Identity construction and learning opportunities in word search sequences in L2-L2 Chinese conversations

Drawing on approximately 13 hours of video-recorded interactions among second language (L2) Chinese speakers participating in conversation tables in China, this study investigates how participants construct identities regarding language expertise during word search sequences. Adopting a conversation analytic perspective on language learning and identity construction, the study focuses on how identity alignment and misalignment are interactionally constructed and how these configurations contribute to or limit opportunities for language learning. The analysis shows that learning opportunities are most likely to arise when participants achieve identity alignment within the novice-expert membership categories. Furthermore, the type of word search initiation plays a crucial role in shaping participants’ orientations to identity construction and determining the pattern of alignment or misalignment. While identity alignment often facilitates learning opportunities, one case demonstrates that inaccurate lexical provision may undermine these opportunities, highlighting potential limitations of L2-L2 conversation tables. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of L2 conversation tables as informal contexts for language learning. By linking identity work with learning opportunities, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the interactional dynamics of underexamined informal L2-L2 conversation-for-learning settings.