Abstract
Effectively exploring the efficacy of synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) for pedagogical purposes can be achieved through the careful investigation of potentially beneficial, inherent attributes of SCMC. This study provides empirical evidence for the capacity of task-based SCMC to draw learner attention to linguistic forms by offering opportunities for corrective feedback and incidental recasts, highlighting learners’ errors. The findings open up the discussion on the meaning of feedback considering learners’ perceptions and the unique SCMC features. The findings indicate that learners do not attend to corrective feedback that promote “the corrector” and “the corrected” relationships. Rather, they benefit from incidental recasts that coincidentally contrast with their ill-formed L2 production. This study also challenges the previous assumptions regarding certain SCMC features believed to be beneficial to learners. Features like split turns increase learners’ cognitive load and make it difficult for learners to follow the flow of the conversation. Considering split turns of SCMC and learners’ different perceptions on tasks, this study calls for reframing recasts in SCMC and more sensitive research methods for investigating SCMC interaction.
Highlights
The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) has increased both inside and outside of classrooms as computers and the Internet has become increasingly accessible (DeBell & Chapman, 2006)
The findings from the current study suggest that the potential for incidental recasts as corrective feedback may be more common in synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC)
The appropriate exploration of the efficacy of SCMC for pedagogical purposes can be done through careful investigation of potentially beneficial, inherent attributes of SCMC
Summary
The use of computer-mediated communication (CMC) has increased both inside and outside of classrooms as computers and the Internet has become increasingly accessible (DeBell & Chapman, 2006). In the field of second language acquisition (SLA), synchronous CMC (SCMC) has drawn significant attention from teachers and researchers as a socially mediated form of instructional activity. To explore the role of SCMC as a new language-learning tool, many studies grounded in interactional theory have investigated SCMC, focusing on the types of interaction, linguistic feedback, and learner uptake in responding to feedback (e.g., Lai & Zhao, 2006; Pellettieri, 2000; Smith, 2003). Learners may have different expectations of SCMC, which might lead to different learning experiences This interaction environment means that the kind of input, output, and attention paid during SCMC can differ from those in face-to-face conversation. This paper explores the kinds of learning environments that SCMC provides for learners and revisits the meaning of feedback between English as a second language (ESL) learner during SCMC
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