A Study On The Process Of Pre-task Planning In EFL Learners’ Oral Performance

It is noted that pre-task planning generally improves learners? oral performance. So far, a number of studies have explored the effects of pre-task planning on learners? oral performance in terms of complexity, accuracy and fluency. While most researches have investigated the effects from different aspects such as different planning types, strategies and the focus of planning, few have focused on integrated whole of the process of pre-task planning.This study is intended to gain a holistic picture of the process of pre-task planning, and find out how the process influences EFL learners? actual oral performance. Twenty-six English major sophomores are required to make an argumentative conversation with a partner in the TEM-4 Oral Test, a national test for English major sophomores. Stimulated recall and retrospective interview are used to probe into the cognitive process of pre-task planning. The primary data in this study also derive from test-takers? planning note sheets and oral production records.The findings of the current study show that EFL learners make plans on the content and language to be used in the oral performance. What they plan and how they plan have effects on the quality of their performance in fluency, complexity and accuracy. Specifically, two major findings have been obtained from the qualitative data analysis.Firstly, the process of pre-task planning in oral performance consists of non-content planning, content planning and language planning. In non-content planning, learners set communicative goals and plan the structure of their oral performance. They generally make themselves understand their own position and intend to generate two or three points of arguments followed by supporting details. Bearing the goals in mind, they plan the structure of their actual oral performance, which mainly includes leading in the conversation, stating position, proposing points of arguments, giving supporting details and making a conclusion. In content planning, learners identify needed information and retrieve detailed information from their mind according to the structure planned. In language planning, learners tend to formulate what they have planned in specific language, which is usually recorded as notes, revealing difference in use of language(L1 or L2 or both) and units of language(words, phrases, fragments of sentences and/or full sentences).Secondly, the process of pre-task planning plays an important role in the actual L2 oral performance concerning fluency, complexity and accuracy. For one thing, the non-content planning and content planning exert effects on the fluency of the oral performance, which enable learners to be clear about what to say in the following conversation. For another thing, language planning influences the fluency, complexity and accuracy of learners? oral performance. The use of English contributes to the fluency and accuracy of the oral production, while the use of Chinese has a negative effect on the fluency and accuracy of the oral performance. Besides, learners who write more complete sentences or fragments of sentences in the note sheet tend to speak more fluently and accurately in the actual performance and their speeches also show greater complexity than those who write words and phrases.In light of the above findings, the researcher makes some suggestions for language teachers and further researches on task-based planning.