The effects of communication tasks on Learners' Production of Language - related – episodes (LREs) in EFL classroom

• Main Authors: Hazleena Baharun, Tun Nur Afizah Zainal Ariff, Harison@Hanisa Mohd Sidek, Mohd Muzhafar Idrus
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Sains Islam malaysia 2016
• Subjects: Communication tasks; Learner oral output; Language Related Episodes (LREs); Lexical LREs; Vocabulary development
• Online Access: http://ddms.usim.edu.my:80/jspui/handle/123456789/12071

Considering the importance of tasks in promoting interaction and language learning, classroom-based research that investigates how communication language tasks could be used in a classroom to promote meaningful interaction and language learning is needed. This study explored language learning opportunities captured in learners’ oral interaction engaged in communication task completion. The investigation focused on the types of Language Related Episodes (LREs) generated by the participants and how the LREs might potentially contribute to language learning opportunities. Eighteen undergraduates in groups of three took part in the study. They were given two communication task types to complete (i.e. the jigsaw and the decision-making tasks). Learner interactions were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data sets comprised transcribed recordings of learner interactions and they were qualitatively analysed. Data was examined for the production of LREs identified in the learner interactions and instances of language learning opportunities that might occur during task completion. Findings revealed that the participants produced LREs during task completion for both communication task types. Further examination found that the major focus of the LREs was the lexical LREs. The findings suggest that language learning opportunities operationalised as LREs identified in the learner interactions could occur in tasks that were actually designed to improve fluency. The lexical LREs produced may offer occasions for language learning to emerge and opportunities for vocabulary development are a particularly favourable outcome.