L2 Interaction in Service-Provider Virtual Exchanges

Research in online language learning has stressed the importance of providing students with greater opportunities for L2 interaction. Commercial online conversation platforms that connect L2 learners with native speakers (NSs) (e.g., Boomalang, TalkAbroad) have become an increasingly popular resource to supplement classroom instruction, yet little is known about the nature of the interaction on these platforms. The present study examines the interaction in conversations between native-speaker language partners and 34 advanced L2 Spanish learners on the Boomalang commercial platform. Conversations were analyzed for total speaking time, number of turns, average turn length, number of words per turn, negotiation of meaning, and corrective feedback (recasts and explicit correction). Results reveal the conversations to be balanced, with students speaking roughly one-half of the time (4.83 minutes speaking per 10 minutes), and often in sustained discourse (average of 10.8 seconds per turn). However, results also reveal little negotiation of meaning and corrective feedback, often posited to promote language learning and frequently observed in both classroom communication and peer-to-peer virtual exchanges. These findings point to the need for further research on the nature of online conversations between paid NSs and L2 learners, which cannot be assumed to replicate interactional patterns observed in other settings.