Caroline Payant

THE INTERSECTION OF TASK-BASED INTERACTION, TASK COMPLEXITY, AND WORKING MEMORY

The extent to which individual differences in cognitive abilities affect the relationship among task complexity, attention to form, and second language development has been addressed only minimally in the cognition hypothesis literature. The present study explores how reasoning demands in tasks and working memory (WM) capacity predict learners’ ability to notice English question structures provided in the form of recasts and how this contributes to subsequent development of English question formation. Eighty-one nonnative speakers of English completed three interactive tasks with a native speaker interlocutor, one WM task, and three oral production tests. Prior to the first interactive task, participants were randomly assigned to a task group (simple or complex). During task performance, all learners were provided with recasts targeting errors in question formation. The results showed that learners’ cognitive processes during tasks were in line with the cognitive demands of the tasks, at two complexity levels. The findings suggest that WM was the only significant predictor of the amount of noticing of recasts as well as of learners’ question development. With regard to interaction effects between WM and task complexity, high WM learners who carried out a complex version of the tasks benefitted the most from task-based interaction.

Manipulating task implementation variables with incipient Spanish language learners: A classroom-based study

A growing body of research has shown a positive role of task-supported instruction in second language (L2) learning (Ellis, 2003a; Loewen, 2015; Van Den Branden, 2006). From a pedagogical perspective, recycling or repeating parts of teaching materials is common practice and theoretical support for such practice is emerging (Bygate and Samuda, 2005). However, determining which aspects to repeat during task-supported interaction that fosters interaction-driven learning opportunities while maintaining student interest is currently underexplored. Further, few studies have considered learners’ perception during task completion. The current study thus examined the effects of task repetition on the production and resolution of language-related episodes (LREs) over time. English-speaking (first language, L1) students of Spanish (second language, L2) from two intact Spanish as a foreign language (FL) classroom (n = 28) were assigned to one of the following task repetition groups: task with repetition (same task/same content) or task with procedural repetition (same task/new content). Learner–learner interaction produced during two-way decision-making tasks were transcribed and coded for LREs. Learner perception data was collected following task completion and analysed qualitatively. The results indicated that the task repetition had greater benefits on the occurrence and resolution of lexis-based LREs, but that both groups benefited similarly in terms of producing and resolving form-based LREs. Results are discussed in light of speech processing models and pedagogical implications for task-based instruction in FL settings are examined.

Impact of task modality on collaborative dialogue among plurilingual learners: a classroom-based study

ABSTRACT Despite a growing amount of research on collaborative dialogue during task performance, little attention has been given to the occurrence of collaborative dialogue across task modality and its impact on language development. To expand our current understanding of task modality effects on learning opportunities, we examined the process of engaging in collaborative dialogue, operationalized as language-related episodes (LREs), during the oral and written modalities of two decision-making tasks and subsequent language development. Five dyads composed of Spanish (L1) – English (L2) bilingual students learning French (L3) completed two decision-making tasks, each containing oral and written components. LREs were coded in terms of type (lexis-based, form-based), resolution (learner-learner correctly resolved, learner-teacher correctly resolved, incorrectly resolved, or unresolved), and first language use. Tailor-made posttests were created based on LREs to measure language development. Findings indicate a higher percentage of lexis-based LREs, which were more salient during the oral modality. Accuracy scores on posttests suggest that LREs promote target language development.

Impacts of task complexity on the development of L2 oral performance over time

Abstract Robinson’s (2001, Task complexity, task difficulty, and task production: Exploring interactions in a componential framework. Applied Linguistics, 22(1), 27–57. doi: 10.1093/applin/22.1.27) Cognition Hypothesis states that requiring second language (L2) learners to engage in tasks of increasing complexity may promote greater quality of language production. However, few studies have explored the impact of increasing task complexity on learners’ development of L2 oral performance over time. The present study employed a pre-test/post-test design to investigate how engaging in tasks with different degrees of complexity impact L2 oral performance development with sixty Korean learners of English. Task complexity was manipulated based on the [+/-reasoning demands] variable following Robinson’s Triadic Componential Framework (2001). To measure the effects of task complexity on L2 oral performance, learners were assigned to one of four conditions: a) simple task, b) +complex task, c) ++complex task, and d) no task. The pre- and post-test results were analysed for complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Results indicated that L2 oral performance under complex task conditions led to greater syntactic complexity and fluency over time.