This study examined the relationship between learners’ creativity viewed as a divergent thinking cognitive trait and the language/content dimensions of their L2 speaking performance under two task planning conditions, while controlling for the effects of L2 proficiency. Sixty-one Chinese learners of English took an Elicited Imitation Task, a verbal and a figural creativity test, and performed two picture-prompted narrative tasks. Results showed that when learners had time to plan, their L2 proficiency and creativity were predictors of their speaking performance in terms of fluency and idea productivity, while under the no planning condition, creativity predicted learners’ performance measured by idea productivity, discoursal structure, and lexical diversity. Moreover, different creativity measures contributed to L2 task performance in differential manners. This study contributes to the field by shedding light on the interaction between learner-related and task-related variables on L2 speaking production and the nature of the new individual difference variable of creativity.
{"title":"Relationship between learner creativity, task planning, and speaking performance in L2 narrative tasks","authors":"Jie Qin","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0252","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0252","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This study examined the relationship between learners’ creativity viewed as a divergent thinking cognitive trait and the language/content dimensions of their L2 speaking performance under two task planning conditions, while controlling for the effects of L2 proficiency. Sixty-one Chinese learners of English took an Elicited Imitation Task, a verbal and a figural creativity test, and performed two picture-prompted narrative tasks. Results showed that when learners had time to plan, their L2 proficiency and creativity were predictors of their speaking performance in terms of fluency and idea productivity, while under the no planning condition, creativity predicted learners’ performance measured by idea productivity, discoursal structure, and lexical diversity. Moreover, different creativity measures contributed to L2 task performance in differential manners. This study contributes to the field by shedding light on the interaction between learner-related and task-related variables on L2 speaking production and the nature of the new individual difference variable of creativity.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"8 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141099852","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Janire Guerrero-Gomez, María Orcasitas-Vicandi, Marta Kopinska
The present study seeks to investigate the effect of repeated pre-task planning on young learners’ written production of three problematic aspects of English grammar (the present simple third-person singular -s; the possessives his/her; and the personal pronouns he/she), and the overall quality of their writings. Thirty-three dyads of Basque-Spanish learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from the sixth year of the primary education level (aged 11–12) performed a series of picture-prompted narration tasks in three different planning conditions: guided-planning (GP), unguided-planning (UP) and no-planning (NP). Their written production was compared in pre-, post- and delayed post-tests. Results showed statistically significant gains for the GP group, supporting the claim that repeated practice involving pre-task explicit grammar instruction might benefit young EFL learners, even though not all the target forms under analysis improved.
{"title":"Enhancing young EFL learners’ written skills: the role of repeated pre-task planning","authors":"Janire Guerrero-Gomez, María Orcasitas-Vicandi, Marta Kopinska","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0144","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0144","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The present study seeks to investigate the effect of repeated pre-task planning on young learners’ written production of three problematic aspects of English grammar (the present simple third-person singular -s; the possessives his/her; and the personal pronouns he/she), and the overall quality of their writings. Thirty-three dyads of Basque-Spanish learners of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) from the sixth year of the primary education level (aged 11–12) performed a series of picture-prompted narration tasks in three different planning conditions: guided-planning (GP), unguided-planning (UP) and no-planning (NP). Their written production was compared in pre-, post- and delayed post-tests. Results showed statistically significant gains for the GP group, supporting the claim that repeated practice involving pre-task explicit grammar instruction might benefit young EFL learners, even though not all the target forms under analysis improved.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"11 10","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140980889","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
In this paper we explore the concept of socially accountable SFL praxis in designing, conducting, and disseminating participatory work with minoritized youth and communities. Using a reflexive methodology, we explore our often-failed attempts at developing a socially accountable SFL praxis in the southeast of the United States to support minoritized youth and their educators. Specifically, we reflect on (1) our biases, theoretical predispositions, assumptions, and power relations vis-à-vis the researched, and (2) on how these aspects affected every stage of the research, from the disciplinary framing of the research questions, the choice of the research methodology, to how we presented our findings. The article concludes with an emphasis on socially accountable SFL praxis as a pivotal approach to strengthen and support minoritized communities within the context of structural inequality.
