A Comparison of Learner Interactions in Two Different Discussion Tasks:

From the Perspective of Deepening the Understanding of Japanese Society and Its Culture

Abstract

This study analyses the interactions of two different types of learners' discussions. The discussions were implemented after textbook-based activities in which the students learned about Japanese society and its culture. The purpose of these discussions was to deepen the learners' understanding of the themes raised in the textbook. Through detailed scrutiny of the discourses, it became apparent that task variation influences the learners' interactions, and learners collaboratively achieve better understanding in different ways.