TY - JOUR

T1 - Learner-generated content and engagement in second language task performance

AU - Lambert, Craig

AU - Philp, Jenefer Jane

AU - Nakamura, Sachiko

N1 - The final, definitive version of this article has been published in the Journal, Language Teaching Research, 21 (6), 2017, © SAGE Publications Ltd, 2017 by SAGE Publications Ltd at the Language Teaching Research page: https://journals.sagepub.com/home/LTR on SAGE Journals Online: http://online.sagepub.com/

PY - 2017/11/1

Y1 - 2017/11/1

N2 - This study investigates the benefits of designing second language (L2) learning tasks to operate on learner-generated content (related to actual content in their lives and experiences) as opposed to teacher-generated content typical of current approaches to L2 task design (fictitious ideas and events created to provide an opportunity for meaningful language use). Thirty-two Japanese learners completed parallel versions of narrative tasks, which operated on learner-generated content and teacher-generated content respectively. Learner engagement in L2 use was measured in terms of behavioral, cognitive, and social components: behavioral engagement was measured in terms of effort and persistence in task completion; cognitive engagement in terms of attention to elaborating and clarifying content; and social engagement in terms of participants’ affiliation in the discourse. Results indicate that tasks operating on learner-generated as opposed to teacher-generated content had positive effects on all aspects of engagement in L2 use during task performance. Furthermore, participants’ affective responses to the respective conditions as reflected in a post-performance questionnaire corroborated the results for performance. This indicates that learners were also more emotionally engaged in the performance of the tasks in the learner-generated content condition than they were in those in the teacher-generated content condition.

AB - This study investigates the benefits of designing second language (L2) learning tasks to operate on learner-generated content (related to actual content in their lives and experiences) as opposed to teacher-generated content typical of current approaches to L2 task design (fictitious ideas and events created to provide an opportunity for meaningful language use). Thirty-two Japanese learners completed parallel versions of narrative tasks, which operated on learner-generated content and teacher-generated content respectively. Learner engagement in L2 use was measured in terms of behavioral, cognitive, and social components: behavioral engagement was measured in terms of effort and persistence in task completion; cognitive engagement in terms of attention to elaborating and clarifying content; and social engagement in terms of participants’ affiliation in the discourse. Results indicate that tasks operating on learner-generated as opposed to teacher-generated content had positive effects on all aspects of engagement in L2 use during task performance. Furthermore, participants’ affective responses to the respective conditions as reflected in a post-performance questionnaire corroborated the results for performance. This indicates that learners were also more emotionally engaged in the performance of the tasks in the learner-generated content condition than they were in those in the teacher-generated content condition.

KW - Affect

KW - engagement

KW - personal investment

KW - task-based language teaching (TBLT)

KW - task motivation

U2 - 10.1177/1362168816683559

DO - 10.1177/1362168816683559

M3 - Journal article

VL - 21

SP - 665

EP - 680

JO - Language Teaching Research

JF - Language Teaching Research

SN - 1362-1688

IS - 6

ER -