Examining the Potential of the L1 (First Language) to Promote L2 (Second Language) Vocabulary for Language Minority Children in Primary School

• In Event: Roundtable Session 46
  In Roundtable Session: Vocabulary Learning Across the Spectrum

Abstract

Research has shown that deficits in language skills cause disadvantages in other domains. Therefore language minority children are often disadvantaged in educational success. Vocabulary competence is a central component of language skills and essential for educational success. The “Theory of Learning from Context” (Sternberg, 1987) provides a framework for vocabulary learning of a read text. The process of the extraction of word meanings is difficult for children with a L2, because they have limited vocabulary and text comprehension. The utilization of vocabulary in their L1 may adjust this disadvantage by providing them additional vocabulary to that in L2. A study with a (quasi-)experimental design is proposed to examine the effectiveness of including the L1 for vocabulary acquisition in the L2.

Authors

• Wahiba El-Khechen, Technical University of Dortmund

• Nele McElvany, TU Dortmund University

• Miriam Gebauer, Technische Universität Dortmund

• Karin Guill, Technical University of Dortmund