Open Access
Task repetition and collaborative writing by EFL children: beyond CAF measures
(Adam Mickiewicz University Press, 2020) Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación; Giza eta Hezkuntza Zientziak
Research into the potential of collaborative writing is relatively new. Similarly, task repetition (TR), which has been claimed to be a valuable tool for language learning, has been rarely explored in the context of writing. Therefore, little is known about the potential of combining TR and collaborative writing, and even less if we focus on young learners (YLs), who constitute a generally under-researched population. With these research gaps in mind, the present study examines the compositions of 10 pairs of learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) (aged 12) who write the same text in response to the same picture prompt three times over a three-week period. Our analysis includes the language-related episodes (LREs) that learners generate while writing collaboratively and, also, a thorough analysis of the three drafts that students produce, including quantitative (com-plexity, accuracy and fluency (CAF)) and holistic measures. Results show that learners' compositions improve with repetition when measured by holistic ratings although CAF measures fail to grasp this improvement. As for the LREs, a great amount was found, most of the episodes were focused on form, most were successfully resolved and their amount declined with TR. In light of these results we argue in favor of the inclusion of holistic measures when analyzing students' productions and discuss the positive effects of collaborative writing in the context of TR with YLs.
Open Access
The influence of task repetition type on young EFL learners' attention to form
(SAGE, 2019-08-23) Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; García Mayo, María del Pilar; Ciencias humanas y de la educación; Giza eta Hezkuntza Zientziak; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS
Task repetition (TR) is a valuable tool to direct learners' attention from meaning to language form. The first time learners perform a task their focus is on conveying meaning, whereas during the second enactment they tend to focus on the form of their message. Collaborative writing also promotes learners' focus on form, allowing extra time to pay attention to language use, and providing multiple opportunities for learners to pool their linguistic resources and co-construct meaning. Despite the increasing body of research on young learners' (YLs) second language acquisition process, few studies have addressed the effect of the repetition of collaborative writing tasks on this population's output. The present study aims to fill this gap by analysing the impact of TR on YLs' (age 11-12) attention to form, operationalized as language-related episodes (LREs). Forty (n = 40) beginner learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) worked with two types of TR: exact TR (ETR), where the participants repeated exactly the same task, and procedural TR (PTR), where the participants repeated task type but with different content. Contrary to most previous research, most LREs were form-focused, and resolved target-like in both groups. The results also revealed a statistically significant decrease in the number of LREs at time 3 in the ETR group, whereas the LREs in the PTR group remained stable. Pedagogical implications of these findings will be discussed.
Open Access
Procedural repetition in task-based interaction among young EFL learners: does it make a difference?
(John Benjamins Publishing, 2017-12-30) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; Filología y Didáctica de la Lengua; Filologia eta Hizkuntzaren Didaktika; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS
Interactive tasks are valuable tools for L2 learners and have long made their way into language lessons. Among the different task conditions, only few studies have dealt with procedural repetition, which consists of repeating the same task type with different contents and which is frequently used in schools. In this study we explore the effects of procedural repetition on the oral interactions of ten pairs of English learners (age 11) who had to repeat a task three times. Their negotiation strategies and general performance (accuracy, fluency and complexity) were analysed. Results show that, in the third repetition, the amount of confirmation checks and repetitions decreased significantly and accuracy timidly improved. All other aspects remained unaffected. The pedagogical implications of these results are also discussed.

Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles

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