Does the Translation Continuation Task Exhibit Interaction and Alignment Effects? Evidence from a CSL Classroom in Cambodia

The Continuation Argument, a newly emerging perspective on language acquisition, requires further exploration to deepen our understanding of how continuation-based tasks facilitate foreign language learning. This study examines the use of observable language forms within the integrated pedagogical procedure of the translation continuation task in Chinese as a second language (CSL) learning. Data were collected from 60 learners attending Khmer-Chinese translation classes in Grade 8 at a Chinese school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The findings reveal a consistent pattern of language reuse. (i) Learners demonstrate a significant increase in their reuse of target Chinese language structures (e.g., words, grammar, and discourse knowledge) from the pre-reading materials when completing the translation continuation tasks. (ii) The translation continuation task helps reduce errors and improve the quality of Chinese translations. (iii) Both teachers and students generally recognize the positive impact and pedagogical value of the translation continuation task. The observed "language reuse" is discussed in light of multiple potential mechanisms, such as priming and pedagogically induced imitation. Thus, the translation continuation task proves to be an effective method for guiding learners' attention to and reuse of target language forms in practical CSL translation teaching.