The Potential of required and optional information exchange tasks: frequency and types of discourse markers in focus

This study aimed at investigating the potential of different learning tasks in creating a medium for production of discourse markers (DMs). 60 Iranian female EFL (English as a foreign language) students with intermediate level of proficiency rated on Oxford placement test were randomly selected to participate in this study. They were randomly assigned into two groups of students performing optional information exchange task types (OIE) such as problem solving, decision making and opinion exchange tasks and required information exchange task types (RIE) such as storytelling, information gap and spot the differences. Students were instructed to perform the tasks for eight sessions and their performance was audio recorded and transcribed for further analysis. The results of chisquare and crosstabs analysis on frequency and types of DMs indicated that optional information tasks were significantly more potential in providing a medium for production of DMs. In addition, three types of required information exchange task types and three optional information exchange task types had significantly different potential in creating a medium for the occurrence of different types of DMs. Teachers, materials developers and researchers should make principled decisions about language learning task since tasks mediate attending discursive features of language differently. Suggestions for further study were discussed in the light of the limitations of the study.