The Effect of Task Type on the Choice and Use of Communication Strategies by Algerian EFL Learners in Spoken Discourse

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of task types on the use of communication strategies (CSs) by (30) Algerian learners of English as a foreign language (EFL) in spoken discourse at the University of M’Hammed Bouguerra in Boumerdes.Data was collectedfrom audio recordings of scenario and interview tasks have been classified according to a taxonomy compiled from previous taxonomies of such strategies, and more specifically those of Dӧrnyei and Scott (1997),and Faerch and Kasper (1983). Descriptive and inferential analysiswere conducted to investigate the effect of task types on the choice and use of CSs.The frequency and percentage of each strategy in the two tasks were calculated. In addition, SPSS program was used to answer the second research question which deals with the effect of task on the choice and use of CSs. The t-test for independent samples is used to calculate the means and the standard deviations in order to examine any significant differences between the scenario and interview that may result from the task type variation. The results indicates thatthe task type has an impact on the choice and use of CSs particularly influenced by the interview.It reveals that the difficulty of interview demands more linguistic items which lead to the use of specific strategiesand wide range of CSs. The effect of task was more significant in the use of CSs than their choice.

Keywords:Communication strategies (CSs), choice and use of CSs, and task type (interview and scenario).

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-30-08

Publication date:October 31^st 2020