Group Size Effects on English Production in Young Japanese Learners

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Abstract

This study investigates how group size (dyads, triads, quads) influences linguistic production among young Japanese-speaking learners of English (ages 7–9) during online task-based activities. Drawing on second language acquisition (SLA) and sociocultural theories, the research employs a within-subject, repeated-measures design with 33 children. Results show that dyads foster greater learner output and metalinguistic engagement, while triads and quads promote lexical diversity and deeper cognitive processing. These findings suggest pedagogical trade-offs between output fluency and lexical development, with implications for EdTech design and early childhood language education. The study addresses gaps in child SLA research and contributes to future-oriented instructional design by empirically exploring how digital group configurations shape early language learning.

Authors

• Hee Jin Bang, Age of Learning

• Alison Mackey, Georgetown University

• Akiko Fujii, International Christian University