This study investigated the use of L1(English) by L2(Korean) learners’ interaction with their native-speaking conversation partners from a sociocultural perspective, using the lens of conversation analysis. The data included 64 hours of recorded interactions of 16 conversation pairs of nonnative learners of Korean and their native conversation partners as well as learners’ diary entries. Findings gleaned from qualitative analysis of learners’ use of their L1 (i.e., English) during native-nonnative pair interactions outside the classroom showed that the overall use of L1 by L2 learners found to be facilitative of their L2 learning. The results proposed a model of L2 learners interaction with their conversation partners that attempted to link learner’s use of L1 and their L2 proficiency, and concluded that learners’ interactions played a key role in improving L2 learners’ language proficiency. In addition, pedagogical recommendations based on the research findings were proposed.

This study examines the nature of peer interaction, in particular pair interaction, of adult learners engaged in a range of activities in naturalistic EFL lessons. Six pairs engaged in seven different activities followed by a stimulated recall interview. Data from the transcripts of the audio-recorded pair talk and interviews were analysed to describe different types of pair interaction according to mutuality and equality. Five different types of pair interaction were observed during pair work: collaborative, cooperative, dominant/passive, expert/passive and expert/novice. Only one pair displayed a single type of pair interaction while the others showed more than two types of pair interaction. However, on the last activity, all six pairs showed collaborative interaction. These findings suggest that pair interaction can be collaboratively enhanced in a socially developed relationship between learners over time.

This study investigated whether role assignment and proficiency difference in pair work affect low level learners’ production and task performance in English. A total of 16 Korean EFL high school students, in dyads of same or different proficiency levels, performed two information gap tasks, one in free interaction and one with role assignment. Their pair interaction was analyzed according to task completion,words, C-units, and interactional modifications. The results showed overall that assigning a dominant role to learners resulted in an increase in their production of words and C-units as well as task completion. The increase was particularly strong among learners who showed passive participation in free interaction. While the influence of role assignment did not differ greatly in homogeneous and heterogeneous pairings, low homogeneous pairs exhibited difficulty in performing tasks. These results suggest that it is possible to facilitate low level learners’ pair interaction by assigning leading roles and pairing them with higher level learners.