Communicative task-generated oral discourse in a second language: A case study of peer interaction and non-native teacher talk in an EFL classroom
Creators: name: Tulung, Golda Juliet
Publisher: name: Université d'Ottawa / University of Ottawa
Year: 2008
Subjects: subject: Education, Language and Literature.
subject: Speech Communication.

description: The study sought to provide evidence regarding the pedagogic value of communicative tasks in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting. Previous research suggests that communicative tasks can provide conditions and promote processes which facilitate second language (L2) learning, as they encourage meaningful interaction in the L2 and learner attention to linguistic form. Interactive language use helps students to better comprehend novel language elements and to practice expressing themselves in the L2 as part of their language learning. Learner discourse while carrying out such tasks should reflect these processes. In EFL settings, where it is an ongoing challenge to provide learners with quality linguistic input and interaction opportunities, communicative tasks are seen as a promising pedagogical approach, yet relatively little is known about their implementation and outcomes in such settings. This case study investigated the nature of the oral discourse generated through the use of selected communicative tasks in a university EFL class by students working in small groups and their non-native EFL teacher, emphasizing its interactive features. It also compared the effects of two task types ( jigsaw and decision making). This study explored the students' and teacher's perceptions and attitudes with respect to the use of communicative tasks vis-a-vis the existing oral method, as well as changes in these attitudes and perceptions over a semester. Finally, it sought evidence of language learning outcomes, particularly lexical development, from these tasks. The research context was an oral academic English course for Indonesian undergraduate medical students with intermediate English proficiency. Participants included an experienced non-native English speaking teacher and her eight students who completed all the tasks and were selected as representative of the class. Examination of the students' interactions and teacher discourse when implementing and completing the tasks revealed that both jigsaw and decision making tasks worked well in the hands of an experienced non-native teacher. Both task types generated a considerable amount of interactive language as students interacted, negotiated, and cooperated during task implementation and completion. The two task types complemented each other in terms of the various aspects of language learning they promoted, their relative difficulty, and the level of students' language proficiency required. In addition, the teacher and students reported similar, positive perceptions and attitudes with regard to the use of communicative tasks, and there was anecdotal and observed evidence that the communicative tasks might facilitate lexical learning in this setting. The study contributes to our knowledge of EFL pedagogy and extends classroom-based research to EFL settings, particularly in its study of a communicative task-based methodology for promoting student interaction in an EFL setting.