the relation between teacher input and the sla of immigrant children aged 2,5 machteld verhelst,...
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The relation between teacher input and the SLA of immigrant children
aged 2,5
Machteld Verhelst, TBLT 2005, Leuven
Two main research questions
• What is the relation between input characteristics and (vocabulary) acquisition?
• What is the relation between learner characteristics and (vocabulary) acquisition?
Setting• The situation in Brussels
- position of Dutch
- schools
• The children- 11 with zero knowledge
- neglected in research!
1. Learner Characteristics• (Individual characteristics)
• Socio-emotional characteristics
• Characteristics of the individual learning situation
Socio-emotional Characteristics
• Involvement/motivation:
2.4-4/5 (M 3,2)
• Well-being:
2-4/5 (M 3.2)
• Personality:
30-49/5 (M 38)
Characteristics of the Individual Learning (Communication) Situation• Quantity of input
- Teacher direction: 1-15/30 min. (M 5,2)
- Name per day: 18-81 (M 39)
• Child initiative: 0-3/30 min. (M 1)
• Imitation: 3 yes/8 no
Abdel Amine
• High involvement• High well-being• Assertive, extrovert,
hyperactive • Highest input quantity• Highest initiative
• Low involvement• Medium well-being• Not assertive,
introvert, quiet• Lowest input quantity• No initiative
2. Input Characteristics
Input features of words:
• Frequency
• Saliency
- Attention to meaning
- Attention to form
• Comprehension
Results: Vocabulary Acquisition
• Receptive test
- after 5 weeks: 0-54% (M 23%)
- after 10 weeks: 20-64% (M 38,2%)
• Productive test: 4-40% (M 18,6%)
• Spontaneous production: 0-30 words (M 7 words)
• Medium/high receptive score
• High productive score
• Highest spotaneous production
• Medium receptive score
• Low productive score
• No spontaneous production
Relation amongst learner characteristics
- Quantity of input
x child initiative**
x imitator**
- Communicative situation
x socio-emotional variables*
Relation between learner characteristics and acquisition
x involvement*
x input quantity**
x child initiative**
x imitator**
Discussion: Communicative situation
Behaviour of input giver
S.E.B. Acquisition
Behaviour of learner
Relation between input characteristics and acquisition
• Words with highest scores
• Main effects:
x Frequency*
x Action Context**
x Meaningfulness of the context**
Discussion: Effective input contexts
Input with a strong communicative and functional value:
• association with physical actions;
• association with visual, auditory or tactile experiences.
Conclusion: consequences for education in kindergarten
Powerful environment for task-based language teaching
Safe and positive classroom environment
Safe and positive classroom environment
Functional & meaning-ful activities (‘tasks’) Functional & meaning-ful activities (‘tasks’)
Teacher's supportTeacher's support
References• Verhelst, M. (2002), De relatie tussen mondeling taalaanbod
en woordenschat verwerving van het Nederlands als tweede taal door 2,5-jarige allochtone kleuters in Brussel. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Leuven: K.U. Leuven
• Verhelst, M., … (2004). Bonte Boel! Taalvaardigheidsstimulering voor de jongste kleuters via muzische vorming. Leuven: Centre for Language and Migration
• Verhelst, M. (to appear), A box full of feelings: Promoting infants’ second language acquisition all day long, In: Van den Branden, K. (ed.), Task-based language education: from theory to practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press