A Study Of The Impact Of Different Task Types On The Use Of Communication Strategies In The Oral Test Of PETS

In second language acquisition, Communication strategies (CSs) are strategies used by a second language learner to get his or her meaning across with a limited amount of vocabulary and grammar to achieve communicative purpose. CSs play an important role in second language acquisition, which can keep the channel open and thus secure more input for the learner. The main factors influencing the use of CSs include: language proficiency, problem source, learner's personality, learning situations and task types. However, we seldom find researches on the influence of task types on the use of CSs, especially on the task types in the oral test of PETS (Public English Test System). This thesis intends to study the impact of task types on the use of CSs in the oral test of PETS 3.In this study, Task2 and Task3 in the oral test of PETS 3 were used as the investigation material. A new taxonomy of CSs was developed on the basis of the previous work on CSs. Based on the new typology of CSs, the questionnaire designed was to investigate test takers'use of CSs in different tasks. The data were analyzed on Descriptive statistics, Paired-samples t test,Independent-samples t test and Correlation Analysis.The statistical data yield the following findings:1) All CSs deigned are used in the oral test of PETS3. Approximation strategies are widely used by the test takers both in Task2 and in Task3. However, in Task2 word-coinage strategies are seldom used while in Task3 the same situation is with paralinguistic strategies.2) There exists significant difference in the use of approximation strategies (t=2.586, p=.012<.05) and direct appeal strategies (t=-2.413, p=.018<.05) for all test takers between the two tasks.3) There does not exist significant difference in the use of CSs between females and males in Task2. However, in Task3, there exists significant difference in the use of topic avoidance strategies (t=2.845, p=.006<.01) between females and males. And there does not exist significant difference in the use of CSs between students and non-students in Task2, but students use more approximation strategies than non-students. However, in Task3 there exists significant difference in the use of word-coinage strategies (t=2.929, p=.004<.01) between students and non-students. Besides, there exists significant difference in the use of word-coinage strategies (t=-2.781, p=.007<.01) between higher-score group and lower-score group in Task2. However, in Task3, there exists significant difference in the use of indirect appeal strategies (t=-2.492, p=.015<.05) between higher-score group and lower-score group.4) The appeal strategies have significant negative correlation (r=-.255, p=.025<.05) with scores in Task2; self-repair strategies and repetition strategies have positive correlation with scores in Task2. However, in Task3, most of the CSs have negative correlation with scores, only L2-based strategies have positive correlation with scores (r=.035), but with no significance (p=.764).The above findings suggest task types affect the use of CSs, and especially the different effects between males and females,students and non-students, higher-score group and lower-score group. Teachers should teach students various strategies in terms of different task types in order to improve the students'communicative competence.