Investigating Second Language Task Complexity

Abstract

Proposals for task-based approaches to pedagogy have conceded that valid criteria for determining the difficulty level of tasks have yet to be established. We suggest that this is an important area for future research by practicing teachers and we present rationales for three dimensions of task demands which we think may affect the difficulty level of tasks; amount of cognitive load imposed, amount of planning time allowed, and amount of prior information supplied. We briefly report the results of our own studies of speaking, writing and listening tasks which varied along these dimensions, and describe the units of analysis used to • analyse task performance. Finally we discuss the implications of our investigations of task complexity for task-based syllabus design.