Investigating Learner Variability: The Impact of Task Type on Language Learners' Errors and Mistakes

Autor/in	Thouesny, Sylvie
Titel	Investigating Learner Variability: The Impact of Task Type on Language Learners' Errors and Mistakes
Quelle	In: CALICO Journal, 28 (2010) 1, S.21-34 (14 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0742-7778
Schlagwörter	Stellungnahme; French; College Instruction; Case Studies; Language Proficiency; Coding; Computer Software; Computer Uses in Education; Adult Students; Content Analysis; Writing Instruction; Foreign Countries; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Error Analysis (Language); Error Patterns; Writing Assignments; Writing Evaluation; Ireland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Französisch; Hochschullehre; Case study; Fallstudie; Case Study; Language skill; Language skills; Sprachkompetenz; Codierung; Programmierung; Computernutzung; Adult; Adults; Student; Students; Erwachsenenalter; Studentin; Schüler; Schülerin; Inhaltsanalyse; Schreibunterricht; Ausland; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Error analysis; Language; Fehleranalyse; Fehlertyp; Irland
Abstract	In a project-based approach to teaching a foreign language at the university level, students are often required to participate in several task-based writing activities. In doing so, language learners not only write incorrect forms, but also correct forms of the same structures, both of which provide useful information on their strengths and weaknesses. There is variability in language use and such variance may be due to a large number of factors such as the task type or the conditions under which the task is carried out. However, information drawn from direct observations of learners' texts only enables inferences to be made about learners' performance. This paper argues that making a distinction between errors and mistakes, where errors represent gaps in the knowledge and mistakes occasional lapses in performance, provides a better insight into learner variability in terms of the learners' ability to use their knowledge. Following an overview of the instruments used to discriminate between errors and mistakes, this paper investigates, through a case study approach conducted over a 3-month period of time, whether errors and/or mistakes are produced in one written task but not in another. A preliminary focus on a variety of task-based writing activities produced by one learner of French language is analyzed and presented. (Contains 5 figures and 2 tables.) (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Computer Assisted Language Instruction Consortium. 214 Centennial Hall, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666. Tel: 512-245-1417; Fax: 512-245-9089; e-mail: info@calico.org: Web site: http://calico.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10