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This study examined how English language learners and teachers perceive and
interpret task repetition (TR), and whether teachers’ and learners’ views about
this pedagogic practice correspond. In addition, the study explored learners’
cognitive and affective engagement with TR. We asked eight experienced
language teachers to use a structured picture description task in their classes
and then to repeat it after a one-week interval. Immediately after the second
task performance, all eight language teachers and 21 language learners who
had performed the two tasks participated in semi-structured interviews. The
results of thematic analysis revealed that although students’ and teachers’ views
about TR were similar in many respects, there were important issues on which
teachers’ and learners’ perceptions and interpretations differed widely. We also
found evidence demonstrating that learners were cognitively and affectively
engaged in TR.
Introduction Tasks have a primary focus on meaning, induce learners to draw on their
linguistic and cognitive resources, and are outcome oriented (Samuda
and Bygate 2008). These qualities have rendered tasks enormously
practical instruments for not only teaching and assessing languages,
but also for researching language learning processes. In addition, tasks
can be performed and enacted in a variety of ways using a range of
methodological options. Repetition is a task-based pedagogical procedure
which has attracted researchers’ attention over the past two decades
(Bygate 2001; Ahmadian and Tavakoli 2011). Broadly, it is argued that
repeating the same (or a slightly altered) task at intervals of, say, one or
two weeks, frees up learners’ attentional resources and could help them
channel more cognitive resources towards different dimensions of their
L2 performance than they might otherwise do (Samuda and Bygate ibid.).
However, tasks and task-based implementation variables (for example
repetition) are open to interpretation on the part of second language
(L2) learners; that is, the purposes that teachers or materials developers
have in mind for repetition do not necessarily correspond to those that
language learners strive towards. This is relevant to the distinction that
Breen (1989) drew between ‘task-as-workplan’ and ‘task-as-process’. The
Procedure, data In our research, TR was operationally defined as repeating the same task
collection, and data after a one-week interval. We chose a picture description task (Appendix 1)
analysis which had been piloted and used in another study conducted by the first
author previously, in 2014. The task had a clear timeline and organization,
and therefore could be considered as fairly structured and clear. The
participating teachers agreed to include the task as part of their usual
speaking practice (with a focus on fluency and accuracy), and were asked
to pair up participants and then provide them with clear instructions for
doing the task. We had told teachers that participants needed to look at
pictures and think about and plan the story for two minutes, and then
start narrating the story of the task to their neighbours. They were not
allowed to take notes1 and were not provided with any further scaffolding,
but they could hold on to the picture and look at it while describing the
story. There were no time restrictions for the task performance and
therefore participants could take as long as they wanted to describe the
pictures. Learners were not aware that they were going to repeat the same
task, and a week later the same procedure was repeated but with the
students working in different pairs.
Immediately after completing the second task performance, participants
(both teachers and learners) took part in one-to-one semi-structured
interviews conducted and audio-recorded by ourselves, the researchers
(see Appendix 2 for sample questions). Each interview took between
7 and 9 minutes during which we asked questions about whether
learners knew what the purpose of the TR was, how they perceived
it, and what aspects of L2 performance and/or learning they think
repetition could affect (both negatively and positively). Teachers’
semi-structured interviews revolved around their understanding and
perception of repetition more generally. They were also asked about their
Engagement with the We found some evidence indicating that learners were engaged with
task repetition the TR both affectively/emotionally and cognitively. As was suggested
earlier, we sifted through the interviews and searched for responses
and reactions to the TR which could be mapped on to the descriptors
of cognitive and affective engagement stated by Svalberg (op.cit.: 247)
(see Table 1). As the evidence reported in Table 1 indicates, learners
were not bored and were fairly eager to do the task again (despite what
teachers and some teacher educators might assume), and they seemed
to be attentive to the language they produced. Philp and Duchesne (op.
cit.) remind us that if learners are bored and disinterested in a task, they
1
ta b l e
Aspects of engagement
based on Svalberg (op.
cit.) and the corresponding
evidence in our data
Conclusion Our findings show that language learners found TR very useful for
the fluency and accuracy of their L2 speech, and that teachers’ and
learners’ beliefs and opinions about TR do not necessarily correspond
(for example with regard to boredom). However, it should be noted that
the results of this study do not provide evidence as to the effectiveness
of TR. Our analyses also revealed that learners were engaged with the
second occasion of task performance both cognitively and affectively.
The notion of task engagement has been somewhat neglected in SLA
and ELT circles but, as Winne and Marx (1989: 225) assert, in order
for instruction to be effective, teachers must make sure that students
engage in cognitive activities. This, as Winne and Marx argue, happens
to be one of the few prescriptions on which contemporary research
on learning converges. According to Bygate (2015: xix), ‘task is not a
mechanism which operates unfailingly on learners: on the contrary, it
requires their interpretation, and their enquiring engagement to drive
their active construals and constructive reasoning’. Therefore, there is
a need for further research into the notion of task engagement. There
are also a number of implications which could be of use for language
teachers. First and foremost, it is important that learners clearly
know what the purpose of TR is. At times, teachers may overestimate
what learners know about their teaching practices and decisions in
the classroom. Clear goal setting will enable learners to devote their
attention to the area/aspect of language which is relevant to the
objectives of the lesson. Second, it might be better, as both learners and
teachers suggested, to repeat slightly altered tasks rather than exactly
the same ones. For example, in a slightly altered version of a narrative
task, learners could be asked to recount the story of video sets or series
of pictures which revolve around the same topic but take place in
different contexts, and therefore they would be pushed to repeat more or
less similar content in different contexts (for example in Tom and Jerry
cartoons chasing and escaping are central themes; see Bygate 2001).
This would ensure repetition of content but at the same time enhance
creativity in language use and would be more engaging (both cognitively
and affectively) for learners.
Final version received December 2016
1 Did you notice that you repeated a task from a previous session today?
2 How do you feel about repeating a task?
3 Why do you think your teacher repeated the same task today?
4 How do you think repeating the same task affected your performance?
5 What aspects of your production do you think have improved/regressed
as a result of repeating the same task today?
6 What strengths and weaknesses do you see in task repetition?