Abstract

Studies on L2 oral proficiency suggest that negotiation of meaning and collaboration between the learner and interlocutor facilitates L2 learning in the classroom (e.g., Ellis 1991, Gass and Selinker 2001, Long 1990 (a)(b), Towell and Hawkins 1994). However, the nature of the[1]  traditional, teacher-centered L2 classroom environment limits the amount of interaction that occurs among learners of the same proficiency, as its setting provides little time for interaction and is not sufficient to promote language learning (Ellis 1991). As such, implementing video-based interaction activities with a native speaker into regular class curriculum, may provide added opportunities for improving oral proficiency. In an attempt to evaluate the benefits and drawbacks of negotiation of meaning routines for L2 learners in video-based computer-mediated communication (CMC), the present study seeks to investigate the nature, and scope of negotiation routines during Native Speaker (NS) and Non-Native Speaker (NNS) interactions. As part of a project involving TalkAbroad, the corpus analyzed for this exploratory study comprises six (6) video conferencing conversations between fourth (n=3) and fifth-semester (n=3) Spanish L2 learners. The data was analyzed within the framework of negotiation of meaning, following the model of non-understanding put forth by Varonis and Gass (1985). Preliminary results indicate that synchronous computer-mediated communication (SCMC) language tools promote interaction and may provide potential benefits for L2 learners outside the classroom. Drawing from the findings, the present article discusses whether NS-NNS video conferencing tasks may be more appropriate for intermediate and upper-level students, as beginning-level students demonstrate greater oral difficulties when interacting with NS.