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Chapter 11. Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach

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Abstract

When assessing L2 performance in task-based research, dimensions of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) have typically been evaluated. Less attention has, however, been devoted to the functional dimension. This paper argues that it is critical to consider the functional dimension of L2 performance in addition to complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Functional adequacy as a task-related construct is viewed in the present study as a component of L2 pragmatics, referring to the appropriateness and felicity of the utterances of the speaker/writer within a particular context, and evaluated by the listener/reader. The study investigates the applicability of a rating scale developed for the assessment of functional adequacy in the L2, considered from the perspective of task-based language teaching (TBLT) and task-based language assessment (TBLA), as successful task completion. In the rating scale, four components of functional adequacy are distinguished: content, task requirements, comprehensibility, and coherence and cohesion. A group of non-expert raters judged the oral and written samples of two groups of university students of Dutch L2 and Italian L2. The results show that the scale appears to be a reliable and efficient tool for assessing the functional adequacy of written and spoken L2 production.

Abstract

When assessing L2 performance in task-based research, dimensions of complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF) have typically been evaluated. Less attention has, however, been devoted to the functional dimension. This paper argues that it is critical to consider the functional dimension of L2 performance in addition to complexity, accuracy, and fluency. Functional adequacy as a task-related construct is viewed in the present study as a component of L2 pragmatics, referring to the appropriateness and felicity of the utterances of the speaker/writer within a particular context, and evaluated by the listener/reader. The study investigates the applicability of a rating scale developed for the assessment of functional adequacy in the L2, considered from the perspective of task-based language teaching (TBLT) and task-based language assessment (TBLA), as successful task completion. In the rating scale, four components of functional adequacy are distinguished: content, task requirements, comprehensibility, and coherence and cohesion. A group of non-expert raters judged the oral and written samples of two groups of university students of Dutch L2 and Italian L2. The results show that the scale appears to be a reliable and efficient tool for assessing the functional adequacy of written and spoken L2 production.

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgement vii
  4. Series editors’ preface ix
  5. Chapter 1. Task-based approaches to teaching and assessing pragmatics 1
  6. Part I. Teaching pragmatics through tasks
  7. Chapter 2. Learning of Korean honorifics through collaborative tasks 27
  8. Chapter 3. Effects of task supported language teaching on learners’ use and knowledge of email request mitigators 55
  9. Chapter 4. Task complexity effects on interaction during a collaborative persuasive writing task 83
  10. Part II. Using tasks to elicit pragmatics language use
  11. Chapter 5. Task modality effects on Spanish learners’ interlanguage pragmatic development 113
  12. Chapter 6. Developing pragmatic competence through tasks in EFL contexts 137
  13. Chapter 7. Independently measuring cognitive complexity in task design for interlanguage pragmatics development 159
  14. Chapter 8. Pragmatics, tasks, and technology 191
  15. Part III. Task-based assessment of pragmatics
  16. Chapter 9. Task design and validity evidence for assessment of L2 pragmatics in interaction 217
  17. Chapter 10. The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance 247
  18. Chapter 11. Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach 265
  19. Chapter 12. Pragmatics in task-based language assessment 287
  20. Bio notes 305
  21. Index 311
Task-Based Approaches to Teaching and Assessing Pragmatics
This chapter is in the book Task-Based Approaches to Teaching and Assessing Pragmatics
https://doi.org/10.1075/tblt.10.11kui

Chapters in this book

  1. Prelim pages i
  2. Table of contents v
  3. Acknowledgement vii
  4. Series editors’ preface ix
  5. Chapter 1. Task-based approaches to teaching and assessing pragmatics 1
  6. Part I. Teaching pragmatics through tasks
  7. Chapter 2. Learning of Korean honorifics through collaborative tasks 27
  8. Chapter 3. Effects of task supported language teaching on learners’ use and knowledge of email request mitigators 55
  9. Chapter 4. Task complexity effects on interaction during a collaborative persuasive writing task 83
  10. Part II. Using tasks to elicit pragmatics language use
  11. Chapter 5. Task modality effects on Spanish learners’ interlanguage pragmatic development 113
  12. Chapter 6. Developing pragmatic competence through tasks in EFL contexts 137
  13. Chapter 7. Independently measuring cognitive complexity in task design for interlanguage pragmatics development 159
  14. Chapter 8. Pragmatics, tasks, and technology 191
  15. Part III. Task-based assessment of pragmatics
  16. Chapter 9. Task design and validity evidence for assessment of L2 pragmatics in interaction 217
  17. Chapter 10. The effects of task type and L2 proficiency on discourse appropriacy in oral task performance 247
  18. Chapter 11. Assessing functional adequacy of L2 performance in a task-based approach 265
  19. Chapter 12. Pragmatics in task-based language assessment 287
  20. Bio notes 305
  21. Index 311
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