As part of ongoing efforts to characterize the extent to which tasks and interaction-driven language learning are influenced by individual differences (IDs), task-based researchers have thus far examined variables like learners’ levels of L2 anxiety, motivation, cognitive creativity, working memory capacity, and aptitude. Building on a tradition of prior syntheses in task-based language teaching (TBLT, e.g., Plonsky & Kim, 2016), we carried out a methodological review of the practices used by researchers who have examined learners’ IDs in task-based language learning. We searched journal articles published between 2000 and 2023 and identified 135 unique samples for analysis. Each empirical study was coded for relevant contextual and demographic variables as well as for methodological features related to the investigation of individual differences. We observed that of 30 individual differences investigated in TBLT research over the last two decades, the top five most common were motivation, working memory, L2 proficiency, anxiety, and aptitude. Interesting patterns related to operationalizations, instruments, coding, analyses, and reporting practices. In this paper, we report these results and summarize the most and least common methodological practices, also pointing out gaps and possibilities for future directions. We conclude with recommendations for researchers interested in embarking on empirical investigations of individual differences and TBLT based on best practices.

中文翻译：

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ID 和 TBLT 的研究方法：实质性和方法论审查

作为描述任务和交互驱动的语言学习受个体差异 (ID) 影响程度的持续努力的一部分，基于任务的研究人员迄今为止已经检查了学习者的 L2 焦虑水平、动机、认知创造力、工作能力等变量。记忆力、能力。基于任务型语言教学中先前综合的传统（TBLT，例如，Plonsky & Kim，2016），我们对研究人员在任务型语言学习中检查学习者 ID 所使用的实践进行了方法论审查。我们检索了 2000 年至 2023 年间发表的期刊文章，并确定了 135 个独特的样本进行分析。每项实证研究均针对相关背景和人口变量以及与个体差异调查相关的方法学特征进行编码。我们观察到，在过去 20 年 TBLT 研究中调查的 30 个个体差异中，最常见的前 5 个个体差异是动机、工作记忆、第二语言熟练程度、焦虑和能力。与操作化、工具、编码、分析和报告实践相关的有趣模式。在本文中，我们报告了这些结果并总结了最常见和最不常见的方法实践，同时指出了未来方向的差距和可能性。最后，我们向有兴趣根据最佳实践对个体差异和 TBLT 进行实证研究的研究人员提出建议。