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Effects of Task Complexity, Task Sequence, and Interlocutor Familiarity on Chinese EFL Learners' Self-Repair in Synchronous Online Interaction

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Title: Effects of Task Complexity, Task Sequence, and Interlocutor Familiarity on Chinese EFL Learners' Self-Repair in Synchronous Online Interaction
Language: English
Authors: Wei Ren (ORCID 0000-0001-6121-1846), Yiman Wu, Yuchen Peng
Source: Language Teaching Research. 2026 30(3):1544-1561.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Postsecondary Education
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Undergraduate Students, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Dialogs (Language), Peer Relationship, Familiarity, Oral Language, Online Courses, Computer Mediated Communication, Electronic Learning, Synchronous Communication, Difficulty Level, Sequential Approach, Error Correction
Geographic Terms: China
DOI: 10.1177/13621688231176066
ISSN: 1362-1688
1477-0954
Abstract: This study investigates the effects of two task factors (i.e. task complexity and task sequence) and an interlocutor factor (i.e. interlocutor familiarity) on Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' self-repair strategies during synchronous online task-based interaction. Four decision-making tasks were conducted to elicit oral interactions from 44 low-level proficiency EFL learners, who were required to complete the tasks in pairs in either a simple-to-complex sequence or a complex-to-simple sequence. Information about the learners' familiarity with their partners was collected through interviews. Learners' self-repair was analysed in terms of various recycling and replacement strategies. The results revealed that complex tasks facilitated learners in replacing items to solve problems, while the simple-to-complex task sequence enabled them to produce more self-repair by repeating or replacing items than the complex-to-simple task sequence. Interlocutor familiarity on its own did not influence the learners' self-repair, but it had effects when combined with task sequence.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500276
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Effects of Task Complexity, Task Sequence, and Interlocutor Familiarity on Chinese EFL Learners' Self-Repair in Synchronous Online Interaction
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wei+Ren%22">Wei Ren</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6121-1846">0000-0001-6121-1846</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yiman+Wu%22">Yiman Wu</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Yuchen+Peng%22">Yuchen Peng</searchLink>
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  Data: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
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  Data: 10.1177/13621688231176066
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  Label: Abstract
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  Data: This study investigates the effects of two task factors (i.e. task complexity and task sequence) and an interlocutor factor (i.e. interlocutor familiarity) on Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) learners' self-repair strategies during synchronous online task-based interaction. Four decision-making tasks were conducted to elicit oral interactions from 44 low-level proficiency EFL learners, who were required to complete the tasks in pairs in either a simple-to-complex sequence or a complex-to-simple sequence. Information about the learners' familiarity with their partners was collected through interviews. Learners' self-repair was analysed in terms of various recycling and replacement strategies. The results revealed that complex tasks facilitated learners in replacing items to solve problems, while the simple-to-complex task sequence enabled them to produce more self-repair by repeating or replacing items than the complex-to-simple task sequence. Interlocutor familiarity on its own did not influence the learners' self-repair, but it had effects when combined with task sequence.
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  Data: EJ1500276
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      – SubjectFull: Computer Mediated Communication
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      – SubjectFull: Error Correction
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      – SubjectFull: China
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      – TitleFull: Effects of Task Complexity, Task Sequence, and Interlocutor Familiarity on Chinese EFL Learners' Self-Repair in Synchronous Online Interaction
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