Exploring Fluency and Disfluency Features of Oral Performances in Chinese as a Second Language

This study investigates various fluency and disfluency features of oral performances by second language (L2) learners of Chinese to explore how these features differ and develop at different levels of oral proficiency in L2 Chinese. Although fluency has been extensively researched, few studies have explored oral fluency in L2 Chinese, with the available ones addressing a small number of fluency features or a restricted range of learner proficiency. The present study extends this body of research by including L2 learners at various curricular levels and by examining a more comprehensive set of fluency features. Oral responses to a narrative task were collected from thirty-eight L2 learners of Chinese at a US university. Their responses were holistically scored on four different levels and were analyzed for eleven fluency and disfluency features, including features of the amount and rate of speech, pausing, and repairs. Results showed that features of the amount and rate of speech and silent pausing not only demonstrated strong relationships with score levels but could also distinguish among the various levels with more distinctive differences observed at higher score levels than at lower ones. These findings have important implications for the teaching and assessment of speaking in L2 Chinese.