Cognitive Learner Engagement Compared between EFL Course Delivery Modes

The quasi-experimental classroom study reported in this paper compared the eff ectiveness of three adult EFL course delivery modes – face-to-face group classes, one-to-one private tutoring and online self-study by analysing learners’ cognitive engagement, understood as level participation, involvement ort learners each mode they completed same language tasks. was conducted within a Vygotskian sociocultural theoretical framework which serves mediational tool dyadic interaction also means self-regulation inner speech during independent study. Data included transcribed talk learner-learner learner-teacher dyads, think-aloud protocols produced learners. These were analysed both quantitatively qualitatively for presence Language-Related Episodes (LREs), instances about are producing other- or self-correct. Each LRE then further evidence limited where linguistic preferences stated without deliberation, elaborate there strategy.Results suggest that evidenced episodes participants notice refl ect on forms, test hypotheses, generate rules options from to choose, seek provide justifi cations, occurs similar extent self-study. Task design appears aff with most engagement form-focussed passage editing task being rather than limited, while greater prevalence observed meaning-focussed written composition. Slightly less tuition, teachers tended “add” would otherwise have displayed only. That characterised LREs between teacher-learner dyads suggests teacher is not required occur. Learners student-student classes hypotheses although their dialogue tends be interrogative other talk. This fi nding adds considerable body work supports peer an opportunity experiment debate form meaning. studying therefore appear benefi t quantitively, albeit qualitatively, comparable tuition contexts. In peer-peer interaction, prominence one learner it unnecessary elaborately engaged languaged resolved. asymmetrical terms necessarily problem address. While asymmetric has been previously literature higher proportion teacher-engaged present study, asymmetricity feature pairwork novel contribution literature.