Task engagement in second language acquisition: a questionnaire development and validation study

Abstract

ABSTRACT The construct of task engagement, or engagement towards a specific activity or task, has been foregrounded as a significant element of student learning in second language (L2) education. Considered as motivation in action, task engagement is so crucial for L2 learning that no learning is likely to take place without it (Hiver et al. 2021. “Engagement in Language Learning: A Systematic Review of 20 Years of Research Methods and Definitions.” Language Teaching Research 28: 201–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/13621688211001289). Nonetheless, its underlying components and measurement have received scant attention in L2 research. To address this gap, our study intended to design and validate a comprehensive questionnaire that assesses learners’ task engagement in English as a foreign language (EFL) learning situations. The data were gathered from 481 undergraduate EFL learners. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA and CFA) demonstrated a five-factor model of task engagement with 25 reliable and valid items. The five extracted factors included emotional, agentic, behavioural, social, and cognitive engagement. The results may inform L2 teachers, students, materials developers, and researchers of the criticality of task engagement in academic performance and success rate of EFL learners. Future research directions in this line of inquiry are also presented to avid researchers.