Paired learners’ verbalised strategies for determining grammatical correctness: a turn-based system for coding metatalk

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of a new coding system that incorporates the various types of metatalk that occurred during paired learners’ engagement in a consciousness-raising task. On the basis of previous studies, metalanguage (e.g. with or without terminology), knowledge sources (e.g. intuition), and verbalisation strategies (e.g. rehearsal, reformulation) were integrated into a taxonomy that was used in this study. An analysis of the four dyads’ audio-recordings revealed that learner proficiency appeared to have a moderating effect on verbalised strategy use. The importance for learners to sustain their focus on language in paired or small-group tasks is also discussed. This paper aims to extend the research field's understanding of how interactional data can be coded and provide an insight into the nature of how learners discuss linguistic forms in peer–peer classroom settings.

Keywords:

• metalanguage
• research methodology
• metatalk
• corrective feedback
• learning strategies
• collaborative learning

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Duyen Dang and an anonymous reviewer who provided constructive comments and suggestions for this paper.