What affordances of synchronous text-based chat tools help promote noticing and negotiation of meaning in language learner interactions?

Abstract

Current research suggests that synchronous text-based chat tools encourage both noticing and negotiation of meaning in language learner interactions, both of which are regarded as important procedures in language learning. This paper seeks to identify what affordances of synchronous text-based chat tools may encourage such language behavior. Using concurrent think-aloud report data from a language learner interaction, it was found that learner perceptions of chat tools as social tools may actually inhibit noticing and meaning negotiation. However, the lack of turn-taking conventions in text chats may serve to encourage modifications of output, while visual adjacency of corrective recasts to error may promote noticing.