Second Language Cognitive Task Complexity

This book addresses the topic of cognitive task complexity as it has been investigated in second language (L2) task-based research. This interest is premised on the notion that communication tasks may differ systematically in the types and amounts of cognitive complexity they present to L2 learners, and these differences may have predictable effects on L2 performance, learning, and other outcomes. Adopting a research synthetic approach, the authors pursued the first ever comprehensive review of experimental and quasi-experimental studies, published over the first 30 years of relevant research, that drew comparisons between tasks designed to differ in levels and types of cognitive complexity. Findings from included studies (N = 296) illuminated critical patterns and gaps in the tasks, cognitive complexity operationalizations, outcome measures, and moderating variables investigated. Meta-analytic comparisons of the most replicated variables identified substantial beneficial as well as detrimental effects between a few task designs and certain measures of performance, uncovering heretofore unknown patterns of cause and effect. The book concludes with a detailed consideration of what is now known about L2 cognitive task complexity as well as the ways in which research should be improved, providing an essential interpretive benchmark and a foundation for future investigations.

There are good things to say about the field of second language cognitive task complexity research. It shows great vitality and has produced a wide range of interesting findings. Yet there are, in this young field, signs of fragmentation (and even disorganisation). There is an urgent need to take stock, to synthesise, and to look at the future in a more systematic way. This volume is a wonderful contribution to addressing all these concerns, representing a landmark publication that has the potential to shape task research in coming years. It offers concise and perceptive analyses of tasks and task characteristics, clarifying many of the disagreements and inconsistencies that abound. It also provides authoritative coverage of measurement problems and solutions with second language task-based performance. Above all, the scale, the scope of coverage is astonishing—it does justice to, and synthesises a huge literature, an excellent preparation for the meta-analysis which follows. The meta-analysis results themselves make a massive contribution. Not only do they provide authoritative coverage (and clear findings) of variables such as planning, repetition, familiarity, and others, the analysis also reveals under-researched areas, such as proficiency effects, and how addressing such gaps is vital for the future. It also functions as a vital handbook for researchers in designing future studies—giving them a framework which will help to combat isolated, detached research. Finally, the range of findings and the generalisations which emerge, such as the role of planning, will have a major impact on pedagogy.