the effect of working memory capacity (wmc) and pre-task planning on efl learners’ self-repair behavior

This study intends to focus on the effect of working memory capacity (wmc) and pre-task planning on self-repair behavior in l2 oral performance. in this study, the participants were 30 efl intermediate learners with the same level of wmc. they were, then, randomly assigned into either planning (i.e., 15 learners) or non-planning (i.e., 15 learners) group. the participants in each group were asked to watch a short-animated story and narrate it twice under two different planning conditions. the learners in the planning group were allowed to have five-minute planning prior to their narration but not the other group. analysis of the transcribed data revealed that there is no significant difference between the planning and non-planning group in terms of number and types of self-repair behavior neither in the first narration nor in the immediate task repetition. however, in the immediate task repetition, the total number of self-repair behavior increased for both groups. although subsequent task performance may well free uap learners’ attentional capacity and lead them to have better performance at the conceptualization and formulation stages of the speech production process, the findings of this study suggest that self-repair behavior in l2 oral performance may depend on other factors.