ELLiE

Introduction

This report provides an on-going record of the findings for the Early Language Learning in Europe research study in the second year of the longitudinal research framework. For further information on the initial study framework please see the ELLiE First Interim Report, downloadable at: www.ellieresearch.eu/outcomes.html The research study investigates the development of young language learners in seven European country contexts from the ages of 6/7 years to 10/11 years. The study aims to shed light on the aspects of current policy implementation shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1

Figure 1. ELLiE Research Strands of Investigation

Key findings

In the second year of the Research Project the main participants were children aged 9/10. Findings indicate that: -Whilst children were highly motivated for learning a foreign language in their first year, by the second year of the longitudinal study some of the enthusiasm had diminished as foreign language learning (FLL) had become 'just another lesson';

Impact of digital media

Significance of teacher's role 2 -In some country contexts boys were noticeably less enthusiastic than girls; -Schools and parents were mainly positive in their support for children's learning and perceived an early start as a relevant factor in children's learning outcomes; -In some school contexts there was evidence of FLL being a lower priority, from time to time resulting in lesson cancellation as higher priorities arose; -In the first year teaching mainly focused on oracy development (songs, rhymes and games). In their second and third years (age 8-10 yrs) children are enjoying opportunities to build literacy skills in the FL; -The amount of class time allocated to FL learning varies across countries, a factor that is beginning to impact on linguistic progress in the second year of the study; -Teachers' language skills and training in approaches to FL teaching for this age group are steadily developing, but there continues to be a substantial need for further training; -Policy across the seven countries indicates that the broadly preferred teacher model is of a primary class teacher with skills to teach the FL. In most instances it will be some years before all primary teachers are able to achieve this standard.

Project approach -achieving a transcontextual perspective

In each of the seven country contexts a research region has been selected for the collection of data over the threeyear period of the study. Whilst regions vary in their geographical areas, all were selected on the basis of being likely to offer sufficiently well-established contexts for the implementation of early FL learning in local schools. In each region a convenience sample of six to eight schools (with a total of between 150-180 learners per country) was selected to reflect urban, suburban and rural areas, where possible, including a spread of socio-economic groupings in each region. From each school, one or two classes in their first year of FL learning were then selected, to be tracked through the subsequent three years of second/ foreign language learning. The sample has focused on learners of English in Croatia, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Sweden, and whilst learners of French and Spanish form the study sample in England. The choice of languages reflects the most commonly taught languages in each region, with English being the only choice in some instances. All schools involved in the study offer one language through (at least) four years of the primary phase of schooling. It is important to note that this approach to sample selection aims to reflect the complexity of different FL learning contexts existing in Europe today. The substantial volume of website activity and individual contacts has already indicated a global interest in the relevance of the ELLiE findings.

Research design at every level has necessitated an intensive transcontextual consultation process to ensure accurate replication of sampling, collection and analysis procedures in all seven contexts. The team have found that whilst primary classrooms in Europe have many similarities, specific differences have emerged that have proved crucial to the shaping of aspects of the research design. These have included the following:

 Synchronising the scheduling of three data collection points per year has required flexibility to fit in with country-specific events in the school year, such as: winter holidays (Poland, Sweden); national testing periods (UK); earlier start to summer holidays (Sweden).  Teacher interview schedules have been designed to cater both for contexts where the class teacher conducts the FL lesson as an integrated part of the broader curriculum or as a separate lesson slot (generalist teacher). In addition, schedules have been designed for use in contexts where the FL is taught by a specialist primary FL teacher who teaches the FL to a number of classes in either one or more schools.  Learner questionnaires have been designed to make it possible for children to easily understand how to respond. Questionnaire design includes mainly picture symbols to represent possible response options.

Children are asked to listen to the question read aloud by the researcher (in their mother tongue/school language), then to tick the picture symbol that reflects their answer/opinion. This approach has ensured that limited literacy skills should not cause confusion. Additionally, the design has made it possible for children with special educational needs and for migrant children, whose first language differs from the national language, to more fully participate in the study.  Building a friendly professional relationship over time with the school, the teacher and the children has been an important feature of establishing a level of trust in this study. In many classes children have been particularly proud to learn that they are contributing to a European study which will help other children to learn languages more successfully in the future.  Ethical issues have necessitated careful attention to the storage of data, placing some limits on the opportunities to video classrooms in action. Whilst such data would provide invaluable evidence for transcontextual analysis, this has not been a viable approach.

