Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction
This study examines how Chinese EFL learners behave in peer interactions by negotiating meaning through communication strategies. This is a small-scale study with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Sixteen Chinese EFL students and one native English teacher were observed in an intensive Eng...
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/976 |
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| author | Changying Li |
| author_facet | Changying Li |
| author_sort | Changying Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study examines how Chinese EFL learners behave in peer interactions by negotiating meaning through communication strategies. This is a small-scale study with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Sixteen Chinese EFL students and one native English teacher were observed in an intensive English program. The students were asked to interact with their peers in a decision-making task and an information-gap task. Video-recorded data were collected, transcribed and analyzed. The results showed that negotiation occur more frequently in information-gap tasks than decision-making tasks and students primarily employed confirmation checks. For communication strategies used to negotiate, direct strategies were employed most frequently, in which students mainly used code-switch and mime. Indirect strategies followed, with repetition occurring as the most frequently employed strategy. Interactional strategies, including co-construction and appeal for help, were less frequently used. The findings highlight the influence of cultural factors and students’ motivation on their behaviors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-dfa70a73c49c44819fc92e87e9c493a0 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-dfa70a73c49c44819fc92e87e9c493a02025-07-25T13:14:33ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-07-0115797610.3390/bs15070976Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer InteractionChangying Li0School of Foreign Languages, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, ChinaThis study examines how Chinese EFL learners behave in peer interactions by negotiating meaning through communication strategies. This is a small-scale study with both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Sixteen Chinese EFL students and one native English teacher were observed in an intensive English program. The students were asked to interact with their peers in a decision-making task and an information-gap task. Video-recorded data were collected, transcribed and analyzed. The results showed that negotiation occur more frequently in information-gap tasks than decision-making tasks and students primarily employed confirmation checks. For communication strategies used to negotiate, direct strategies were employed most frequently, in which students mainly used code-switch and mime. Indirect strategies followed, with repetition occurring as the most frequently employed strategy. Interactional strategies, including co-construction and appeal for help, were less frequently used. The findings highlight the influence of cultural factors and students’ motivation on their behaviors.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/976communication strategiesnegotiation of meaningpeer interaction |
| spellingShingle | Changying Li Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction Behavioral Sciences communication strategies negotiation of meaning peer interaction |
| title | Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction |
| title_full | Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction |
| title_fullStr | Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction |
| title_short | Negotiating Meaning via Communication Strategies: EFL Learners’ Behavior in Peer Interaction |
| title_sort | negotiating meaning via communication strategies efl learners behavior in peer interaction |
| topic | communication strategies negotiation of meaning peer interaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/976 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT changyingli negotiatingmeaningviacommunicationstrategiesefllearnersbehaviorinpeerinteraction |