4.4. Cognitive Models of Task-Based L2 Instruction
4.4.1. The Limited Attention Capacity Hypothesis
4.4.2. The Cognition Hypothesis
4.5. Summary
Chapter 5. Referent Similarity
5.1. Referent Identification
5.1.1. Frequency
5.1.2. Comparison
5.2. The Number of Elements
5.3. The Similarity between Elements
5.4. The Present Study
5.5. Summary
Chapter 6. Referent Similarity and L2 Production
6.1. Noun Phrase Complexity
6.2. Comparative Structures
6.3. Relative Clause Structures
6.4. Lexical Abstractness
6.5. Summary
Chapter 7. Methods
7.1. Purpose of the Study
7.2. Design
7.3. Participants
7.3.1. Native Speakers of English
7.3.2. Non-Native Speakers of English
7.4. Materials
7.5. Procedures
7.6. Analysis
7.6.1. Transcription
7.6.2. Noun Phrase Coding
7.6.3. Comparative Structures
7.6.4. Relative Clause Types
7.6.5. Statistical Analyses
7.7. Summary
Chapter 8. Results
8.1. Preliminary Data Screening
8.1.1. Descriptive Statistics for Similarity Effect on NP Complexity
8.1.2. Descriptive Statistics for Referent Effect on NP Complexity
8.1.3. Descriptive Statistics for Proficiency Effect on NP Complexity
8.2. Three-Way MANOVA on Noun Phrase Complexity
8.2.1. Referent Similarity Effects on Noun Phrase Complexity
8.2.2. Referent Effects on Noun Phrase Complexity
8.2.3. Proficiency Effects on Noun Phrase Complexity
8.2.4. Interactions between Factors on Noun Phrase Complexity
8.2.5. Summary of Noun Phrase Complexity Results
8.3. Two-Way ANOVA for Use of Comparative Structures
8.3.1. Referent Similarity Effects on the Use of Comparative Structures
8.3.2. Referent Effects on the Use of Comparative Structures
8.3.3. Proficiency Effects on the Use of Comparative Structures
8.3.4. Summary of Results for Comparative Structures
8.4. Non-Parametric Tests for Use of Relative Clause Structures
8.4.1. Referent Similarity Effects on the Use of Relative Clauses
8.4.2. Referent Effects on the Use of Relative Clauses
8.4.3. Proficiency Effects on the Use of Relative Clauses
8.4.4. Summary of Findings for the Use of Relative Clauses
8.5. Summary
Chapter 9. Referent Similarity and TBLT
9.1. Implications for Theory and Research on TBLT
9.1.1 Referent Similarity and the Use of English Nominal Structures
9.1.2 Referent Effects
9.1.3 Proficiency Effects
9.2. Implications for Task-Based Pedagogy and Materials Design
9.2.1. Designing Pedagogic Tasks Based on Referential Similarity
9.2.2. Formatting Tasks for Different Instructional Purposes
9.2.3. Referential Similarity Tasks and Language Assessment
9.3. Final Thoughts
References
Appendix 1. Materials for the Study
Appendix 2. Noun Phrase Coding Manual
Appendix 3. Full Descriptive Statistics for NP Complexity
Craig Lambert is an Associate Professor of Applied Linguistics and TESOL at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. He has taught in post-graduate TESOL programs at Anaheim University in the United States and at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, and has more than 20 years of hands-on teaching experience in Japan, where he worked as an English teacher, course coordinator and teacher trainer. His research on second language speech processing, syntactic development, task-based learning and learner engagement has been published internationally.
This volume addresses an important gap in the literature on task design and second language use. Building on insights from over 50 years of research on the relationship between task demands and language use, it examines how referent similarity relates to developmentally-relevant variation in the use of nominal structures, comparative structures and abstract lexis among first and second language speakers of English. In addition to providing an empirical basis for future research on tasks, it shares both theoretical and practical information on task design, which will greatly benefit curriculum and material developers.