develop critical semiotic awareness and research-informed pedagogical practices.