Children and Tasks

A great deal of research has focused on tasks, particularly for adult second language learners. In this paper we provide an account of studies that have investigated children and tasks – an age group that have received far less attention. We consider, in particular, the impact of tasks on children’s language learning, how their design features influence child interactions, and the implications and challenges surrounding task pedagogy with younger learners. We conclude with suggestions for future research. We draw extensively on the work of Rod Ellis, not only because tasks, interaction and language learning underpin his extensive body of work, but because he was one of the first to focus on children using tasks in the language learning domain.