{"title":"SFL as a socially accountable praxis: who and what are we working for?","authors":"Ruth Harman, Shuang Fu, Seon Ja Chang","doi":"10.1515/iral-2024-0072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2024-0072","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 In this paper we explore the concept of socially accountable SFL praxis in designing, conducting, and disseminating participatory work with minoritized youth and communities. Using a reflexive methodology, we explore our often-failed attempts at developing a socially accountable SFL praxis in the southeast of the United States to support minoritized youth and their educators. Specifically, we reflect on (1) our biases, theoretical predispositions, assumptions, and power relations vis-à-vis the researched, and (2) on how these aspects affected every stage of the research, from the disciplinary framing of the research questions, the choice of the research methodology, to how we presented our findings. The article concludes with an emphasis on socially accountable SFL praxis as a pivotal approach to strengthen and support minoritized communities within the context of structural inequality.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"105 9","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141016030","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This study first examined the effectiveness of applying the Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) approach to assessing the oral skills of non-native English-speaking university students who are provided with mediation by their teacher in a small group setting. Second, it aimed to understand whether employing innovative G-DA techniques could reduce the speaking anxiety felt by university students if they received support from either their teacher or their peers during assessment. Fifty freshmen’ speaking performance on TOEFL integrated speaking tasks, and their responses to the teacher’s mediation in groups were compared. Results showed that (1) the G-DA approach could be a beneficial tool for assessing English oral proficiency in the EMI context, and (2) the procedures involved in G-DA helped university students feel less anxiety when prompted to respond orally. It provides insights into an alternative approach to assessment which can be employed to group learning in the context of EMI courses.
{"title":"Promoting interaction and lowering speaking anxiety in an EMI course: a group dynamic assessment approach","authors":"Yu-Ting Kao","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0174","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0174","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This study first examined the effectiveness of applying the Group Dynamic Assessment (G-DA) approach to assessing the oral skills of non-native English-speaking university students who are provided with mediation by their teacher in a small group setting. Second, it aimed to understand whether employing innovative G-DA techniques could reduce the speaking anxiety felt by university students if they received support from either their teacher or their peers during assessment. Fifty freshmen’ speaking performance on TOEFL integrated speaking tasks, and their responses to the teacher’s mediation in groups were compared. Results showed that (1) the G-DA approach could be a beneficial tool for assessing English oral proficiency in the EMI context, and (2) the procedures involved in G-DA helped university students feel less anxiety when prompted to respond orally. It provides insights into an alternative approach to assessment which can be employed to group learning in the context of EMI courses.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"172 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141015377","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vahid Mahmoudi‐Gahrouei, Mariusz Kruk, Fatemeh Moafian, Maryam Farahmand Boroujeni
The present study explores the under-researched phenomenon of boredom, its antecedents, and solutions, as well as the boredom-generating parts of English classes among 227 young learners of English in an Iranian context. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed using MAXQDA (Version 2022) to extract themes concerning the issues under study. Findings revealed that teachers’ lack of control over students’ behavior, lack of classroom management, lack of fun in teaching, excessive repetitions, teacher-centered teaching, and classroom physical environment were the main causes of boredom. As for solutions to learners’ boredom, introducing better classroom management strategies, making the class more effervescent, making teaching more learner-centered, and enhancing classroom physical environment were suggested. The findings also revealed that the middle of the English class was the most boredom-generating part for the young learners of English.
{"title":"The stone left unturned: boredom among young EFL learners","authors":"Vahid Mahmoudi‐Gahrouei, Mariusz Kruk, Fatemeh Moafian, Maryam Farahmand Boroujeni","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0180","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0180","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The present study explores the under-researched phenomenon of boredom, its antecedents, and solutions, as well as the boredom-generating parts of English classes among 227 young learners of English in an Iranian context. Data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire, and semi-structured interviews were thematically analyzed using MAXQDA (Version 2022) to extract themes concerning the issues under study. Findings revealed that teachers’ lack of control over students’ behavior, lack of classroom management, lack of fun in teaching, excessive repetitions, teacher-centered teaching, and classroom physical environment were the main causes of boredom. As for solutions to learners’ boredom, introducing better classroom management strategies, making the class more effervescent, making teaching more learner-centered, and enhancing classroom physical environment were suggested. The findings also revealed that the middle of the English class was the most boredom-generating part for the young learners of English.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"22 12","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140652117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
This paper investigates the emotion labor experienced by transnational world language teachers (TWLTs), with a focus on Chinese language teacher candidates in a US dual immersion school residency program. Despite existing research on emotion labor in language teaching, the experiences of Chinese TWLTs have been underexplored. Through an analysis of mentorship and co-teaching, our findings reveal that much of the emotion labor among our participants stems from hierarchical mentorship structures influenced by Confucian ideologies. This hierarchical system constrains pedagogical autonomy, hindering TWLTs from fully embodying their transnational teacher identities. Consequently, the lack of power negotiation exacerbates the issue, leading to internalization of emotion labor and reduced teaching agency. We conclude by offering recommendations for future research on TWLTs’ emotions and advocating for a renewed emphasis on their mentoring experiences during teacher preparation programs.
