The Effects of Task Complexity and Task Condition on Learner Language

Abstract

The present study examined the effect of task complexity and task condition for Korean adult EFL learners’ interlanguage performance. Both Skehan (1998, 2009) and Robinson (2001, 2005, 2011) predicted that complex task induces complex language but regarding its effect on learners’ language accuracy, Skehan proposed that complexity and accuracy compete with each other whereas Robinson proposed that they accompany each other. Robinson additionally proposed that two-way interaction condition promotes the accuracy of learner language particularly for the complex task. Forty Korean university students participated in the experiment and the results showed that language complexity increased both by complex task and one-way task in support of Robinson but that language accuracy was not affected by task complexity but by two-way interactional condition. Also, the effect of two-way interactional task condition for language accuracy was significant only in the simple task against Robinson’s prediction. The findings are interpreted that language complexity has been confirmed to be a function of task complexity but that the accuracy of learner language neither accompanies language complexity nor competes with it. Language accuracy was interpreted as external to task content or complexity and as a function of active two-way interactional features that promotes attention and noticing.