The Influence of Task Structure and Processing Conditions on Narrative Retellings

• Published in: Language learning Vol. 49; no. 1; pp. 93 - 120
• Main Authors: Skehan, Peter, Foster, Pauline
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, USA and Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishers Inc 01.03.1999; Blackwell; Research Club in Language Learning
• Subjects: Cognition; English as a Second Language Learning; Fluency; Higher Education; Language Fluency; Language Processing; Language Proficiency; Language Teaching Methods; Linguistics; Oral Language; Psycholinguistics; Second Language Learning; Task Analysis; Task Structure; Narration; Language Development; Psycholinguistics; Cognition; Experimental study; Performance; Second language acquisition
• ISSN: 0023-8333; 1467-9922
• DOI: 10.1111/1467-9922.00071

This article explores the effects of inherent task structure and processing load on performance on a narrative retelling task. Task performance is analyzed in terms of competition among fluency, complexity, and accuracy. In a study based on 47 young adult low‐intermediate subjects the fluency of performance was found to be strongly affected by degree of inherent task structure; more structured tasks generated more fluent language. In contrast, complexity of language was influenced by processing load. Accuracy of performance seemed dependent on an interaction between the two factors of task structure and processing load. We discuss which aspects of performance receive attention by the language learner. The implications of such cross‐sectional results for longer term language development are considered.