Video‐Based Interaction, Negotiation for Comprehensibility, and Second Language Speech Learning: A Longitudinal Study

Abstract

This study examined the impact of video‐based conversational interaction on the longitudinal development (one academic semester) of second language production by college‐level Japanese English‐as‐a‐foreign‐language learners. Students in the experimental group engaged in weekly dyadic conversation exchanges with native speakers in the United States via telecommunication tools. The native speaker interlocutors were trained to provide interactional feedback (recasts) when the nonnative speakers’ utterances hindered successful understanding (i.e., negotiation for comprehensibility). The students in the comparison group received regular foreign language instruction without any interaction with native speakers. The coded video data showed that the experimental students worked on improving all linguistic domains of language, likely in response to their native speaker interlocutors’ interactional feedback (recasts, negotiation) during the treatment. The pretest–posttest data of the students’ spontaneous production showed that they made significant gains in the dimensions of comprehensibility, fluency, and lexicogrammar but not in those of accentedness and pronunciation. Open Practices This article has been awarded an Open Materials badge. All materials are publicly accessible in the IRIS digital repository at http://www.iris-database.org. Learn more about the Open Practices badges from the Center for Open Science: https://osf.io/tvyxz/wiki.

Development of Comprehensibility and its Linguistic Correlates: A Longitudinal Study of Video‐Mediated Telecollaboration

“…For instance, while video mediation allows participants to utilize the affordances of combining audio, video, and text (Jauregi & Bañados, ), it limits interactants’ capabilities regarding eye contact, gestures, and pointing (Kern, ). Although this study did not find statistically significant improvement in comprehensibility in the video‐mediated context, it is possible that the participants’ off‐line performance may have improved (see Saito & Akiyama, in press). By extension, future studies may compare the modes of communication (i.e., video vs. face‐to‐face tandem projects) (e.g., Canto, Jauregi, & van den Bergh, ) and how the modality factor influences the development of comprehensibility.…”

“…Based on a precursor study (Saito & Akiyama, in press) that took an experimental approach to examining the effect of eTandem interaction on the off‐line performance of English learners in Japan (i.e., English speech by the Japanese native speakers who interacted with the Japanese learners in this study) in a pre/posttest design, this study examined the on‐line performance of the Japanese learners by analyzing the actual speech of the video interaction. This focus was motivated by moves to emphasize context‐sensitive, ecologically valid accounts of SLA findings (Atkinson, ).…”

The role of input in second language oral ability development in foreign language classrooms: A longitudinal study

“…Whereas the control group (which was involved with lexicogrammar exercise activities) did not show any significant improvement in their oral abilities, a great deal of successful L2 speech learning was observed among the experimental group (which participated in weekly, dyadic task-based interaction activities with native interlocutors in the US). In sum, these two longitudinal studies (Saito & Akiyama, 2016;Trofimovich et al, 2009) have supported the importance of production and interaction opportunities in order to improve L2 speech in an efficient and effective manner in EFL classroom settings.…”

“…Whereas the production-based instruction group continued to improve their overall comprehensibility and fluency throughout the project, the comprehensionbased instruction group's gains plateaued after the first year. Saito and Akiyama (2016) recently examined the extent to which Japanese EFL university students improved their L2 oral FOREIGN LANGUAGE SPEECH LEARNING proficiency over one academic semester as a result of two different types of instructional treatments. Whereas the control group (which was involved with lexicogrammar exercise activities) did not show any significant improvement in their oral abilities, a great deal of successful L2 speech learning was observed among the experimental group (which participated in weekly, dyadic task-based interaction activities with native interlocutors in the US).…”

Effects of Video‐Based Interaction on the Development of Second Language Listening Comprehension Ability: A Longitudinal Study

“…In our precursor research (Saito & Akiyama, ), we reported that one academic semester of video‐based L2 interaction activity was facilitative of various dimensions of the Japanese learners’ spontaneous production ability development (e.g., comprehensibility, fluency, and vocabulary). In this article, we aimed to revisit the data set to examine the effects of long‐term interaction on the development of L2 comprehension ability.…”