Does a Speaking Task Affect Second Language Comprehensibility?

Autor/inn/en	Crowther, Dustin; Trofimovich, Pavel; Isaacs, Talia; Saito, Kazuya
Titel	Does a Speaking Task Affect Second Language Comprehensibility?
Quelle	In: Modern Language Journal, 99 (2015) 1, S.80-95 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0026-7902
DOI	10.1111/modl.12185
Schlagwörter	Second Language Learning; Language Fluency; Pronunciation; Language Rhythm; Indo European Languages; Grammar; Auditory Perception; Task Analysis; Chinese; Native Language; Listening Comprehension; Correlation; English (Second Language); Language Tests; Computer Assisted Testing; Phonology; Pronunciation Instruction; Role; Second Language Instruction; International English Language Testing System; Test of English as a Foreign Language + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Zweitsprachenerwerb; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Aussprache; Sprachrhythmus; Indoeuropäisch; Grammatik; Auditive Wahrnehmung; Akustische Wahrnehmung; Akustik; Aufgabenanalyse; China; Chinesen; Hörverständnis; Korrelation; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Language test; Sprachtest; Fonologie; Ausspracheübung; Rollen; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Language tests; Englisch
Abstract	The current study investigated task effects on listener perception of second language (L2) comprehensibility (ease of understanding). Sixty university-level adult speakers of English from 4 first language (L1) backgrounds (Chinese, Romance, Hindi, Farsi), with 15 speakers per group, were recorded performing 2 tasks (IELTS long-turn speaking task and TOEFL iBT integrated listening/reading and speaking task). The speakers' audio recordings were evaluated using continuous sliding scales by 10 native English listeners for comprehensibility as well as for 10 linguistic variables drawn from the domains of pronunciation, fluency, lexis, grammar, and discourse. In the IELTS task, comprehensibility was associated solely with pronunciation and fluency categories (specifically, segmentals, word stress, rhythm, and speech rate), with the Farsi group being the only exception. However, in the cognitively more demanding TOEFL iBT integrated task, in addition to pronunciation and fluency variables, comprehensibility was also linked to several categories at the level of grammar, lexicon, and discourse for all groups. In both tasks, the relative strength of obtained associations also varied as a function of the speakers' L1. Results overall suggest that both task and speakers' L1 play important roles in determining ease of understanding for the listener, with implications for pronunciation teaching in mixed L1 classrooms and for operationalizing the construct of comprehensibility in assessments. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01