The Addition of a Target Structure to Task Repetition as an Accuracy Enhancement: The Necessity of Reducing Cognitive Load

Task repetition is a technique that promotes the development of utterance fluency, but the addition of an accuracy enhancement is necessary. The study tested the effects of an accuracy enhancement where a Target Structure was used in response to what a partner said, limiting cognitive load (group 1, n = 31), while group 2 (n = 29) had to independently produce an idea formulated by the structure, which represented an additional load that could negatively affect the processes of proceduralization. Group 3 (n = 26) constituted the control group. Group 1 outperformed group 2 in terms of the fluent use of the structure, with a large effect size. Regarding the accurate use of the Target Structure, group 1 also outperformed group 2, but with a smaller effect size. In a new task, group 1 used the structure more, and a significant correlation was observed between the number of uses of the structure and the degree of proceduralization.