Conference Programme (PDF, 1019KB) - Trinity College Dublin

abstracts by stream and session
The education system's response to the linguistic challenges of immigration
Bronagh Catibušic, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland
Reflecting migrant children’s second language acquisition within a second language curriculum: An investigation of English language
development among primary school children from non-English-speaking migrant backgrounds in Ireland, and its relationship to the
curriculum for English language support.
This paper will be based on a longitudinal study of primary school pupils receiving English language support which I have conducted and
analysed in my Ph.D. research (thesis to be submitted in 2010). It will look at empirical evidence of second language acquisition (SLA)
obtained from a sample of young learners of English as a second language (ESL) over the school year 2007 to 2008, and compare this to
the language learning outcomes described in the current curriculum for English language support: the English Language Proficiency
Benchmarks for non-native-speaking pupils at primary level (IILT 2003). I have outlined below the research project which informs the
issues I will raise in this paper.
The research involved the weekly audio-recording of English language support lessons (instruction provided on a withdrawal basis to ESL
learners in Irish schools) in three primary schools in the north-east region of Ireland. Approximately 80 hours (154 lessons) of L2 oral
production were recorded, transcribed and analysed for 19 ESL pupils participating in the study. A sample of pupils’ written work was
also collected. The pupils involved came from 12 different national backgrounds (mostly Eastern European and Asian) and spoke at least
12 different first languages from a range of language families (e.g. Slavic, Romance, Sino-Tibetan etc.). Their ages ranged from 4-14,
although the majority were under 8 years old and in junior primary classes during the study period. The project included pupils in both
their first and second year of their (generally) two-year English language support allocation. Five English language support teachers and
two substitute teachers also participated. The research project was approved by and conducted in accordance with the ethical guidelines
specified by the School of Linguistic, Speech and Communication Sciences (SLSCS) in Trinity College, Dublin.
While the research design was essentially qualitative, the analysis of data adopted a mixed methods approach. Initially, the transcribed
data was subjected to a three strand formal, functional and conversation analysis of each interactional turn produced by each sampled
pupil. Then, where appropriate to the data, quantitative measures were used to support the findings emerging from its detailed qualitative
description.
From analysis of the data obtained within this study, I have been able to investigate indicators of the sampled pupils’ SLA, apparent
within the evidence provided by their L2 use. In this paper I will focus on features of their grammatical and lexical development which
emerged from the mixed-methods analysis. I will give examples of how SLA is indicated within the data obtained for specific pupils across
the study period. I will also look at the possible influence of both internal factors (e.g. age and L1 background) on aspects of pupils’ L2
development, and the potential impact of external factors (particularly features of interaction) on pupils’ SLA. From this, I will present a
summary of likely SLA sequences and characteristics among primary school ESL learners, based upon empirical evidence of obtained
from a representative sample of pupils.
The aim of my research was to compare evidence of SLA within the sample group to the learning outcomes described by the English
Language Proficiency Benchmarks for non-native-speaking pupils at primary level (IILT 2003), a curriculum for English language support
which is ultimately derived from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) (Council of Europe 2001). In this
paper I will therefore outline how I compared pupils’ actual L2 production to the descriptors of communicative activity included in the
Benchmarks, and comment on any recommendations for their revision resulting from my research.
I will also look briefly at how my research into ESL pupils’ SLA may also be of wider pedagogical interest. While acknowledging the
limitations of research based upon a mere sample of pupils, I will present any findings emerging from my study regarding possible
influences on SLA which may be relevant and useful to language teaching. While the main focus of my research has been on examining
L2 oral production as a key indicator of SLA, I will also look at issues related to pupils’ recorded literacy development and comment on
their pedagogical significance.
Since my research constitutes a relatively extensive longitudinal investigation into SLA among migrant children within an L2-dominant
educational environment, and since it examines an L2 curriculum derived from the CEFR, a framework for language learning, teaching
and assessment of widespread European and international application, I also believe that its findings are of interest beyond the Irish
context alone. I hope, therefore, that my paper can in some small way contribute to the wider research field by offering some new insights
into L2 development of migrant children and how their access to the language of education can be best supported.
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