Task Complexity and Second Language Narrative Discourse

Abstract

Researchers need to identify what differences second language tasks set at different levels of complexity make to measures of learner language, in order to provide a basis for pedagogic decisions about grading and sequencing such tasks. This study examined differences in the production of oral narrative discourse by 12 adult second language learners of English on narrative tasks that simulated the ability to describe events in the Here‐and‐Now versus the There‐and‐Then. Target‐like use, propositional and syntactic complexity, lexical load, pausing, and utterance length were measured under the two conditions. A MANOVA showed significant differences between the two conditions. Separate ANOVAs for each measure showed a significant difference between the two conditions for measures of lexical load and an almost significant difference for measures of target‐like use. The more complex There‐and‐Then condition elicited greater accuracy and a higher ratio of lexical to grammatical words. There was also a trend suggesting greater utterance length for narratives performed under the simpler Here‐and‐Now condition. These results support the claim that complex tasks elicit less fluent, but more accurate and complex production than do simpler tasks.