Noticing without negotiation?: What L2 Spanish learners report hearing in peer-produced language

Peer interaction and corrective feedback are beneficial in promoting second language development (e. g. ; ; ; ). A prerequisite of providing feedback is that learners first be able to notice elements of their peers’ language. This study seeks to analyze the latter, examining what L2 Spanish learners report hearing in peer-produced language. Data came from notes taken during the task and a subsequent stimulated recall. Content was reported more than form, the verb phrase was noticed more than any other linguistic feature, and a portion of the learners’ comments consisted of mostly-accurate unsolicited feedback. The results may have been constrained by task specifics, assumed relative proficiency, and classroom experience. The formal study of a third language may have facilitated the learners’ ability to notice, even in the absence of attention-directing strategies. These results correspond with previous work in feedback and negotiation, but separating learner perceptions from interaction permitted a closer look at the first step involved in peer communication.