260 / 2018-06-06 11:42:41

The effects of task structure, task repetition and L2 proficiency on the linguistic accuracy and complexity of Chinese EFL learners' writing performance

task structure, task repetition, L2 proficiency, accuracy, complexity

全体主题 > 中国特色英语教学研究

Task-based language teaching has been widely acknowledged in pedagogy. Despite prolific studies on the effects of task complexity on language production based on the Cognition Hypothesis under the Triadic Componential Framework, pre-task planning condition of task repetition is rarely used in real task design due to limited research and inconclusive results compared with strategic planning. Learner variables such as L2 proficiency is expected to mediate the effects of task complexity under different conditions on language performance.
The present study aims to investigate the effects of two degrees of task complexity (structured and unstructured), task planning conditions (no task repetition and task repetition) on accuracy and complexity of the writing performance and tries to explore how does L2 proficiency (elementary and intermediate) interact with task structure and task repetition to affect the accuracy and complexity of the writing performance.
30 senior-high school English learners of elementary L2 proficiency and 30 undergraduate English learners of intermediate L2 proficiency were selected to perform both the structured and unstructured tasks and repeat both the tasks three days later. A total of 240 pieces of writing will be analyzed in terms of accuracy and complexity.
Findings of the research are expected to theoretically enrich the Cognition Hypothesis and pedagogically provide suggestions for teachers to design tasks considering L2 level and appropriately use task repetition for some pedagogical objectives.

摘要
在教学领域，任务型教学法广受认可。自Robinson 提出认知假说以来，大量研究在三位一体框架下探究任务复杂度对语言产出的影响。但是，相较于任务准备条件下的任务准备时间，少量研究关注任务重复且任务重复对语言产出的影响尚无明确定论，因此课堂任务设计中也很少使用。而任务重复这一准备条件通过preparing by doing会对语言产出有影响。二语水平将做为自变量，探讨在不同的条件和任务难度下对语言产出是否有交互影响。
本研究致力于探究任务复杂度变量（有无任务结构）和准备条件（有无任务重复）对写作的影响和探讨其与语言水平（初级和中级）的交互影响。
30名初级水平的高中二语学习者和30名中级水平的本科二语学习者完成两个简单复杂任务并在三天后重复两个任务。 240份写作数据将通过SPSS 22.0软件对准确度和复杂度进行统计分析。
研究结果以期在理论上丰富Robinson的认知假说，在教学中为教师任务设计提供启发。