Maria Angeles Hidalgo* Differences in the task-supported negotiations of younger and older EFL children: From repair into prevention https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2018-0206 Abstract: The benefits of task-supported interaction are especially noticeable when negotiation of meaning (NoM) occurs. Despite the large amount of research on interaction, children’s ability to collaborate and to understand their partners’ needs remains under-researched. This capacity has been ques- tioned, and has been claimed to develop with age. From an interactionist perspective, we have analysed the oral interactions of 80 Spanish young lear- ners (YLs) of English as a foreign language (EFL) from two age groups (8–9 and 10–11), when performing a collaborative task. Specifically, we have examined the nature of NoM and the strategies YLs use. Significant differences between the groups were identified: whereas younger children negotiate mostly to repair communication breakdowns, older YLs show a greater concern about their interlocutor’s needs. As in previous research addressing this population, focus on form strategies are rare. This study sheds light on our understanding of how young EFL learners negotiate in task-supported interactions. Keywords: task-supported interaction, EFL, negotiation of meaning, young learners 1 Introduction The positive effects of interaction are especially noticeable when negotiation of meaning (NoM) occurs (Gass and Mackey 2007; Long 1983; McDonough and Mackey 2006). Learners negotiate in order to reach mutual understanding and, during this process, they receive comprehensible input, as well as feedback on their output, which is often modified, thus providing opportunities for language learning (Mackey 2012; Swain 1985, 1993). Consequently, collaborative tasks that foster this type of interaction have become a valuable tool for second language acquisition (SLA) research. *Corresponding author: Maria Angeles Hidalgo, English, German and Translation and Interpretation, Universidad del Pais Vasco Facultad de Letras, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, E-mail: mariadelosangeles.hidalgo@ehu.eus http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7131-1880 IRAL 2019; aop Brought to you by | University of Rochester Authenticated Download Date | 5/17/19 9:44 PM