Author(s)

Wang Xiteng, Wang Yiwei

Corresponding Author

Wang Xiteng

Abstract

The purpose of this literature review was twofold: First, to examine the effect of pre-task planning on the fluency, complexity, and accuracy in second language oral production; and, second, to examine the impact of on-line planning on the fluency, complexity, and accuracy in second language (L2) oral production. By investigating twenty-five papers concerning the effect of task planning on L2 oral production, it is found that pre-task planning promoted fluency and complexity, whereas on-line planning resulted in both greater grammatical complexity and accuracy but not fluency. Additionally, the effect of pre-task planning on accuracy remains controversial. Through this research, the paper also points out factors of mediation (e.g. individual differences) that may inspire researchers to do further pedagogical research to figure out the relationship between task planning and L2 oral production.

Keywords

Pre-task planning, on-line planning, fluency, complexity, accuracy, oral production, second language acquisition