The aim of this research is to see the effects of using synchronous computer- mediated communication (SCMC) text-based online chat in oral skills in relation to the self-repair of indicative-subjunctive-related errors by advanced learners of Spanish.
For this purpose, three research questions were proposed. Firstly, the study explored whether the use of text-based online chat facilitated the noticing and subsequent use of self-initiated-self-repair (SISR) (initiated by the participant themselves) or self-repair (SR) (elicited by the tutor) of indicative-subjunctive-related errors while using the text-based online tool to discuss a given topic. The second research question was whether practice over time with text-based online chat promotes automatization of SISR or SR in the text-based online chat. The third research question was aimed at finding out whether the SISR or SR occurring (if any) during the text-based online chat discussion were transferred to the FTF (face-to-face) oral discussion of the same topic, and whether such transfer was automatized.
An additional aspect addressed in this research, which does not constitute, however, a research question but was necessary to include in the design of the study, is whether explicit instruction of the dichotomy indicative-subjunctive from the point of view of a cognitive grammar contributes to noticing and the subsequent SISR or SR of those errors by participants. A grammar workshop explaining the difference between indicative-subjunctive modes based on a cognitive grammar perspective was implemented before the intervention with SCMC text-based online chat.
To respond to the first research question, feedback sheets of FTF oral discussions of individual participants during semester one (prior to intervention with SCMC text-based online chat) were compared to transcripts of text-based online conversations of the same participants to identify instances of SISR or SR of indicative-subjunctive-related errors. To respond to research question two, feedback sheets of FTF oral discussions during semester one were compared to transcripts of text-based online chat conversations of three participants who took part in the study for an extended period of time. The aim of this comparison was to identify instances of recurrent use of SISR or SR of indicative-subjunctive-related errors, that could be regarded as automatization. Practice over an extended period of time by participants was a necessary condition to look for automatization. Finally, to answer the third research question, transcripts of the SCMC text-based online chat conversations were compared with feedback sheets and audio recordings of FTF oral discussions during semester 2 (after intervention with text-based online chat). The same comparison was conducted with the three participants who took part in the study for an extended period of time to find out whether automatization (if any) was transferred from the text-based online context to the FTF oral one.
Participants also filled out a questionnaire before and after attendance to the grammar workshop. The questionnaires were analyzed to find out how explicit instruction of indicative-subjunctive modes from the point of view of a cognitive grammar influenced noticing and subsequent SISR or SR of these forms. Finally, participants completed a reflective log on their experience using the text-based online chat before and after the FTF oral discussions. These reflective logs were analyzed and compared to individual participants’ performance to get more granular results of the potential benefits (if any) of using SCMC text-based online chat.
The results of this research indicate that SCMC text-based online chat combined with explicit instruction on the use of indicative-subjunctive structures does not contribute significantly to the use of SISR or SR of indicative-subjunctive-related errors in the online and the FTF settings, but it does contribute significantly to the accurate output of a wide range of indicative-subjunctive-related structures without the need to resort to self-repair in both the text-based online chat and in the FTF oral debates. On the other hand, this study also shows that explicit instruction on Spanish modality from the point of view of a cognitive grammar promotes awareness and a more effective application of the uses of indicative and subjunctive in both the online and the FTF contexts. Finally, analysis of participants’ perceptions in the reflective logs show that SCMC text-based online chat contributes to raise awareness and noticing of indicative-subjunctive-related errors and increases confidence in the FTF oral discussion. Thus, the research concludes that SCMC text-based online chat may be used as a pre-task in preparation for oral debates for the careful planning of accurate production and incorporation of a wide range of grammatical structures including indicative-subjunctive-related structures.
