Investigating best methods for training new language structures in children learning English as an Additional Language
Lead Research Organisation:
University College London
Department Name: Language and Cognition
Abstract
Education predicts future (mental) health, and economic productivity. One in five primary school children in the UK is learning English as an Additional Language (EAL), which compels them to develop academic skills and simultaneously acquire a new language. With more than 300 languages spoken in the UK, delivering inclusive services for all children poses a challenge for policy makers and education staff.
Some EAL children experience academic challenges due to insufficient exposure to English. Improving English, the language of instruction, is therefore key to developing literacy, and bridging attainment gaps with monolinguals.
To provide appropriate language support, one needs to identify the best approaches to improving English while maintaining children's home language. Three training studies will elucidate methods maximising language learning by examining:
(1) the optimal balance of input in two languages during English language learning, and whether home language can support English acquisition;
(2) the best way to teach English grammar, a challenge for bilinguals;
(3) the number of exposures necessary to learn new grammatical constructions, and whether this differs for mono- and bilinguals.
Highlighting key language targets and the most efficient ways of achieving them will inform education policies that will lead to better life quality for bilinguals.
Some EAL children experience academic challenges due to insufficient exposure to English. Improving English, the language of instruction, is therefore key to developing literacy, and bridging attainment gaps with monolinguals.
To provide appropriate language support, one needs to identify the best approaches to improving English while maintaining children's home language. Three training studies will elucidate methods maximising language learning by examining:
(1) the optimal balance of input in two languages during English language learning, and whether home language can support English acquisition;
(2) the best way to teach English grammar, a challenge for bilinguals;
(3) the number of exposures necessary to learn new grammatical constructions, and whether this differs for mono- and bilinguals.
Highlighting key language targets and the most efficient ways of achieving them will inform education policies that will lead to better life quality for bilinguals.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Courtenay Norbury (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Disa Witkowska (Student) |
| Description | Key take-home messages from the paper "Development of complex syntax in the narratives of children with English as an Additional Language and their monolingual peers": - If you have a primary school child with EAL in your class and they are not making progress in complex syntax, this is a cause for concern, as it would be for a monolingual child. - Schools are doing a good job providing high-quality English exposure for those who did not know English before, what is shown by their rapid syntactic growth. |
| Exploitation Route | Data collected in the first study of this PhD project can be used as reference for teachers and other educators to see what is expected of children with or without EAL and what might be concerning with respect to development of complex clauses. |
| Sectors | Education |
| Description | This PhD project has been severely affected by the pandemic and its timeline has changed. Because of that, the proposed dissemination plan could not yet be fully realised. So far, the research findings have been shared at two academic conferences and a research symposium organised by Bilingualism Matters, a network of organisations and individuals committed to providing latest research-based evidence to families, communities, and professionals in education, health or policy. Although the focus for the coming year will still be on getting new research findings from the ongoing sub-projects, there are plans to intensify dissemination efforts. These include, among others, presenting research funded by this studentship and its potential applications to school teachers and other educators as well as posting accessible, short summaries of the research studies online. |
| Title | Data and analysis code for "Development of complex syntax in the narratives of children with English as an Additional Language and their monolingual peers" |
| Description | This dataset contains narrative coding manual (https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/WQGZ9), coded narratives collected in SCALES (Surrey Communication and Language in Education Study), background variables and analysis code for the published paper "Development of complex syntax in the narratives of children with English as an Additional Language and their monolingual peers" (https://doi.org/10.34842/2022.0551). |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | NA |
| URL | https://osf.io/cgw9j |