Unraveling the effects of task type and proficiency level on second language learner engagement

This study investigated the impact of task type and proficiency level on second language learners’ task engagement, combing the discourse analytic method with the idiodynamic method. Sixty undergraduate English-as-a-foreign-language learners in China were divided into high- and low-proficiency groups based on their scores on the Oxford Placement Test. The learners were randomly paired with a partner who shared the same proficiency level and completed a narrative task and a decision-making task. Their spoken discourse of task performance was analyzed to explore behavioral, cognitive, and social engagement. The results of the two tasks were compared using multivariate analyses of variance. Emotional engagement was examined qualitatively through stimulated recall interviews, adopting an idiodynamic approach. The findings revealed that both high- and low-proficiency groups were more behaviorally, cognitively, socially, and emotionally engaged in the decision-making task than in the narrative task. The findings also indicate an interaction effect of task type and proficiency level on learner engagement, as high-proficiency learners produced significantly more words and turns during the decision-making task compared to the narrative task. Emotional engagement exhibited five dynamic patterns, with greater fluctuations in decision-making tasks among high-proficiency learners. The findings of this study suggest that decision-making tasks may be more engaging to second language learners, especially those with higher-proficiency levels.