Bedtime Stories in English: Field-Testing Comprehensible Input Materials for Natural Second-Language Acquisition in Japanese Pre-School Children

Autor/in	Hamilton, Robert
Titel	Bedtime Stories in English: Field-Testing Comprehensible Input Materials for Natural Second-Language Acquisition in Japanese Pre-School Children
Quelle	In: Journal of International Education Research, 10 (2014) 3, S.249-254 (6 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2158-0979
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Preschool Children; Linguistic Input; Picture Books; Multilingual Materials; Japanese; Mothers; Sons; Field Tests; Pretests Posttests; Vocabulary + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Sprachbildung; Picture book; Bilderbuch; Multilingualism; Materials; Mehrsprachiges Wörterbuch; Japaner; Japanisch; Mother; Mutter; Son; Sohn; Praxisübung; Wortschatz
Abstract	In this study, the prototype of a new type of bilingual picture book was field-tested with two sets of mother-son subject pairs. This picture book was designed as a possible tool for providing children with comprehensible input during their critical period for second language acquisition. Context is provided by visual cues and both Japanese and English (the target language) are used in the story, providing enough information for a child to be able to follow the story regardless of English proficiency level. The two mothers were asked to read the picture book to their children on a regular basis over the course of a month and to take notes on their children's reactions. The children's knowledge of target vocabulary was tested both before and after the trail. Results showed that while the children had no difficulty following the story or acquiring language by this method, the mothers were initially skeptical. This suggests that the greatest obstacle to using these materials for second language learning may lie in educating teachers and parents in how to use them and convincing them of the material's efficacy. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10