Languaging is viewed as a pivotal site for second language (L2) learning (Swain & Watanabe, 2012). However, studies have revealed that languaging in computer-mediated L2 collaborative writing (CW) often shows minimal learner engagement (e.g. Rouhshad & Storch, 2016). These findings highlight the need to identify strategies for implementing computer-mediated L2 CW tasks. This study investigates the impact of pretask modeling on languaging in synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated L2 CW tasks.
Participants were 37 EFL college learners from two junior writing classes, which were assigned to pretask modeling (PM) and non-pretask modeling (NPM) group. Both groups participated in two computer-mediated L2 CW tasks, one completed via text-based synchronous CMC (SCMC) and the other via text-based asynchronous CMC (ACMC). The PM group received pretask modeling that demonstrated elaborate languaging in content, organization, and language; the NPM group received no such modeling. Learner interaction in the two CW tasks was analyzed for languaging episodes, which were categorized as content-, organization-, and language-related episodes and analyzed for resolution and level of engagement (Storch, 2008). Results are used to inform our understanding of the impact of pretask modeling on languaging in synchronous and asynchronous computer-mediated L2 CW.