Task Closings in L2 Text-Chat Interactions: A Study of L2 Interactional Competence

Oct 15, 2026

Employing a conversation-analysis-inspired approach, this study examines how L2 learners manage interactional competence during dyadic text-chat discussions. Fifty-three Japanese learners of English at three proficiency levels completed three L2 English discussion tasks, producing 97 participant-generated task closings. Analysis focuses on linguistic repertoire, sequential organization of terminal exchanges, and summons-answer sequences between participants and the researcher. Findings show recurrent solicitation and agreement sequences signaling forthcoming closure, with more proficient learners producing longer closing rituals.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages23

Reading Time58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Background

Task Closings

calico journal (online) issn 2056–9017 Article Task Closings in L2 Text-Chat Interactions: A Study of L2 Interactional Competence Makoto Abe 1 and Carsten Roever2 Abstract Employing a CA-inspired methodological approach, this study investigates L2 learners’ interactional competence for dyadic interaction via text chat. Fiftythree dyads of Japanese learners of English at three proficiency levels (high, mid, and low) participated in this study, where they worked on three discussion tasks in L2 English. The data were 97 participant-generated task closings, which were analyzed in terms of linguistic repertoire and sequence organizations of terminal exchanges between participants in a dyad, and summonsanswer sequences between participants and the researcher. The data showed that the participants recurrently implemented a sequence of soliciting and providing an agreement on the idea for task accomplishment to signal a forthcoming closing of task talk. The findings indicated that more proficient learners produced more extended sequences in conducting closing rituals. Some highproficiency learners explicitly mentioned, or interacted with, the researcher, a third party, to initiate task closing or reformulate crossed messages in closing the talk. These findings provide insights into online L2 interactional competence in text-based CMC media. Keywords: interactional competence; conversation analysis; closings; text-based computer-mediated communication; text chat. Affiliations 1The University of Melbourne, Australia. [email: mabe@student.unimelb.edu.au](email: mabe@student.unimelb.edu.au) [2](2The University of Melbourne)[The University of Melbourne](2The University of Melbourne), Australia. [email: carsten@unimelb.edu.au](email: carsten@unimelb.edu.au) calico journal vol 37.1 2020 23–45 [https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.38562](https://doi.org/10.1558/cj.38562) ©2020, equinox publishing 24 Task Closings in L2 Text-Chat Interactions Introduction Interactional competence has recently become a topic of growing importance in second language (L2) pragmatics research, as well as research on L2 computer-mediated communication (CMC). Following an early definition by Kramsch (1986), Hall and Pekarek Doehler (2011) define L2 interactional competence as the “ability to accomplish meaningful social actions, to respond to co-participants’ previous actions and to make recognizable for others what our actions are”(pp. 1–2). The ability to sequentially organize and linguistically format conversational contributions is a crucial part of interactional competence, as is the ability to comprehend the meaning conveyed through interlocutors’ sequential organization and linguistic choices. To conduct micro-level analysis of linguistics and interactional resources, interactional competence is commonly viewed through the epistemology of Conversation Analysis (see Clift, 2016, for an overview). Several studies have investigated the relationship between proficiency and interactional features (Al-Gahtani & Roever, 2012, 2014, 2018; Galaczi, 2014; Hellermann, 2007, 2008; Pekarek Doehler & Berger, 2018; Pekarek Doehler & Pochon-Berger, 2011; Al-Gahtani & Roever, 2015). Interactional competence has been researched in various settings ranging from inside classrooms (e.g., Walsh, 2011) to non-classroom environments (e.g., Al-Gahtani & Roever, 2014; Pekarek Doehler & Berger, 2018). Interactional competence in computer-mediated communication (CMC) isan emergent subarea of L2 pragmatics. As Paulus, Warren, and Lester’s (2016) systematic review shows, more research on CMC in language learning settings is needed, and studies on L2 interactional competence in text-based CMC have been increasingly examined (e.g., Abe, 2019; Abe & Roever, 2019; Gonzales, 2013; González-Lloret, 2008, 2011; Tudini, 2010, 2015; Vandergriff, 2013). This study is intended to contribute to research on learners’ developing interactional competence by examining task cl

FAQs

What does the study investigate in L2 text chat interactions?

It investigates how L2 learners display interactional competence through task closings in dyadic text-chat interactions.

How were participants organized and what data were analyzed?

Fifty-three Japanese learners of English at high, mid, and low proficiency levels completed three L2 discussion tasks, yielding 97 participant-generated task closings for analysis.

What sequence pattern signals an upcoming task closing?

Participants recurrently used a sequence of soliciting and providing agreement on ideas for task accomplishment to signal a forthcoming closing of task talk.

Oct 15, 2026

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