Ten Years of English Learning at School

Description

This book is based on a longitudinal study involving learners of English as a foreign language from their first year in primary education to their last year in compulsory secondary education. Some of the chapters report on the whole sample initially drawn from five primary schools and some are based on a sample of focal learners. These focal learners were followed in secondary school (grades 7 and 10). One of the main aims of the book is capturing change over time regarding the learners’ language perceptions and awareness, oral and written language development, learners’ attitudes and motivation, and their language learning trajectories. The longitudinal nature of the data also allows identification of internal and external factors on learners’ linguistic outcomes. The book draws on a wealth of data sources (self-reported data, classroom observations, institutional data, language tests and tasks), participants (learners, teachers, parents), several testing times and both qualitative and quantitative analyses. The book will be of interest to educators and  scholars working on such areas as language pedagogy, language development and awareness as well as individual differences. Preface Acknowledgements About the Book Contents About the Authors List of Figures List of Illustrations List of Tables 1: Longitudinal Research: The ELLiC Project 1.1 The Story Behind a Long Journey 1.2 Longitudinal Research 1.2.1 Longitudinal Research and Study Length 1.2.2 Long-Term Longitudinal Research at Schools 1.3 The ELLiC Project 1.3.1 The ELLiC Design 1.3.2 The Primary Schools in ELLiC and Participants 1.3.3 The Secondary Schools in ELLiC and Participants 1.3.4 English Instruction in ELLiC Schools 1.3.5 Instruments Interviews, Questionnaires and Other Instruments Teacher Interviews and Questionnaires Learner Interviews and Questionnaires Parents’ Questionnaires Other Instruments Linguistic and Cognitive Measures General Proficiency Measures Listening and Reading Comprehension Tests Production Tasks Language Aptitude Test Lesson Observations Summary of Instruments References 2: English at the End of Primary School: Explanatory Factors 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Affective, Cognitive, and Contextual Variables 2.3 Method 2.3.1 Participants: ELLiC Sample 2.3.2 Instruments and Procedure Language Tests Explanatory Factors 2.4 Analysis and Results 2.4.1 Variables Description 2.4.2 Correlational Analysis of Explanatory Variables 2.4.3 Preliminary Analysis of L2 Outcome Variables 2.4.4 Inferential Tests Listening Comprehension Skills Reading Comprehension Skills General Proficiency Written Fluency Written Lexical Diversity Written Syntactic Complexity Summary 2.5 Discussion 2.5.1 The Associations Among Explanatory Factors 2.5.2 Factors Explaining Learners’ English Language Outcomes 2.6 Conclusions Appendix References 3: Written and Oral Production Development through Primary and Secondary School 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Second Language Development 3.3 Method 3.3.1 Participants 3.3.2 Instruments and Procedure Written Production Oral Production 3.3.3 Measures Written Production Oral Production 3.4 Analysis and Results 3.4.1 Writing Development Whole Sample Three Learners’ Writing Development 3.4.2 Oral Development Whole Sample Three Learners’ Oral Development 3.4.3 Summary 3.5 Discussion 3.5.1 Written Production 3.5.2 Oral Production 3.5.3 Focusing on Three Learners 3.6 Conclusions Appendix References 4: The Development of Young Learners’ Language Awareness 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Language Awareness 4.3 Method 4.3.1 Participants 4.3.2 Instruments and Procedure 4.4 Results 4.4.1 Do You Think You Learn English as Fast as Other Children in Class, or Faster, or Slower? How Do You Know? 4.4.2 In Which of These Classrooms Would You Learn English Best? Why? 4.4.3 What Do You Find Most Difficult in English? 4.4.4 What Differences Do You See Between Catalan, Spanish, and English? 4.4.5 … la … lo … it … Why Is It Different? 4.4.6 How Do You Form a Question in English? 4.5 Discussion 4.5.1 Learners’ Language Learning Awareness 4.5.2 Learners’ Crosslinguistic Awareness 4.5.3 Learners’ Metalinguistic Awareness 4.6 Conclusions References 5: Levels of Success with English and Learning Conditions: Same Opportunities? 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Unequal Learning Conditions for School-Aged Learners 5.3 Introduction to the Study 5.4 Method 5.4.1 Participants 5.4.2 Instruments The Family Extracurricular English and Second Foreign Languages Out-of-School L2 Contact 5.5 Results 5.5.1 The Family Parents’ Level of Education and English Skills Getting Help from Parents Getting Help from an Older Sibling 5.5.2 Extracurricular English and Second Foreign Languages 5.5.3 Oral/Spoken Interaction in English Primary Education Secondary Education Long Trips School Exchange Visits Short Trips Self-generated Opportunities for L2 Practice in G10 Plans for the Future 5.5.4 Exposure to English and Leisure Activities Primary Education The Role of Parents and Siblings Grade 7 Grade 10 Learners’ Perceptions of Learning 5.6 Discussion 5.7 Conclusions Appendix References 6: Motivation after Ten Years: Learner Profiles with a Time Dimension 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Motivational Profiles 6.3 Introduction to the Study 6.4 Method 6.4.1 Participants 6.4.2 Instruments 6.4.3 Analysis 6.5 Results 6.5.1 An Unattainable Goal: “I wish I could learn English” (Profile 1, LS Students) Future-oriented Selves (Profile 1, LS Students) Motivational Trajectories (Profile 1, LS Students) 6.5.2 A Postponed Goal: “If I started to study, it would be easier” (Profile 2, LS Students) Future-oriented Selves (Profile 2, LS Students) Motivational Trajectories (Profile 2, LS Students) 6.5.3 A Non-immediate Goal: “It [English] is a useful language for the future” (Profile 3, MS Students) Future-oriented Selves (Profile 3, MS Students) Motivational Trajectories (Profile 3, MS Students) 6.5.4 More than a Goal: “It [English] opens many doors (…) and it’s cool” (Profile 4, MS Students) Future-oriented Selves (Profile 4, MS Students) Motivational Trajectories (Profile 4, MS Students) 6.6 Discussion 6.7 Conclusions References Index