Task complexity and linguistic performance in advanced college-level foreign language writing
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Marcela Ruiz-Funes
Abstract
This study contributes to our understanding of the potential of tasks in the domain of writing for second/foreign language (L2/FL) development by exploring task complexity in academic writing and its effect on the linguistic performance of advanced college-level learners of Spanish. It focuses on essay-type writing tasks of different levels of complexity in terms of topic, discourse genre, task type, and cognitive processing and their relationship to syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). It adds to the emerging research on task complexity in L2/FL writing in terms of two models: Skehan and Foster’s Limited Attentional Capacity Model (Skehan 1998a, 2001, 2003; Skehan & Foster 1999, 2001) and Robinson’s Cognition Hypothesis (Robinson 2001a, 2001b, 2003, 2005, 2007). Findings suggest a tendency towards an emerging tension between syntactic complexity and accuracy and fluency in relation to task complexity and, at the same time, a positive association between task complexity and some measures of syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency depending on the writing abilities of the students based on the quality of the essays they produced. The chapter calls for future research that provides a classificatory system of task complexity in L2/FL writing to help explain the effect of task variables on attentional resources and the role played by long-term and working memory capacity in the composing processes. In addition, further research is needed that considers writing ability in relation to levels of L2/FL language proficiency in order to understand better the interaction between tasks, L2/FL composing skills, and language production.
Abstract
This study contributes to our understanding of the potential of tasks in the domain of writing for second/foreign language (L2/FL) development by exploring task complexity in academic writing and its effect on the linguistic performance of advanced college-level learners of Spanish. It focuses on essay-type writing tasks of different levels of complexity in terms of topic, discourse genre, task type, and cognitive processing and their relationship to syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency (CAF). It adds to the emerging research on task complexity in L2/FL writing in terms of two models: Skehan and Foster’s Limited Attentional Capacity Model (Skehan 1998a, 2001, 2003; Skehan & Foster 1999, 2001) and Robinson’s Cognition Hypothesis (Robinson 2001a, 2001b, 2003, 2005, 2007). Findings suggest a tendency towards an emerging tension between syntactic complexity and accuracy and fluency in relation to task complexity and, at the same time, a positive association between task complexity and some measures of syntactic complexity, accuracy, and fluency depending on the writing abilities of the students based on the quality of the essays they produced. The chapter calls for future research that provides a classificatory system of task complexity in L2/FL writing to help explain the effect of task variables on attentional resources and the role played by long-term and working memory capacity in the composing processes. In addition, further research is needed that considers writing ability in relation to levels of L2/FL language proficiency in order to understand better the interaction between tasks, L2/FL composing skills, and language production.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Series editors’ preface to volume 7 ix
- Task-based language learning 1
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PART I. Tenets, methods, and findings in task-oriented theory and research: The case of writing
- The internal dimension of tasks 27
- Reframing task performance 53
- Theorizing language development at the intersection of ‘task’ and L2 writing 79
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PART II. Empirical findings
- Task repetition and L2 writing development 107
- Planning and production in computer-mediated communication (CMC) writing 137
- Task complexity and linguistic performance in advanced college-level foreign language writing 163
- Differences across modalities of performance 193
- Storyline complexity and syntactic complexity in writing and speaking tasks 217
- Linking task and writing for language development 237
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PART III. Coda
- Task, task performance, and writing development 267
- About the contributors 301
- Author index 305
- Subject index 309
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- List of contributors vii
- Series editors’ preface to volume 7 ix
- Task-based language learning 1
-
PART I. Tenets, methods, and findings in task-oriented theory and research: The case of writing
- The internal dimension of tasks 27
- Reframing task performance 53
- Theorizing language development at the intersection of ‘task’ and L2 writing 79
-
PART II. Empirical findings
- Task repetition and L2 writing development 107
- Planning and production in computer-mediated communication (CMC) writing 137
- Task complexity and linguistic performance in advanced college-level foreign language writing 163
- Differences across modalities of performance 193
- Storyline complexity and syntactic complexity in writing and speaking tasks 217
- Linking task and writing for language development 237
-
PART III. Coda
- Task, task performance, and writing development 267
- About the contributors 301
- Author index 305
- Subject index 309
