One crucial aspect of language teaching is designing and providing meaningful contexts for student engagement. Second language acquisition (SLA) studies argued that engagement is a multidimensional construct that encompasses the learners’ mental, behavioral and social aspects (Lambert & Philp, 2015; Fredricks, Blumenfeld & Paris, 2004). As such, the learners have to display focused attention and construct their own knowledge (cognitively engaged); show positive willingness and autonomous disposition in tasks (affectively engaged); and interact with others and initiate responses (socially engaged) (Svalberg, 2009). This study presents the task-based interaction patterns in a third-grade English as a second language (ESL) class with 25 Asian-American immigrant students in a public K-8 charter school in Philadelphia. Based on Svalberg’s model of engagement with language (2009) and Boyd and Rubin’s concept of student critical turns (2002), the students engaged in a series of small group narrative and information-gap activities. The students’ interactions were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed based on a coding scheme (Baralt et al., 2016) using data from audio recordings and transcriptions, classroom observation records, and student motivation questionnaires. The results showed limited interactions in task with instructions or examples only, and elaborated interactions in task instructions followed by on-task guidance and feedback. Moreover, students’ task interactions included asking voluntary questions, formulating predictions, and noticing linguistic features (cognitive); expressing willingness and empathy (affective); participating in negotiations and taking roles (social). Thus, the study highlights the need for multidimensional and developmental task designs with inclusive teaching methodologies for increased engagement among ESL learners.

Authors:
Randy Magdaluyo, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman
Claire Orpilla, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman
Anwaar Ahmed, University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah, Oman

About the Presenter(s)
Professor Randy Magdaluyo is a University Assistant Professor/Lecturer at University of Technology and Applied Sciences - Salalah in Oman

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