Upper primary school learners’ interaction in face-to-face and instant messaging modalities: A focus on metatask and metalanguage episodes

Abstract

Technology-mediated tasks can provide learners with a distinct learning environment, which Doughty and Long (2003) as well as Ortega (1997) perceived as facilitative for language learning and L2 practice. Among the often-cited affordances provided by such tasks are the extra time available for processing input and producing output, the possibility of scrolling back and forth in conversations, low anxiety levels and positive attitudes (for a review see Ziegler, 2016). Nevertheless, very little is known about how young learners interact with each other when performing tasks online, as research has been traditionally conducted with older learners. Young learners’ low level of proficiency in English, their limited experience interacting with each other online for instructional purposes as well as their developing typing and writing skills may affect how they go about performing language learning tasks.