Leona, N. L., van Koert, . E., Tijms, Explaining individual differences in young English language learners’ vocabulary knowledge: The role of Extramural English Exposure and motivation.

Question 1

The role of motivation and extramural English exposure in explaining individual differences in young English language learners’ (YELLs’) English performance is unclear.

In this study, we hypothesized that different types of extramural English exposure predict YELLs’ (Dutch, N ¼ 262, 10 years old, grade 4) oral and written English receptive vocabulary knowledge, and that motivational factors act as mediators. A distinction was made between YELLs learning English only informally through extramural English exposure and YELLs learning English also formally at school.

A path analysis showed that the total impact of familial extramural English exposure and extramural English exposure through entertaining media was greater for the YELLs learning English informally, compared to YELLs learning English also formally.
While the sources of extramural English exposure were directly predictive of performance with regard to both oral and written English receptive vocabulary tests for YELLs’ learning English informally, linguistic self-confidence fully mediated these relationships for YELLs learning English formally.

dus overzicht resultaten?

Answer 1

• familial & media impact is groter voor informal learners dan formal learners
• extramural sources are directly predictive of performance for informal learners
• linguistic self-confidence is a full mediator for formal learners

Question 2

Motivation is considered to be one of the most important factors explaining individual differences in adults’ or adolescents’ learning English as a second or foreign language

Answer 2

oke

Question 3

YELL=

Answer 3

young english language learners

children who learn English as a second or foreign language from five years up to twelve
or thirteen years, or approximately the span of primary/elementary school education

Question 4

extramural English exposure=

Answer 4

the English that learners come in contact with or are involved in outside the walls of the classroom

Question 5

hypothesized model: gebaseerd op Socio-educational Model of Second Language Acquisition and Second Language (L2) Motivational Self System

Answer 5

1. friends, entertaining media, family, formal reading
2. attitude towards english speaking people, interest in foreign languages, integrative orientation (desire to integrate with english speakers), instrumental orientation (practical reasons for learning the language, such as getting a job), ideal L2 self (self image as a speaker of this language), ought-to L2 self (attributes one ought to posess), linguistic self confidence
3. desire to learn english
4. oral and written vocab

Question 6

questionnaires gebruikt

Answer 6

• Extramural English Exposure Questionnaire
• YELLs’ Motivation to Learn English
• Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test (oral)
• EIBO-Vocabulary Test (written)

Question 7

revised model van deze studie

Answer 7

1. friends, family, entertaining media, formal reading
2. attitude towards english speaking people, importance of communicating in lingua franca, self-enhancement through learning english, willingness to communicate in english with peers, linguistic self confidence
3. desire to learn english
4. ppvt & eibo vocab

Question 8

In sum, the results show that when experience with English at school is not taken into account, Family predicts the IBOvocabulary and PPVT score directly, Entertaining Media predicts the EIBO-vocabulary score both directly and indirectly, and Entertaining Media predicts the PPVT score only indirectly. When English at school is taken into account, both Family and Entertaining Media predict the EIBO-vocabulary score and, in addition, the PPVT score for the No-English-at-school group. For the English-at-school group, both Family and Entertaining Media indirectly predict the EIBO-vocabulary and the PPVT scores. Linguistic Self-Confidence is the mediator in all indirect relationships. Finally, the joint effect of Family and Entertaining Media on vocabulary knowledge was greater for the No-English-at-school group (direct effect) than for the English-at-school group (indirect effect).

Answer 8

oke

Question 9

Our findings indicate that the contribution of extramural English exposure and motivational factors to YELLs’ vocabulary knowledge depend on learning context. Extramural English exposure through entertaining media and familial extramural English exposure play a direct role in the vocabulary knowledge of YELLs learning English informally. Both extramural English exposure through entertaining media and familial extramural English exposure play an indirect role for YELLs learning English also formally. For the latter group, linguistic self-confidence mediates the relationship between English exposure through entertaining media and English vocabulary knowledge, as well as the relationship between familial extramural English exposure and English vocabulary knowledge. Our findings also indicate that the role of extramural English exposure is more pronounced for YELLs who learn English only informally relative to YELLs who also receive formal English education. Despite differences due to learning context, the main finding is that extramural English exposure through entertaining media and familial extramural English exposure are both predictive of YELLs’ vocabulary knowledge.

Answer 9

oke

Question 10

implicaties van deze studie

Answer 10

Based on the findings of this study we advocate educators to make more deliberate use of the positive contribution of extramural English exposure to YELLs’ English performance. They could stimulate students’ engagement in extramural English activities as this engagement might resolve limitations of classroom-based formal English learning like time-constraints, inadequate teaching material and a limited English proficiency of the teacher (Richards, 2015). Teachers could bring extramural English activities into the classroom by translating or analyzing the lyrics of popular songs in class, watching students’ favorite movie or tv show in English instead of the native language in class, and by for example starting the English lessons with a funny social media post in English. Teachers could be also more flexible in adapting their teaching to the language level of their students instead of departing from the presumption that all YELLs are novice learners of English. In brief, teachers could make a more deliberate use of the positive contribution of extramural English exposure to YELLs’ English performance. To conclude, there is a need for the development and testing of theoretical frameworks that apply specifically to YELLs’ motivation and experience. With the model presented in this study, we have taken a first step in this direction.