Collaborative Dialogues of Korean High School EFL Learners in Pair Writing

Abstract

This study explores how four Korean high school learners of English interact with each other in L2 pair writing and how collaborative dialogues affect their pair writing and L2 learning. For this purpose, the general patterns of interaction of the Korean EFL learners, and the functions and dynamics of collaborative dialogues in their L2 pair writing were investigated in detail. Four female Korean students in the 10th grade volunteered to a four-week collaborative pair writing program as an extracurricular class (dyad A and B). Self-selected pairs formed a heterogeneous group, and they participated in the collaborative process writing of planning, drafting and revising. Peer interaction was video- taped and analyzed microgenetically, and individual interviews were conducted at the end of the program. The analysis of the data revealed the followings as to the research questions addressed. First, dyad A displayed a collaborative interaction pattern consistently in EFL pair writing, while dyad B showed a transition in the interaction pattern: from dominant/passive to collaborative interaction. Though dyad B engaged in a dominant/passive interaction at the beginning due to a relatively large L2 proficiency difference, their interaction pattern changed over time, as the lower-level participant as well as the higher-level partner actively engaged in the writing process and negotiated mediation. Collaborative peer interaction facilitated the learners to complete the L2 composition task and gain a sense of confidence in L2 writing. Second, the L1 collaborative dialogue functioned as a crucial cognitive and social tool for L2 learning and writing of the EFL students. L1 collaborative dialogues promoted the learners to maintain focus on the task, provide affective support with one another and deepen their understanding of the target language. Mutual scaffolding and private speech in L1 collaborative dialogues helped the learners to regulate their cognitive process of strategic L2 writing and L2 reflection. In addition, L1 collaborative dialogues served social functions of mediating communication and establishing intersubjectivity. Third, collaborative dialogues in the Language-Related Episodes demonstrated that a high level of mutual scaffolding and mutual engagement facilitated the learners to consciously reflect on the L2 and co-construct L2 composition beyond their individual language competence. Both higher-level and lower-level participants actively initiated the discussion over linguistic problems and the peer interlocutors provided appropriate assistance attuned to the needs of their partner. The students mostly provided explicit forms of assistance, and negotiated the mediation offered by their peer interlocutors. Lastly, lack of the learners L2 linguistic knowledge and limited engagement of the pairs affected unsuccessfully resolved LREs. Proper use of other resources, the teacher and the dictionary, helped the students to resolve linguistic challenges outside their ZPDs during collaborative writing. In conclusion, L1 collaborative dialogues of the Korean students in L2 pair writing created a cognitive and social space where the peer interlocutors mutually provided scaffolding with one another and actively engaged in writing process and L2 learning. This study suggests that collaborative dialogues in the shared L1 function as an integral mediating tool in the Korean learners L2 pair writing. Thus, L2 pair writing tasks can be an effective complement to the English writing courses in Korean high schools, when teachers unfasten the restrictions on the exclusive L2 use and create a collaborative learning environment while providing proper resources.