The Effects of Planning Time and the Number of Elements on EFL Learners’ Speaking Performance

Abstract

According to Robinson’s Triadic Componential Framework, task complexity isaffected by resource-directing factors and resource-dispersing factors, which areclaimed to have differential effects on L2 learners’ task performance. In order to testthis claim, this study investigated Korean middle school students’ English speakingperformance on a giving-direction task whose complexity was manipulated in terms of[±few elements] (i.e., a resource-directing variable) and [±planning time] (i.e., aresource-dispersing variable). A total of 30 second grade middle school students weredivided into three groups and each group performed one of the following three tasks:[+few elements, +planning time] task, [+few elements, -planning time] task, and [-fewelements, +planning time] task. The participants’ speech output was analyzed in termsof fluency, complexity, and accuracy of English. Their retrospective perception on thetask was also examined in order to check whether it is affected by task complexity. Theresults showed that [-few elements] yielded more accurate and complex language,while [+planning time] led to more fluent language, lending support to Robinson’sclaim. It was also found that task complexity did not affect the learners’ perception onthe task. The learners in the groups presented a similar level of positive evaluation onthe task.