{"title":"She is “just an intern”: transnational Chinese language teachers’ emotion labor with mentors in a teacher residency program","authors":"Luqing Zang, Vashti Wai Yu Lee, Peter I. de Costa","doi":"10.1515/iral-2024-0116","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2024-0116","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 This paper investigates the emotion labor experienced by transnational world language teachers (TWLTs), with a focus on Chinese language teacher candidates in a US dual immersion school residency program. Despite existing research on emotion labor in language teaching, the experiences of Chinese TWLTs have been underexplored. Through an analysis of mentorship and co-teaching, our findings reveal that much of the emotion labor among our participants stems from hierarchical mentorship structures influenced by Confucian ideologies. This hierarchical system constrains pedagogical autonomy, hindering TWLTs from fully embodying their transnational teacher identities. Consequently, the lack of power negotiation exacerbates the issue, leading to internalization of emotion labor and reduced teaching agency. We conclude by offering recommendations for future research on TWLTs’ emotions and advocating for a renewed emphasis on their mentoring experiences during teacher preparation programs.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"2 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140652656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mostafa Nazari, Sedigheh Karimpour, Peter I. de Costa
The present study explores the contributions of significant others to 10 Iranian English language teachers’ well-being by drawing on self-determination theory. We define significant others as individuals who play a key role in the emotional dynamics that teachers experience and serve as the impetus for those emotional experiences. Data were collected from questionnaires, narrative frames, and semi-structured interviews. Analyses of the data revealed that significant others contributed to the teachers’ competence (becoming more agentic), autonomy (alignment and emotion labor), and relatedness (interpersonal emotionality) in relation to their well-being. Our findings indicate that significant others define teachers’ relational well-being through shaping their identities, agencies, and emotions in interpersonal interactions and relationships. We also discuss implications for pre-service and in-service teachers as well as for teacher educators, and emphasize the need to develop a more nested understanding of well-being and the myriad of factors influencing it.
{"title":"Contributions of significant others to second language teacher well-being: a self-determination theory perspective","authors":"Mostafa Nazari, Sedigheh Karimpour, Peter I. de Costa","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0158","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0158","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 The present study explores the contributions of significant others to 10 Iranian English language teachers’ well-being by drawing on self-determination theory. We define significant others as individuals who play a key role in the emotional dynamics that teachers experience and serve as the impetus for those emotional experiences. Data were collected from questionnaires, narrative frames, and semi-structured interviews. Analyses of the data revealed that significant others contributed to the teachers’ competence (becoming more agentic), autonomy (alignment and emotion labor), and relatedness (interpersonal emotionality) in relation to their well-being. Our findings indicate that significant others define teachers’ relational well-being through shaping their identities, agencies, and emotions in interpersonal interactions and relationships. We also discuss implications for pre-service and in-service teachers as well as for teacher educators, and emphasize the need to develop a more nested understanding of well-being and the myriad of factors influencing it.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140675232","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Teaching is by no means ‘an emotion-free zone’, and teachers are often emotionally challenged in front of their students. When teaching and learning takes place via a second language, the emotional landscape of the classroom becomes especially charged. Often there is a notable gap between expected emotions or ‘emotional rules’ in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms and genuine emotions which results in ‘emotional labour’ for ESL teachers. Especially, ‘English only’ language policies and monolingual ideologies can lead ESL teachers and students to experience a range of emotions around authentic language use in the form of translanguaging. While research on students’ attitudes toward translanguaging has mushroomed in recent years, fewer studies have concentrated on the emotions of teachers in relation to translanguaging in the ESL classroom. To bridge this research gap, this study investigates six university teachers’ emotions related to translanguaging via semi-structured interviews in ESL classroom settings across three Asian countries (Mongolia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates). The study revealed complex and conflicting teacher emotions around translanguaging including pride, comfort (related to feelings of safety), shame (related to linguistic inferiority complexes), guilt, and frustration. Based on the findings, practical recommendations are provided on the need for greater awareness and open dialogue on emotions in ESL classrooms for improved teacher and student wellness.
