Communicative task engagement in second language learning and teaching : a scoping review

Abstract

Task engagement, defined as second language (L2) learners’ attention, concentration, effort, and involvement during task performance, has garnered increasing scholarly attention. Despite the proliferation of research in this domain, there remains a paucity of comprehensive review studies that systematically explore current trends and synthesise the findings of task engagement research. This scoping review critically examines 35 task engagement studies published in SSCI-indexed journals from 2000 to 2024, aiming to elucidate the research scope, frameworks and measurements, methodologies, and findings within the extant literature. The analysis revealed a pronounced focus on the influence of task-related, learner-related, contextual, and social factors on L2 learners’ task engagement. Additionally, it highlights the diverse participant groups, research designs, and instruments employed across studies, alongside some consistent findings. However, the review identifies a notable lack of uniformity in the definitions, frameworks, and operationalisations of task engagement. These findings provide preliminary data for future systematic reviews, contribute to the development of a comprehensive task engagement model, and highlight current and future trends in task engagement research.