Effects of task type on L2 Mandarin fluency development

Abstract

This study explores task effects on fluency development in second language (L2) Mandarin during study abroad (SA) in China, given linguistic and pedagogic challenges facing western learners of Mandarin (Zhao, 2011). Data from 10 adult English learners of Mandarin were compared pre/post 10 months’ SA in China. Performance was measured in 4 tasks with different task loads (rehearsed vs. spontaneous speech, in monologic and dialogic mode). Significant differences between the rehearsed monologue and other tasks found pre-SA were generally not found after SA. Some differences remained between monologues and dialogues, suggesting that task load effects may override SA impact. Claims about the impact of SA on L2 oral development should take more account of different task demands, to help further illuminate our understanding of how SA may benefit L2 fluency.

Chinese Second Language Learners' Speaking Development During Study Abroad: Complexity, Accuracy and Fluency

“…In particular, English and Spanish have become the two major target languages in this area (Yang, 2016). However, the effect of SA on L2 Mandarin has been under-explored and only a few empirical studies have been conducted in this area (e.g., Du, 2013;Kim et al 2015;Wright & Cong, 2014;Wright, 2018Wright, , 2020. Moreover, there is an increasing trend in using a longitudinal design to measure L2 Chinese learners' oral development (Shi, 2002;Zhou, 2016;Wu, 2017;Wright, 2018Wright, , 2020 to complement the majority of SA research with a cross-sectional design.…”

“…However, the effect of SA on L2 Mandarin has been under-explored and only a few empirical studies have been conducted in this area (e.g., Du, 2013;Kim et al 2015;Wright & Cong, 2014;Wright, 2018Wright, , 2020. Moreover, there is an increasing trend in using a longitudinal design to measure L2 Chinese learners' oral development (Shi, 2002;Zhou, 2016;Wu, 2017;Wright, 2018Wright, , 2020 to complement the majority of SA research with a cross-sectional design. However, case studies are often applied due to the time-consuming nature of that type of research (Shi, 2002;Zhou, 2016).…”

“…Therefore, it is necessary to examine the oral development of English-speaking learners of Chinese by employing CAF measures and a longitudinal design. This is particularly the case concerning the effects of study abroad on L2 Chinese speakers of English as this area has only been investigated by a handful of empirical studies (e.g., Du, 2013;Kim et al, 2015;Wright, 2020). Therefore, this study seeks to enrich this area by examining how studying abroad affects the speaking development of L2 learners of Chinese.…”

“…Generalized from the analysis, trade-off effects are observed prevailingly between CAF constructs, while simultaneous improvements are present within CAF. This is attributable to the study abroad experience as well as the use of rehearsed monologue tasks in the study (Wright, 2020). It has shown that complexity and fluency were enhanced by pre-task planning (Skehan, 2009c;.…”

“…Applying CAF measures to assess lexical development, SA seems to be more advantageous for the development of oral production in terms of lexical diversity (measured by Guiraud's Index) (e.g., LIanes & Serrano, 2017;Juan-Garau & Pérez-Vidal, 2007;Mora & Valls-Ferrer, 2012). In contrast, some other research suggests that learners' lexical complexity does not significantly improve during SA (e.g., Pérez-Vidal & Juan-Garau, 2011;Serrano, LIanes & Tragant, 2011;Llanes & Muñoz, 2013;Wright, 2018Wright, , 2020.…”