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.
Author(s): Elsa Tragant, Carmen Muñoz
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Year: 2023
Language: English
Pages: 267
City: London
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
