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

Abstract

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.