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Doing language testing: learner-initiated side sequences in a technology-mediated language learning environment

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Simin Ren, Professor Paul SeedhouseORCiD

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0).


Abstract

© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. We present doing language testing sequences; L2 learners decide for themselves to test themselves or each other explicitly on new linguistic items, outside the official task cycle with no professional present, investing extra time and energy. We examine how and why pairs of learners do this, and its impact on their learning. They use an App to learn Chinese language and culture whilst cooking in their university dormitory kitchens, receiving multimedia instructions and help from a tablet. Using a mixed-methods research design, we asked: How is the practice of doing language testing organised in interactional terms? Using multimodal CA we found: learners organised the interaction themselves and introduced their own learning interests. Some self-tested and some peer-tested; some consulted the system and some did not. To ascertain the reasons why the learners decided to do language testing, we used post-hoc interviews and found their major motivation was to have an improved learning experience. We then compared their vocabulary post-test score gains with those who did not do language testing and found they made significantly higher gains with a learning advantage. The study shows that some students are motivated to do language testing in order to enhance their task performance and learning experience, in which they succeed.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Ren S, Seedhouse P

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Classroom Discourse

Year: 2024

Pages: Epub ahead of print

Online publication date: 20/02/2024

Acceptance date: 09/01/2024

Date deposited: 11/03/2024

ISSN (print): 1946-3014

ISSN (electronic): 1946-3022

Publisher: Routledge

URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/19463014.2024.2305446

DOI: 10.1080/19463014.2024.2305446

Data Access Statement: Video data for the two excerpts are available: Excerpt 1 (SHASHA & YEDA): https://youtu.be/eb0oZCdZKGk. Excerpt 2 (WEN & LIU): https://youtu.be/eBWAJu5w8K8.


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
2016-1-UK01-KA204-024254European Commission
2019-1-UK01-KA203-061567European Commission

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