Using task-based elicitation to measure effectiveness of counterfactual conditional instruction

Fitzpatrick, Shawn

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/18429 Copy

Description

Title

Using task-based elicitation to measure effectiveness of counterfactual conditional instruction

Author(s)

Fitzpatrick, Shawn

Issue Date

2011-01-14T22:50:34Z

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Davidson, Frederick G.

Department of Study

Linguistics

Discipline

Teaching of English Sec Lang

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• counterfactual conditional
• elicit
• elicitation
• illocutionary act
• proof-by-contradiction
• refusal
• second conditional
• task natural
• task naturalness
• task-based learning
• task-based testing

Abstract

This study investigates the feasibility of using meaning-focused tasks to evaluate the degree to which ESL / EFL learners are able to use counterfactual second conditionals and related grammatical structures to perform certain illocutionary acts. To this end the researcher attempted to create tasks for which the production of the target grammatical structures would be “natural” (Loschcky & Bley-Vroman, 1993, p. 132). For the purpose of this study, “task naturalness” was defined as successful elicitation from a “significant majority” of native speakers. Using a process of “iterative, consensusbased, specification-driven testing” (Davidson & Lynch, 2002, p. 7), two types of tasks were developed: 1) Spoken dyadic role-plays designed to elicit expressions of willingness (e.g., “I’d love to help, but…”) and 2) Written logic puzzles designed to elicit proof-by-contradiction (e.g., “If the light were off, Sherlock would know the answer.”). In general, both task types were successful at eliciting either counterfactual second conditionals or related grammatical structures. This study represents the first step in a long term project to develop instructional materials to teach counterfactual second conditionals and related structures.

Graduation Semester

2010-12

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/18429

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2010 Shawn Fitzpatrick

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