Effects of Contextual Configurations on EFL Listening and Speaking

Based on Halliday's register theory, this paper, adopting both qualitative and quantitative methods, attempts to integrate the register theory and the recent development of language-based cognitive view of SFL, which is applied in the present experimental study.Two types of contextual configurations (CC) are designed to test their effects on promoting listening and speaking: 1) the experimental group is required to write role-play tasks after listening to native speakers' conversations and then role-play;2) the control group is required to do traditional after-class listening exercises after listening to native speakers' conversations and then role-play.The results show that the first type of CC has a significant effect on promoting listening but marginal significance in speaking.Based on the experimental results, the study holds that CC should incorporate task variables and cognitive/psychological factors for EFL learning.