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Article published In:
The Assessment of Functional Adequacy in Language Performance: Special issue of the Journal on Task-Based Language Teaching and Learning 2:1 (2022)
Edited by Folkert Kuiken and Ineke Vedder
[TASK 2:1] 2022
► pp. 33–59

The role of pausing in L2 oral task performance

Toward a complete construct of functional adequacy

ORCID logo | City University of New York
ORCID logo | University College London
ORCID logo | Norwegian University of Science and Technology
 | University College London
Studies of L2 oral task performance report fluency as critical for functional adequacy, with pausing behaviors emerging as strong predictors of functionally adequate speech. The present study investigated the extent to which the type and location of pausing is related to functional adequacy. Oral performances on two tasks by 40 L2 speakers of English at four proficiency levels were rated on a functional adequacy scale and analyzed for type of pausing, silent and filled at mid- or end-clause location. The study found significant relationships between functional adequacy and the frequency of end-clause pauses in L2 speech. We interpreted this finding as suggesting that breakdowns in message conceptualization play a role in how the functional adequacy of L2 speech is construed by the listeners.
Keywords: functional adequacy, task, breakdown fluency, silent pausing, filled pausing, rating scale
Article outline
  • Functional adequacy and fluency in L2 speech
  • Pausing in L2 speech
  • Method
    • Dataset
    • Speaking tasks
    • Functional adequacy ratings
    • Pause analyses of speaking performances
    • Statistical analyses
  • Results
    • Functional adequacy and rater severity: Rasch analysis results
    • Pausing and functional adequacy: Results from linear mixed effects regression analyses
  • Discussion and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • References
Published online: 20 June 2022
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/task.21013.eki
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