{"title":"Translanguaging and emotionality of English as a second language (ESL) teachers","authors":"Sarah Hopkyns, Sender Dovchin","doi":"10.1515/iral-2024-0094","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2024-0094","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Teaching is by no means ‘an emotion-free zone’, and teachers are often emotionally challenged in front of their students. When teaching and learning takes place via a second language, the emotional landscape of the classroom becomes especially charged. Often there is a notable gap between expected emotions or ‘emotional rules’ in English as a Second Language (ESL) classrooms and genuine emotions which results in ‘emotional labour’ for ESL teachers. Especially, ‘English only’ language policies and monolingual ideologies can lead ESL teachers and students to experience a range of emotions around authentic language use in the form of translanguaging. While research on students’ attitudes toward translanguaging has mushroomed in recent years, fewer studies have concentrated on the emotions of teachers in relation to translanguaging in the ESL classroom. To bridge this research gap, this study investigates six university teachers’ emotions related to translanguaging via semi-structured interviews in ESL classroom settings across three Asian countries (Mongolia, Japan, and the United Arab Emirates). The study revealed complex and conflicting teacher emotions around translanguaging including pride, comfort (related to feelings of safety), shame (related to linguistic inferiority complexes), guilt, and frustration. Based on the findings, practical recommendations are provided on the need for greater awareness and open dialogue on emotions in ESL classrooms for improved teacher and student wellness.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":" 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140692424","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. M. Mujtaba, Tiefu Zhang, Shiman Mao, Nisar Ahmed
Recent research highlights model texts as a form of written corrective feedback (WCF) for enhancing L2 writing skills. This study, conducted at a South Asian university, assessed the impact of model texts on the argumentative writing skills of 71 undergraduate ESL students. Divided into treatment and control groups, assessments at various stages employed an analytic rubric and CALF metrics (complexity, accuracy, fluency, lexical richness). Additionally, regression analysis was used to gauge the effect of working memory capacity (WMC) and vocabulary size on the success of the method. The findings revealed that the treatment group exhibited significant improvements, particularly in vocabulary use and structural aspects of their writing. Both WMC and vocabulary size were found to influence the efficacy of model texts. This study underscores the potential of model texts in WCF and highlights the role of individual learner attributes in determining its effectiveness.
{"title":"Model text as corrective feedback in L2 writing: the role of working memory and vocabulary size","authors":"S. M. Mujtaba, Tiefu Zhang, Shiman Mao, Nisar Ahmed","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0242","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0242","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Recent research highlights model texts as a form of written corrective feedback (WCF) for enhancing L2 writing skills. This study, conducted at a South Asian university, assessed the impact of model texts on the argumentative writing skills of 71 undergraduate ESL students. Divided into treatment and control groups, assessments at various stages employed an analytic rubric and CALF metrics (complexity, accuracy, fluency, lexical richness). Additionally, regression analysis was used to gauge the effect of working memory capacity (WMC) and vocabulary size on the success of the method. The findings revealed that the treatment group exhibited significant improvements, particularly in vocabulary use and structural aspects of their writing. Both WMC and vocabulary size were found to influence the efficacy of model texts. This study underscores the potential of model texts in WCF and highlights the role of individual learner attributes in determining its effectiveness.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"4 2‐3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140720499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Collaborative writing (CW) tasks have been shown to generate interactional moves conducive to L2 learning. However, recent studies have demonstrated that learner-related variables, including interaction mindset (IM), willingness to communicate (WTC), and proficiency may explain the extent to which L2 learners notice errors or interact in these tasks. This study explores the impact of these individual differences on the interactional behaviours of child EFL learners, a population where this topic has been barely investigated. Fifty-seven children (ages 11–12) took part in the study and completed a CW task. Their proficiency was measured through a standardized test, and IM and WTC were measured from a trait-like and situation-specific perspective using a questionnaire and focal interviews. The dependent variable, L1/L2 oral task-based production, was quantified in words and turns. The multiple regression analyses failed to show any significant contribution of IM and WTC to learners’ L1/L2 use, while proficiency significantly impacted their L1 use: more proficiency led to less L1 use. Participants’ responses from the post-task interview highlighted the situational nature of IM and WTC. These findings shed light on the effects of child individual variables on CW tasks and suggest that future studies can test whether amount of learner talk in L1/L2 as mediated by proficiency determines ultimate learning.
{"title":"Exploring learner-related variables in child collaborative writing: interaction mindset, willingness to communicate and proficiency","authors":"Asier Calzada, Agurtzane Azkarai","doi":"10.1515/iral-2023-0238","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2023-0238","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Collaborative writing (CW) tasks have been shown to generate interactional moves conducive to L2 learning. However, recent studies have demonstrated that learner-related variables, including interaction mindset (IM), willingness to communicate (WTC), and proficiency may explain the extent to which L2 learners notice errors or interact in these tasks. This study explores the impact of these individual differences on the interactional behaviours of child EFL learners, a population where this topic has been barely investigated. Fifty-seven children (ages 11–12) took part in the study and completed a CW task. Their proficiency was measured through a standardized test, and IM and WTC were measured from a trait-like and situation-specific perspective using a questionnaire and focal interviews. The dependent variable, L1/L2 oral task-based production, was quantified in words and turns. The multiple regression analyses failed to show any significant contribution of IM and WTC to learners’ L1/L2 use, while proficiency significantly impacted their L1 use: more proficiency led to less L1 use. Participants’ responses from the post-task interview highlighted the situational nature of IM and WTC. These findings shed light on the effects of child individual variables on CW tasks and suggest that future studies can test whether amount of learner talk in L1/L2 as mediated by proficiency determines ultimate learning.","PeriodicalId":507656,"journal":{"name":"International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching","volume":"683 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-04-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140719027","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}