Lexical and discourse-based communication strategies of Malaysian ESL learners

This study examines the use of communication strategies among Malaysian learners of English as a Second Language (ESL) in simulated telephone conversations involving enquiries about products or services. The analysis of the interactions of 28 ESL learners, aged 20 to 40, showed frequent restructuring of the message as the learners groped to find words to express their intended meanings with little success in bridging the communication gap in cases of learners with low English proficiency. It was found that the learners used negotiation/interaction strategies in the form of explicit clarification requests and comprehension checks. These communicative functions were also realised through tonicity and lexical repetition. Discourse strategies, specifically collaboration/planning strategies were relied upon to facilitate the transfer of key information to alleviate potential communication problems