Researching Learner Self-Efficacy and Online Participation through Speech Functions: An exploratory study

Abstract

This study explores the potential contribution of Eggins and Slade’s (2004) Speech Functions as tools for describing learners’ participation patterns in Synchronous Computer-Mediated Communication (SCMC). Our analysis focuses on the relationship between learners’ self-efficacy (i.e. personal judgments of second language performance capabilities) and discourse roles displayed in the online medium. A small corpus of data was selected as a sample from a larger study, comprising one face-to-face interaction (FtF2) and one synchronous text-based chat interaction (SCMC2) between two participants: Celine, a high-self-efficacy (HSE) learner, and Concetta, a low-self-efficacy (LSE) learner. The chat-log and conversation transcript were analyzed by employing: (a) quantitative measures of participation; namely words and turns produced by the participants, (b) Dörnyei and Kormos’s (1998) taxonomy of Communication Strategies, and (c) Eggins and Slade’s (2004) classification of speech functions. Our results suggest that speech functions are indeed effective at describing the social roles enacted by learners during interaction across the two media, in terms of discourse dependence or independence, as well as dominance. Therefore, by complementing other methods, such as quantitative measures of participation and qualitative analyses of communication strategies, speech functions can contribute to providing a comprehensive picture of the relationship between SCMC, learners’ selfefficacy, and participation patterns.

Student satisfaction and perceived learning in an online second language learning environment: A replication of Gray and DiLoreto (2016)

“…For example, self-motivation and self-efficacy of students (e.g. Sánchez-Castro & Strambi, 2017), which have been shown to affect satisfaction with online learning, were not accounted for in the current study. Second, the present study's findings were based on self-report instruments that collected information about students' perceptions of different course features as well as their perceived learning and satisfaction.…”

Enhancing Comprehension of Lecture Content in a Foreign Language as the Medium of Instruction: Comparing Speech-to-Text Recognition With Speech-Enabled Language Translation

“…The results also suggest that HELA students had higher self-efficacy and that LELA students had lower self-efficacy. The association between self-efficacy and ability has been suggested in earlier studies (Graham, 2011;Heidari et al, 2012;Piran, 2014;Pouyamanesh, 2013;Sanchez-Castro & Strambi, 2017). Graham (2011), andHeidari et al (2012) suggested that learners with high self-efficacy are more engaged in the classroom compared with their counterparts.…”

“…Graham (2011), andHeidari et al (2012) suggested that learners with high self-efficacy are more engaged in the classroom compared with their counterparts. In addition, learners with high self-efficacy are confident (Piran, 2014) and absorb lecture content more successfully (Sanchez-Castro & Strambi, 2017), whereas learners with low self-efficacy struggle and perform worse (Pouyamanesh, 2013). The results of the present study confirmed this association.…”

Understanding the discourse of synchronous virtual English language college classrooms in Saudi Arabia

“…Another purpose of using SFL in SCMC has been to explore how SFL speech functions can be used to analyze L2 learning in SCMC. Sánchez- Castro and Strambi (2017) conducted an exploratory study to examine the contribution of speech functions to understanding the role of CMC medium, L2 self-efficacy, and learners' participation in L2 interaction. They used a small corpus that was extracted from a larger corpus of another larger study.…”