任务复杂度、工作记忆容量与二语写作表现——学习者能动性的作用

Task Complexity,Working Memory Capacity and L2 Writing Performance:The Role of Learner Agency

任务复杂度是贯彻任务型教学“聚焦于形”原则的重要考量因素。本研究采用阐释性顺序设计方案,探究了任务复杂度、工作记忆容量对二语写作表现的影响,以及学习者能动性的作用。量化考察结果显示,任务复杂度和工作记忆容量对被试语言表现的复杂度和准确度均有显著主效应,但不存在显著交互效应。质化调查发现,受外在动机驱使,低工作记忆容量被试采取多种策略对复杂任务进行了改编,导致任务复杂度两个水平在工作记忆容量两个水平上的语言表现差异不显著。因此,任务设计须兼顾认知和社会因素,以实现“聚焦于形”的最大化。

Task complexity is an important consideration when implementing the Focus on Form principle of task-based language teaching.In this study,an interpretive sequential design was adopted to examine the effects of task complexity and working memory capacity on L2 writing performance,as well as the role of learner agency.The quantitative investigation showed that task complexity and working memory capacity had significant main effects on the linguistic accuracy and complexity of the subjects’linguistic performance,but there were non-significant interaction effects between them.The qualitative survey revealed that driven by extrinsic motivations,many subjects with low working memory capacity took a variety of strategies to adapt the complex task,rendering the performance differences in terms of the two levels of task complexity and two levels of working memory non-significant.It can be seen that task design needs to take into account both cognitive and social factors involved,so as to maximize the Focus on Form effect that tasks are assumed to exert.