Conversation partner activity: an out-of-class naturalistic small-group activity with an advanced ESL conversation leader

Design · All designs
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 associational), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description

The conversation partner activity is an out-of-classroom Program in Intensive English activity in which learners meet without a teacher but are "accompanied by a proficient speaker of English as a second language even if a formal t eacher is not present in the group". In this study one MA TESOL student with native-like proficiency, assigned by the PIE director, led a group of three learners of mixed L1 background. Conversations were recorded over three weeks and followed by tailor-made review tests of 3-5 questions, so the activity doubles as a natural setting for observing interactional feedback.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• A conversation leader who is an advanced or near-native proficient English speaker, in this study an MA TESOL student with a high TOEFL score

Constraints

• As an outdoor activity, recordings were made on the move or in public places and were at times unclear or filled with background noise; visiting members dominated conversations and limited interaction time for the observed partners

Target Learners

• international intensive English program students of mixed L1 background

Learning Goals

• second language interaction and uptake of feedback on grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation

Claims

• Low Frequency Feedback Naturalistic Conversation Partners [+M]
• Learners Remember Feedback Targeted Language [+M]

Related Designs

Examples

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Key Sources

• Mahishi Ranaweera. (2015). Interactional Feedback in Naturalistic Interaction between L2 English Learners. English Language Teaching, 8(11). https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v8n11p47

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	design
id	conversation-partner-activity-element
title	Conversation partner activity: an out-of-class naturalistic small-group activity with an advanced ESL conversation leader
description	The conversation partner activity is an out-of-classroom Program in Intensive English activity in which learners meet without a teacher but are "accompanied by a proficient speaker of English as a second language even...
status	review
generated	by process:settle-candidates on 2026-11-03
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — mahishi-ranaweera-2015

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