Differential Impacts of Pair and Self-Dynamics on Written Languaging Attributes and Translation Task Performance in EFL Context

Written languaging (WL) as a facilitator of second/foreign language (L2) learning has remained under-researched in the languaging literature. This study investigated the potentials of pair and self-languaging dynamics to determine (1) the attributes of quantity, focus, and conceptual processes in WL episodes and (2) translation tasks accomplishment. In a pretest–posttest research design, 60 undergraduate English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) learners were selected and assigned into two groups of pair and self-languagers. For three weeks, they produced WL episodes while completing Persian-to-English translation tasks at three stages of translating, comparing to the model translation, and revising translation. Chi-square analysis indicated significant interactions between (1) languaging dynamics and the quantity of WL, and (2) languaging dynamics and the focus of WL. Accordingly, pair languagers produced more WL than self-languagers, while both groups produced fewer WL through stage-wise translation task performance. Also, while both groups focused on lexis (L-WL) more than grammar (G-WL), pair languagers produced more L-WL than self-languagers who had a higher record in producing G-WL. Moreover, the distribution of conceptual processes underlying WL episodes was uneven and more in favor of self-assessment and hypothesis formation in both groups. Finally, the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated another interaction between languaging dynamics and translation task performance. Accordingly, pair languagers outperformed self-languagers on the posttest despite their mutual language learning progress. Pedagogical implications of the study promote the critical role of WL as a metacognitive mediator and translation as a form-focused task in the L2 context. 本研究探討何種鷹架動態(配對與自我)對於書面言語(WL)在數量、焦點、概念過程及EFL學習者語言學習進步歸因的影響程度. 在前後測的實驗設計中, 我們挑選了60名大學EFL學習者, 並且將他們分成配對言語組及自我言語組. 每週他們在完成3個從波斯語譯成英語的翻譯任務的同時, 要在翻譯、與範例譯文進行比較、修改譯文的這三個階段產出WL的段落. WL段落的 統計 分析結果顯示, 鷹架動態與WL的數量之間存在部分的交互作用, 因此, 雖然配對言語組較自我言語組產出較多的WL段落, 兩組在完成翻譯任務的過程中, 均有階段性WL段落減少的模式. 分析結果也發現鷹架動態與WL的焦點有部分交互作用, 因此, 配對言語組與自我言語組在進行翻譯任務時, 均更聚焦在詞彙 (L-WL)而非文法 (G-WL). 然而, 配對言語組較自我言語組產出更多L-WL的段落, 自我言語組則產出更多G-WL的段落. 兩組概念過程的比例均不平均, 配對言語組與自我言語組均更傾向於自我評估與假說的形成. ANOVA分析結果顯示, 配對言語組與自我言語組前後測的表現均有進步, 但配對言語組後測分數的進步超過了自我言語組. 本文最後對L2教師與SLA研究者提出一些教學上的啟示.