Exploring Learners’ Self-Reported Behavioral Patterns in Two Task-Readiness Conditions: A Qualitative Study
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Gavin Bui
Gavin Bui, PhD, is Associate Professor of English (Applied Linguistics) at the English Department, Hang Seng Management College, Hong Kong. His research interests lie in task-based language teaching and learning, L2 fluency and lexis, and L3 motivation. His recent publications include SSCI journal articles in
Language Teaching Research (2018) andApplied Linguistics Review (2018), as well as a co-authored monograph titledMotivational Dynamics in L2 and L3 Learning (to appear) with Springer.
and
(Mark) Feng Teng
(Mark) Feng Teng is a language teacher educator with extensive teaching experience in China. He is now studying for a PhD degree in Hong Kong Baptist University. His professional interests include metacognition and writing, EFL vocabulary development, and identity research. He has published widely in international flagship journals, including
Thinking Skills and Creativity ,Applied Linguistics ,TESOL Quarterly , andApplied Linguistics Review . He is currently a guest editor of special issue for several international journals.
Abstract
Task-planning studies have mostly been conducted using quantitative methods, not qualitative. However, the actual planning behaviors by learners could be overlooked by quantitative research which focuses mostly on planning outcomes rather than the processes. This study aims to bridge this gap by exploring learner behavioral patterns in pre-task planning as well as the under-investigated area of topic familiarity by drawing upon interview data. This consists of a comparison between the task-external and task-internal readiness constructs proposed in Bui’s (2014) task-readiness framework. Eight undergraduate students in Hong Kong completed two speaking tasks (a familiar and an unfamiliar task), followed by retrospective interviews. Though largely confirming previous (but parsimonious) research on task planning behaviors, this study discovered three major findings that had not been covered well in previous literature. First, while past studies focused on the psycholinguistic processes of task planning, these participants extensively reported its affective influences. Next, most participants reported their overall intended emphasis was on accuracy. These reports contradict general quantitative research results which suggest that task planning often leads to complexity, not accuracy. Finally, the lack of planning time as task-external readiness can be partly compensated for by topic familiarity as task-internal readiness. These issues along with their relevant implications in teaching and learning are discussed in this study.
About the authors
Gavin Bui, PhD, is Associate Professor of English (Applied Linguistics) at the English Department, Hang Seng Management College, Hong Kong. His research interests lie in task-based language teaching and learning, L2 fluency and lexis, and L3 motivation. His recent publications include SSCI journal articles in Language Teaching Research (2018) and Applied Linguistics Review (2018), as well as a co-authored monograph titled Motivational Dynamics in L2 and L3 Learning (to appear) with Springer.
(Mark) Feng Teng is a language teacher educator with extensive teaching experience in China. He is now studying for a PhD degree in Hong Kong Baptist University. His professional interests include metacognition and writing, EFL vocabulary development, and identity research. He has published widely in international flagship journals, including Thinking Skills and Creativity, Applied Linguistics, TESOL Quarterly, and Applied Linguistics Review. He is currently a guest editor of special issue for several international journals.
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Appendix
Sample questions for the interviews
Could you please share with me some experiences while attending to the two tasks?
What did you think about pre-task planning?
Which topic is more familiar to you? Why?
What did you think of your performance when the topic of that task was more familiar to you? Why?
What did you think of your performance when the topic of that task was less familiar to you? Why?
How did you perceive fluency, accuracy, and complexity during the process of executing the tasks?
Do you think it possible to achieve fluency, accuracy, and complexity simultaneously when 10 minutes are allotted for pre-task planning? Why?
Could you please share with me some critical reflections about this type of task performance?
Acknowledgement
We would like to thank Prof. Peter Skehan for his guidance for the design of this research. We appreciate the constructive and insightful feedback from anonymous reviewers of the Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics as well as the professional and generous help from Mr. Liu Xiangdong, the Executive Associate Editor, during the whole publication process. This research was supported by an RGC grant that the first author received from the University Grants Committee of Hong Kong (Ref. No: UGC/FDS14/H01/14).
© 2018 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Second Language Acquisition
- Exploring Learners’ Self-Reported Behavioral Patterns in Two Task-Readiness Conditions: A Qualitative Study
- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Value for English Learning: Mediation Effects of Self-Efficacy in Chinese EFL Context
- Comparing the Effects of Listening Input and Reading Input on EFL Learners’ Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition
- Curriculum Design and Material Evaluation
- Taking Needs into Deeds: Application of Needs Analysis in Undergraduate EAP Course Design
- Language and Cognition
- An ERP Study on the Processing of Chinese Applied-Object Structures
- Translation Studies
- Stress as a Suprasegmental Phonological Shift in Translation: A New Category of Linguistic Shifts
- Viewpoints
- Production-Oriented Approach in Different Cultural Contexts: Theory and Practice
- POA and Issues of Pedagogic Principle
- Language Use and Language Learning in POA
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- Reflections on the Production-Oriented Approach (POA) in China: A New Name and a New Acronym
- Engaging with the Language – The POA Approach
- Chinese Abstracts
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Second Language Acquisition
- Exploring Learners’ Self-Reported Behavioral Patterns in Two Task-Readiness Conditions: A Qualitative Study
- Intrinsic and Extrinsic Value for English Learning: Mediation Effects of Self-Efficacy in Chinese EFL Context
- Comparing the Effects of Listening Input and Reading Input on EFL Learners’ Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition
- Curriculum Design and Material Evaluation
- Taking Needs into Deeds: Application of Needs Analysis in Undergraduate EAP Course Design
- Language and Cognition
- An ERP Study on the Processing of Chinese Applied-Object Structures
- Translation Studies
- Stress as a Suprasegmental Phonological Shift in Translation: A New Category of Linguistic Shifts
- Viewpoints
- Production-Oriented Approach in Different Cultural Contexts: Theory and Practice
- POA and Issues of Pedagogic Principle
- Language Use and Language Learning in POA
- POA Meets ELF in Intercultural Telecollaboration
- Reflections on the Production-Oriented Approach (POA) in China: A New Name and a New Acronym
- Engaging with the Language – The POA Approach
- Chinese Abstracts
