Speakers
Description
This study examines learner–learner other-repair in an L2 speaking assessment using Conversation Analysis. Analyzing paired speaking test interactions among A1–A2 first-year engineering students in Japan, it investigates how lexical, syntactic, and semantic other-repair is used to resolve interactional trouble. The findings show that other-repair functions as collaborative support, sustaining interaction, and demonstrating learners’ interactional competence rather than communicative deficiency.
Keywords
Other-repair
Learner–learner interaction
Conversation Analysis
L2 speaking assessment
Short summary
This study examines learner–learner other-repair in an L2 speaking assessment using Conversation Analysis. Analyzing paired speaking test interactions among A1–A2 first-year engineering students in Japan, it investigates how lexical, syntactic, and semantic other-repair is used to resolve interactional trouble. The findings show that other-repair functions as collaborative support, sustaining interaction, and demonstrating learners’ interactional competence rather than communicative deficiency.
References
Brouwer, R. (2003). Word searches in NNS–NNS interaction: Opportunities for language learning? The Modern Language Journal, 87(4), 534–545. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-4781.00206
Hosoda, Y. (2000). Other-repair in Japanese conversations between nonnative and native speakers. Applied Linguistics, 21(1), 39–63. http://escholarship.org/uc/item/9rb6b1m6
Schegloff, E. A., Jefferson, G., & Sacks, H. (1977). The preference for self-correction in the organization of repair in conversation. Language, 53(2), 361–382. https://doi.org/10.2307/413107
Storch, N. (2002). Patterns of interaction in ESL pair work. Language Learning, 52(1), 119–158.https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9922.00179
Abstract
While Conversation Analysis (CA) traditionally emphasizes a preference for self-repair (Schegloff et al., 1977), SLA research has primarily focused on asymmetrical corrections in teacher-student or native-nonnative dyads (Hosoda, 2000). Few studies have examined learner-to-learner corrections. This study addresses this gap by examining how learners address trouble with other-repair strategies to accomplish mutual understanding in the L2 speaking assessment setting.
Utilizing the methodology of CA, this study analyzes selected video data from a paired speaking test in a national technical college in Japan. Specifically, the dataset consists of interactions produced by first-year engineering students at the A1–A2 speaking proficiency level. The speaking task required learners to collaboratively discuss everyday topics, such as jobs, movies, and family. Focusing on moments of interactional trouble, the analysis investigates how other-repair is initiated and accomplished across lexical, syntactic, and semantic domains.
Grounded in Storch’s (2002) framework of collaborative interaction and Brouwer’s (2003) conceptualization of repair as an opportunity for language learning, our findings suggest that other-repair acts as a vital support system rather than a marker of communicative deficiency . This mechanism sustains conversational progressivity and demonstrates the sophisticated communication skills of L2 learners in task-based environments. The presentation will offer CA-informed insights for researchers and educators seeking to better understand collaborative practices in learner–learner interaction.
| Scheduling preference | Anytime on Saturday |
|---|---|
| Title | Other-repair in L2 interaction: A strategy for mutual understanding |