Task repetition and Turkish EFL learners' engagement in L2 use through speaking tasks

While engagement is widely acknowledged to enhance learning outcomes, its impact on students' task performance has not been thoroughly explored, particularly in the context of task-based language teaching (TBLT). Addressing this gap, this study investigates whether and how repeating the same oral task with the same procedure affects Turkish EFL learners' task engagement in L2 use. Thirty-six first-year ELT students at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University, Turkey, voluntarily participated in the study. To examine whether, how, and why task repetition affects second language learners' engagement differently in individual and small-group activities, the participants completed two opinion-gap tasks four times at different intervals. Behavioral engagement was measured by calculating the number of words produced and the amount of time spent on the task. Cognitive engagement was assessed by counting the occurrences of self-repairs, private speech, and exploratory talk per 100 words. Social and affective engagement were analyzed through post-task, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative data were examined using thematic analysis, while quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS for descriptive and inferential statistics. This mixed-methods study integrates both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. The findings revealed that students demonstrated greater behavioral engagement during their second individual task performances, with a significant increase in both time spent on task and the number of words produced. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in cognitive engagement during individual performances. When repeating tasks as a group, participants collaborated more but exhibited lower overall engagement. Nevertheless, post-task interviews indicated that participants found group tasks to be easier and much more enjoyable. Key words: Task repetition, task-based approach, L2 engagement