Abstract：FAN Yumei XU Jinfen
Abstract: Although peer familiarity is an important variable in second language learning, it has not received due attention from researchers. This article discusses the effects of peer familiarity on college English learners’ engagement in peer interaction. Data collected from audio-recorded pair interaction, interviews and a questionnaire were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. Results showed that peer familiarity had a significant impact on learner engagement, and the effects on each dimension were inconsistent. The findings indicate that teachers should encourage students choose familiar partners in classroom group activities freely so as to enhance their emotional experience of participating in activities, promote their negotiation of meaning and strengthen mutual assistance and social connection among peers. In the meantime, teachers are also reminded to pay attention to the possible adverse effects of working with familiar partners. These also reveal the complexity of the influence of peer familiarity on learner engagement.
Key words: peer familiarity; learner engagement; peer interaction
