Promoting Learners’ Language Production through Computer-Mediated Interactive Tasks

1. Promoting Learners’ Language Production through Computer-Mediated Interactive Tasks Ali Hussain Al-Bulushi

2. Content 1. Learner-learner interaction 2. The role of TBLT in interaction 3. Interactive tasks in CMC 4. Research 5. Data Analysis 6. Some initial findings 7. Conclusion

3. Learner-Learner Interaction • The Interaction Hypothesis postulates that a crucial ground for language development is when L2 learners are engaged in negotiating meaning and resolving communication breakdowns while interacting among each other (Long & Robinson, 1998:22).

4. Learner-Learner Interaction cont. • The notion of negotiation of meaning while interacting around a language learning task has been investigated extensively in relation to various areas.

5. The Role of TBLT in Interaction • In a classroom setting, research has shown that well-designed and implemented tasks can engage learners in meaningful interaction and that negotiation can occur through these interactions (see Pica, 1994). • Pica, Kanagy, and Falodun (1993) established four main categories of task features. • interactant relationship, • interactional goal, • communication goal, and • outcome option.

6. The Role of TBLT in Interaction cont. (Table 1: Communication task types for L2 research and pedagogy analysis, Adapted from Pica et al. 1993: 17)

7. The Role of TBLT in Interaction cont. • According to the four characteristics, jigsaw tasks are the most conducive to the negotiation of meaning whereas opinion-exchange tasks are the least conducive to negotiation of meaning.

8. Interactive Tasks in CMC • CMC is basically a type of CALL environments that refers to a situation in which L2 learners use the computer to pedagogically communicate via emails, bulletin boards, chat lines, and within MOO (Multi-user domains, Object Oriented) environments (Beatty, 2003). • Why CMC • Rapid increase in the use of CMC in education and EFL/ESL

9. Interactive Tasks in CMC cont. • More equitable learner participation and better quality language than that found in face-to-face interaction (Smith, 2003) • CMC interaction creates less threatening and less stressful environment • Logging makes it easier to capture and assess the interaction for research and pedagogical purposes. • CMC can promote TBLT/TBLL and interaction-oriented approach to SLA.

10. Interactive Tasks in CMC cont. • Conducting network-based discussions entails meaningful use of the TL and encourages teachers and learners to treat language as a medium of communication rather than an object. • Other benefits mentioned by (Mydlarski, 1998) include: • Learners contributions (amount, pace, time) • The interactivity of the writing and the learner-centred orientation of CMC enable the learners to take control of their interaction.

11. Interactive Tasks in CMC cont. • In asynchronous communication, learners can utilize the time to plan their messages and edit them before posting which would enhance their productive L2 strategies and processes. • Exposure to a substantial amount of comprehensible input produced by peers of a similar level and shared background.

12. Interactive Tasks in CMC cont. • The implementation of computer-based activities in the EFL classroom should be based on sound SLA theory that can facilitate language learning. • Based on the principles of TBLT, using CMC synchronously or asynchronously appears to have potentials for language learning and teaching.

13. Research • Research Questions • How do learners negotiate for meaning during task-based CMC? • Does the task type affect how learners negotiate for meaning during CMC? If so, how? • Do L2 students believe that online interactive tasks actually benefit their language reception and production?

14. Research cont. • Participants • Students doing an intensive English language program in the language centre at SQU. • First pilot (21 learners) but the second pilot (one dyad) • Instruments • Pre-treatment questionnaire • WebCT

15. Research cont. • The Tasks • Semi-structured interviews

16. Research cont. • Procedures • Participants randomly chosen and met at least once a week during their scheduled computer lab session. • First session: they’ll do the pre-treatment questionnaire • They will do 2 warming-up activities namely chatting with each other about their plans for the rest of the day and doing an example task from each task type chosen for the main treatment.

17. Research cont. • Each student will be allocated a partner to do the online tasks • After each session, all the chat scripts will be compiled and saved • Eventually interviews will be conducted

18. Data Analysis Varonis and Gass (1985) of NfM was used to identify the NfM incidents Trigger Indicator Response Reaction to the Response

19. Data Analysis cont. • First pilot study • Yielded only 9 incidents of NfM. This paucity can be attributed to: • Tasks’ language level may have not corresponded with the participants’ proficiency level. • The characteristics of the tasks lacked some linguistic challenges (lexical, structural, discoursal, or instructional) • The participants’ shared background helped them in anticipating discourse especially in the opinion-exchange task. • Same pairs lessened the collaboration towards NfM

20. Data Analysis cont. • Second pilot study • The discourse produced tends to follow pedagogic tasks format over the real-world format. Example: (Excerpt from the pen pal gift jigsaw task)

21. Data Analysis cont. Excerpt (1) Participants avoiding the task roles (Names are pseudonyms)

22. Some Initial Findings • Amount of NfM  calculate negotiated turns and compare it to the total turns for the dyad across the 3 task types

23. Some Initial Findings cont. • Findings run contrary to Pica et al.’s (1993) and reveal that DMT helped the learners initiate 6% more negotiations than the jigsaw task. • Triggers are basically the catalyst of interaction which spur the NfM incidents among learners.

24. Some Initial Findings cont. Triggers initiated the NfM incidents and their percentages in the task types

25. Some Initial Findings cont. • Not all the NfM routines went through the same phases of the model. Exerpt (2) The task as a trigger rather than an explicit utterance

26. Some Initial Findings cont. Stages of Negotiation Routines Completed by Dyads

27. Some Initial Findings cont. • 17% of the negotiated turns are NfM incidents • Although IGT did initiate a couple of NfM incidents, the majority of them are found in the DMT and jigsaw task types. • Task-dependency seems to help online interlocutors to produce more negotiated routines. • pen pal gift jigsaw task

28. Conclusion • Comparisons with other studies or generalizations should be warranted. • More data is needed to make strong claims about the conduciveness of task types as well as the different possible phases of NfM in a CMC-based interaction.