Early Foreign Language Learning: Intensive Exposure, Vocabulary Development and the Cognitive Skills Involved

Authors

  • Lia Efstathiadi

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2019.11.4

Keywords:

early FL vocabulary development, CLIL, phonological short-term memory, central executive

Abstract

This report concerns vocabulary development and its cognitive underpinning in 49 young Greek learners (M = 7 years, 8 months), after two years of intensive exposure to L2 English. The data come from an experimental school for the teaching of English in Thessaloniki, implementing innovative teaching methodologies. Testing took place in Grade 2, when participants had received significant L2 exposure (approximately 300 hours). We measured L2 vocabulary (comprehension, production) and working memory (WM), the phonological store in particular, since this shares close links with early L2 vocabulary development (Gathercole & Alloway 2008). Due to the demanding nature of the L2 communicative classroom regarding attention resources, we also investigated the role of the central executive of WM in early FL vocabulary development.

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Published

2021-02-13

How to Cite

Efstathiadi, L. (2021). Early Foreign Language Learning: Intensive Exposure, Vocabulary Development and the Cognitive Skills Involved. Belgrade English Language and Literature Studies, 11(1), 81–111. https://doi.org/10.18485/bells.2019.11.4

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2019): BELLS - volume 11

Section

THEORETICAL AND APPLIED LINGUISTICS

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