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Table 2 The trend of change in task engagement across four task types

From: Task engagement: a potential criterion for quality assessment of language learning tasks

Limited engagement

Elaborate engagement

Verbal Level

1. L1 use

2. Engagmnet at the level of syntax

3. Procedural talk

4. Mere compliance with the requirements of the task

5. Appeal for help from reference books or teacher

1. No L1 use

2. Engagement at the level of discourse

3. Actual talk

4. No tendency to finish the task and provide information beyond the requirements of the task

5. coining words and the use of strategic competence

Paralinguistic Level

1. Presence of silence

1. Absence of silence

2. Long pauses, hesitations and laughs

2. More fluent language use

Functional Level

1. Appeal for help from the teacher

2. Gestures showing uncertainty

2. No more reliance on the teacher and students provide their own justification even in L1

2. Gestures showing satisfaction with task performance

3. Arguments between the partners almost like a fight