Data collection and analyses

During the first two years of the study the research team have made three regular visits per year to each of the 6-8 schools in each research region. Additional observation visits have been made to a sample of schools to ensure a qualitative perspective is fully documented at each phase of the study. The following table lists the research instruments designed specifically for the ELLiE Project ( Figure 2). The finalised Instruments will be published at the end of the Project period.

Research Instruments

Summary of findings

The following is a summary of the findings of the project based on the analysis of the data gathered during visits to schools in the school year 2008 -2009.

Children's response to foreign language learning

The whole class motivation questionnaire and the focal learners' interview were combined to obtain this information.

-Children are highly motivated to learn a foreign language at this age; however increasingly there is some variation in levels of motivation, with less enthusiasm expressed by boys, as they mature. Motivation levels are significantly lower in England, where classes are the largest (generally 30 children per class) and lessons are often only 30 minutes per week, with other country contexts ranging from 40 mins. (Sweden) to 90 mins. (some schools in Italy); -

Children are aware of their abilities and of their progress in the foreign language; -Children show clear preferences in terms of the foreign language learning environment and classroom activities. In the first year there was a strong preference for game-like activities, whilst in the second year of the study children are beginning to say that they are more likely to learn effectively in a formal classroom where desks are arranged in rows facing the front. For some, this appears to reflect a view that FL learning is more about 'learning' than 'playing', whilst other children continue to view FL learning as informal, varied and playful, despite a preference for a formal classroom layout.

Linguistic outcomes

Results on production tasks were viewed in the light of information from classroom observations and teachers' interviews.

-In the first year a strong emphasis on oracy seems to have an effect on children's production, particularly in terms of vocabulary production and pronunciation; -

In the second year both teachers and children are placing a greater emphasis on literacy, with some evidence of a growing interest in knowledge about language (including the grammar and sentence structure of different languages); -

In terms of lexical knowledge, children in the first year of the study produced many more nouns than verbs and showed a developing ability to produce meaningful chunks of language e.g. greetings.

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In the second year learners are increasingly moving beyond individual words to produce more complex phrases, linking these to form sentences.

Responses of principals, teachers and parents to early foreign language learning

Questionnaires and interviews were used with these participants.

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-Overall, school principals, teachers and the children's parents positively support early introduction of language learning and perceive an early start as a relevant factor in children's learning outcomes. Whilst all schools viewed the initiative positively, a minority of parents expressed only limited interest in the fact that their children were learning a foreign language. Parents of children learning English (six countries) were also significantly more positive about its value than parents of learners of Spanish and French (England only).

Learning environment

Data from classroom observations and the teachers' and parents' interviews provides information on the learning environment. Such evidence is important when evaluating children's motivation and the development of listening and speaking skills.

-Teaching is strongly focused on oracy, with literacy being introduced gradually during the second year; -A positive learning environment, access to a variety of materials and media, and involvement in a variety of language activities are evidently contributing to the children's advantageous progress and motivation.

Policy

Policy documents from each country shed light on the overall features of early foreign language learning -A main variable across countries is teacher qualifications. All countries preferred primary qualified teachers, some solely teaching the foreign language, whilst in other countries they also teach across the primary curriculum. For both categories of teacher, only limited pre-service and in-service foreign language training was available in some instances. Not all countries require a minimum level of language proficiency for primary language teachers. Where stated, this is likely to be at an approximate entry level of B1 (as described in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). In some countries a specialist language teacher is more commonly responsible for foreign language teaching at both primary and secondary levels. -The frequency and duration of foreign language teaching varied across countries and schools. Whilst the adoption of a class teacher model for FL teaching was evident in some cases, this did not result in any substantial evidence of frequent smaller amounts of FL teaching happening throughout the school week. Overwhelmingly, fixed FL lessons occurred, but the intensity and length varied.

Next steps

Data collection and analysis continues throughout the school year 2009-2010, with Project findings presented at a dissemination event in October 2010. Further publications and dissemination events are currently under consideration.