Bibliographic Details
| Title: |
Four Task Characteristics and Their Influence on Speaking Performance and Engagement. |
| Authors: |
Getman, Edward P.1 (AUTHOR) epg2103@tc.columbia.edu |
| Source: |
English Teaching & Learning. Jun2024, Vol. 48 Issue 2, p265-290. 26p. |
| Subject Terms: |
Task performance, Structural models, Elocution |
| Company/Entity: |
Educational Testing Service |
| Abstract (English): |
Motivation and engagement are related constructs (Appleton et al., 2006), which has led to some pretty significant overlap in the use of the terms in the literature. So, when responding to calls for engaging assessment tasks for young language learners (YLLs) (e.g., Hasselgreen, 2005; McKay, 2006; Taylor & Saville, 2002; Wolf & Butler, 2017), it is necessary to clarify how engagement and motivation are different and then identify what, exactly, makes tasks engaging. In this article, a definition of task engagement is proposed, and an investigation into the influences of four task characteristics hypothesized to support task engagement—topical choice, vocabulary support, novelty, and video animation—on speaking task performance and engagement is described. Following a non-experimental ex post facto research design, recordings of 401 YLLs responding to 11 computer-delivered TOEFL Primary® Speaking test tasks (Educational Testing Service, 2013) were evaluated. Results from Fischer's (1973) linear logistic test model indicate that topical choice had a positive overall effect on task performance, while vocabulary support, novelty, and video animation did not. Then, acoustic measures of harmonicity and shimmer from the spoken responses themselves were identified as likely indicators of emotional engagement and employed in a structural model showing that, of the four task characteristics investigated, only topical choice and novelty affected engagement. The model also shows how YLL speaking performance was supported by task engagement, pointing to a need to include engagement in theoretical models of language performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Abstract (Chinese): |
摘要: 動機和投入是兩個相關的概念 (Appleton 等人, 2006)，這導致文獻中專有名詞的使用多有重疊。因此， 在回應針對兒童語言學習者(YLLs) 進行投入性評量任務的呼籲時，（例如，Hasselgreen, 2005; McKay, 2006; Taylor & Saville, 2002; Wolf & Butler, 2017)，有必要澄清投入和動機有何不同，並確認究竟是什麼讓任務具有投入性。本文提出投入任務的定義，並探討了假設性的支持投入任務的四種任務特徵，對口語任務表現和投入程度的影響，這些特徵包含了主題選擇、單字輔助、新穎性及動畫影片。本研究採用非實驗性事後回朔設計，我們評量了401位YLL在 11個電腦考試的托福 Primary®口語測驗任務（美國教育考試服務中心 Educational Testing Service，2013）的錄音。根據Fischer's (1973)的線性邏輯測驗模型的研究結果顯示，主題選擇對任務表現有正面的整體性影響，對單字輔助、新穎性和動畫影片則無。然後，從口語回答本身得出的諧波和振幅擾動度被認為是情感投入的可能指標，其被用於結構性模型中，在四個被探討的特徵中，只有主題選擇和新穎性影響了投入性。該模型還顯示出任務參與程度如何支持YLL的口語表現，這顯示未來有必要將其納入語言表現的理論模型中。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| Database: |
Education Research Complete |
