Motivation, language development, and lesson design in task-based lessons in two foreign language classrooms

Abstract

The fieldwork for this study is conducted by two PPU students. Lessons are designed and implemented following principles of task-based learning in upper secondary school, one in German and one in Spanish. A pre- and post-survey is collected that maps affective variables and preferred types of language activities. Spoken pre- and post-tests are collected by the students using wordless comic strips. Transcript are analyzed using standardized measures for fluency, lexical complexity, structural complexity, and accuracy. Language production in the two classes improved in different areas after a 16 lesson project teaching. Correlations between lesson desgin, language production differences, and motivational factros are identified and discussed in light of the Cognition Hypothesis.