Chapter 3. The effects of task repetition and task complexity on L2 lexicon use
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YouJin Kim
Abstract
To date, a growing number of studies in instructed second language acquisition (SLA) have investigated the effects of task repetition on L2 performance (e.g., complexity, accuracy, fluency) as well as on the occurrence of interaction-driven learning opportunities (e.g., Bygate, 2001; Fukuta, 2016; Kim & Tracy-Ventura, 2013). However, studies have not investigated how repeating different aspects of tasks (e.g., content or procedure) during collaborative tasks affects second language lexical use. The current study aims to fill that gap by comparing the impact of procedural repetition and task repetition on the lexical use of paired language learners as they repeat collaborative tasks. Furthermore, how task complexity mediates task repetition effects was also investigated. Four intact junior high school English classes (n = 73) were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (1) simple task with exact task repetition, (2) simple task with procedural repetition, (3) complex task with exact task repetition, and (4) complex task with procedural repetition. All groups participated in three collaborative tasks over three days. The task repetition groups carried out the same information-exchange task with the same content three times, while the procedural repetition groups followed the same task procedure but had different content for the three sessions. Learners’ interaction data during collaborative tasks were transcribed and analyzed for lexical use using a natural language processing tool. Lexical use was operationalized by word familiarity, age of acquisition (AoA), and word frequency (Kyle & Crossley, 2015). The findings indicated that as learners repeated tasks, they used words that are less familiar and have a higher age of acquisition. Task complexity was found to be a mediating factor for the relationship between task repetition and vocabulary use.
Abstract
To date, a growing number of studies in instructed second language acquisition (SLA) have investigated the effects of task repetition on L2 performance (e.g., complexity, accuracy, fluency) as well as on the occurrence of interaction-driven learning opportunities (e.g., Bygate, 2001; Fukuta, 2016; Kim & Tracy-Ventura, 2013). However, studies have not investigated how repeating different aspects of tasks (e.g., content or procedure) during collaborative tasks affects second language lexical use. The current study aims to fill that gap by comparing the impact of procedural repetition and task repetition on the lexical use of paired language learners as they repeat collaborative tasks. Furthermore, how task complexity mediates task repetition effects was also investigated. Four intact junior high school English classes (n = 73) were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: (1) simple task with exact task repetition, (2) simple task with procedural repetition, (3) complex task with exact task repetition, and (4) complex task with procedural repetition. All groups participated in three collaborative tasks over three days. The task repetition groups carried out the same information-exchange task with the same content three times, while the procedural repetition groups followed the same task procedure but had different content for the three sessions. Learners’ interaction data during collaborative tasks were transcribed and analyzed for lexical use using a natural language processing tool. Lexical use was operationalized by word familiarity, age of acquisition (AoA), and word frequency (Kyle & Crossley, 2015). The findings indicated that as learners repeated tasks, they used words that are less familiar and have a higher age of acquisition. Task complexity was found to be a mediating factor for the relationship between task repetition and vocabulary use.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Series Editors’ Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Task repetition for language learning 27
- Chapter 2. Grammatical structures and oral fluency in immediate task repetition 43
- Chapter 3. The effects of task repetition and task complexity on L2 lexicon use 75
- Chapter 4. Discourse performance in L2 task repetition 97
- Chapter 5. The impact of intra-cultural and inter-cultural task repetition on interaction 117
- Chapter 6. Effects of task type, task-type repetition, and performance criteria on L2 oral production 143
- Chapter 7. The effects of awareness-raising through stimulated recall on the repeated performance of the same task and on a new task of the same type 171
- Chapter 8. Perform, reflect, recycle 193
- Chapter 9. Second language learning through repeated engagement in a poster presentation task 223
- Chapter 10. Mediating input-based tasks for beginner learners through task repetition 255
- Chapter 11. Understanding benefits of repetition from a complex dynamic systems perspective 279
- Chapter 12. Task repetition or task iteration? 311
- External reviewers 331
- Subject index 333
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Series Editors’ Preface vii
- Introduction 1
- Chapter 1. Task repetition for language learning 27
- Chapter 2. Grammatical structures and oral fluency in immediate task repetition 43
- Chapter 3. The effects of task repetition and task complexity on L2 lexicon use 75
- Chapter 4. Discourse performance in L2 task repetition 97
- Chapter 5. The impact of intra-cultural and inter-cultural task repetition on interaction 117
- Chapter 6. Effects of task type, task-type repetition, and performance criteria on L2 oral production 143
- Chapter 7. The effects of awareness-raising through stimulated recall on the repeated performance of the same task and on a new task of the same type 171
- Chapter 8. Perform, reflect, recycle 193
- Chapter 9. Second language learning through repeated engagement in a poster presentation task 223
- Chapter 10. Mediating input-based tasks for beginner learners through task repetition 255
- Chapter 11. Understanding benefits of repetition from a complex dynamic systems perspective 279
- Chapter 12. Task repetition or task iteration? 311
- External reviewers 331
- Subject index 333
