Introducing a Second Foreign Language in Swiss Primary Schools: The Effect of L2 Listening and Reading Skills on L3 Acquisition

Autor/inn/en	Haenni Hoti, Andrea U.; Heinzmann, Sybille; Muller, Marianne; Oliveira, Marta; Wicki, Werner; Werlen, Erika
Titel	Introducing a Second Foreign Language in Swiss Primary Schools: The Effect of L2 Listening and Reading Skills on L3 Acquisition
Quelle	In: International Journal of Multilingualism, 8 (2011) 2, S.98-116 (19 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1479-0718
Schlagwörter	School Restructuring; Language of Instruction; Foreign Countries; Reading Skills; Learning Experience; French; German; English (Second Language); Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; Program Implementation; Longitudinal Studies; Multilingualism; Elementary Schools; Listening Skills; Switzerland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Schulreformplan; Schulumwandlung; Teaching language; Unterrichtssprache; Ausland; Reading skill; Lesefertigkeit; Lernerfahrung; Französisch; Deutscher; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; Longitudinal study; Longitudinal method; Longitudinal methods; Längsschnittuntersuchung; Mehrsprachigkeit; Multilingualismus; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Schweiz
Abstract	In German-speaking Central Switzerland, French used to be the only foreign language (FL) taught in primary schools (from Grade 5 onwards). According to the ongoing school reform, a second FL should be introduced in primary schools. Some cantons have now implemented a programme including English as the first FL to be learnt at school (from Grade 3 onwards), followed by French as the second FL (from Grade 5 onwards). To examine the impact of this school reform, children of both programmes (with and without previous English instruction) were compared with respect to their French competencies. During this 3-year longitudinal study (N = 928), children's listening and reading skills in English and French as well as their reading skills in German were assessed. After 1 year of French instruction, students with previous English instruction showed higher French listening and reading skills than students without previous FL learning experience. Both learners' English skills and their reading skills in the local language of instruction (German) exert a positive influence on the acquisition of the third language (French). A wide range of other contextual and individual factors were included in the analysis to examine if they contribute to the explanation of students' L3 skills. (Contains 2 figures, 4 tables, and 3 notes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10