Linguistic Focus of Language Related Episodes in Intermediate and Advanced EFL Learners’ Group-based Interactions: A Case Study

Abstract

The present study investigated linguistic focus of language related episodes (LREs),in Iranian EFL classrooms. Eighteen male participants in the advanced and intermediate levels from Urmia branch of Academic Centre of Education, Culture and Research (ACECR) participated in the study. They were assigned to intermediate and advanced levels with one class at each level, based on their results on a placement test. Then, the data were collected over five weeks, two one-hour sessions per week for each class during which the participants carried out some communicative tasks. Next, these interactions were analyzed to account for the types and contents of their LREs. The results revealed that L2 learners in both advanced and intermediate levels were primarily concerned with lexical LREs. Furthermore, based on the results it was found that incidental focus on form lended itself more easily to vocabulary teaching compared to other language components while grammar needs more explicit techniques of focus on form instruction.