The Effect of Task Repetition and Task Recycling on EFL Learners' Oral Performance Journal Article

Writer: Baleghizadeh، Sasan ؛ Asadi، Reza ؛

Issues in Language Teaching December 2013, Volume 2 - Number 2 ، Science-Research (Ministry of Science/ISC (‎27 page(s) - From 137 to 163 )

Keywords: Complexity Task Accuracy fluency task repletion task recycling EFL CAF Ellis TBLT Iran

Abstract:

One of the major criticisms leveled at task-based language teaching (TBLT), despite its countless merits, is developing fluency at the cost of accuracy. The post-task stage affords a number of options to counteract this downside through task repetition and task recycling. These two options are considered to positively affect learners' oral performance in terms of fluency, accuracy, and complexity (CAF). The purpose of the present study is to compare the relative effect of task repetition and task recycling on Iranian EFL (English as a foreign language) learners’ oral performance in terms of CAF. To this end, eight intermediate EFL learners, randomly selected from 30 students in two classes of 15, took part in this study. The participants in both task repetition and task recycling groups were assigned to perform a total of eight tasks. Four of these tasks were identical in both groups. Each session included one task plus its second performance, namely repetition for the first group and recycling for the second. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used to statistically analyze the recorded data of learners' performances on all eight occasions in terms of CAF. The results revealed a significant effect of task repetition on all three measures of performance while task recycling did not prove to have a significant effect except for fluency. On the level of between-group differences, task repetition was found to be dominant outweighing task recycling in all three measures of oral performance. Task repetition is hence advised to be incorporated in teaching English, particularly in EFL contexts as a viable tool to hone learners’ oral performance on CAF.

Machine summary:

"The post-task phase affords a number of options to counteract the danger that students will develop fluency at the cost of accuracy, one of which is to repeat the task a second time, namely task repetition, and the other is assigning a similar task having the same communicative goals, namely task recycling with results differing from one study to another (see Bygate, 1996; Bygate, 2001; Bygate & Samuda, 2005; Gass et al. Unlike the case of the task repetition group, as Table 4 depicts, task recycling did not lead to an overall increase in the oral performance of the learners when done individually as no significant change was observed in the accuracy and complexity of participants' second performances in task recycling. This study was carried out in order to investigate the effects of task repetition and task recycling, as two options the post-task stage of the task cycle offers, on oral performance of learners in terms of fluency, accuracy, and level of complexity on both individual and collaborative levels. The results gained from the present study are of paramount significance and in fact can benefit SLA researchers, course designers, materials developers, test constructors, and language teachers since finding the appropriate measures and methods elaborating on how to hone productive skills and in particular the oral performance of learners has always been a great concern for all teaching methodologies over years."

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