This article focuses on the plight of children as young language learners (YLLs), in the context of today’s Europe. By reference to the Council of Europe’s recommendations and its material in the form of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the European Language Portfolio (ELP), questions are posed here as to how far the special needs of YLLs are being catered for by assessment practices in European schools. Examples are given of how the CEFR and ELP are currently used in YLL assessment, with a focus on recent developments in this direction in Norway, and conclusions are drawn on the outlook for YLL assessment in present day Europe.
This article presents coryl (CORpus of Young Learner language), and demonstrates how the corpus can help reveal or shed further light on many phenomena which are manifested in the written English language of Norwegian school pupils. The paper begins with an introduction of coryl, then focuses on learner language and the role of corpora in the study of this. The following sections are devoted to what we term Computer-aided Error Analysis and Interlanguage Analysis (not involving errors). Within these sections, extracts and other findings from corylsearches are presented to illustrate what we believe coryl is able to indicate about the language of these learners.
This article concerns the contribution that feedback makes to valid classroom assessment of the writing of young learners (YLs), defined here as approximately 9-13 years old. It shows that a scale of descriptors adapted from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2001) can play a central role in this assessment. The article presents a research project, AYLLIT (Assessment of Young Learner Literacy), which developed a CEFR-based instrument and guidelines for teachers, to provide their pupils with feedback that may allow them to see progress and lead to further learning. It sets out the procedures followed in the project and examines the extent to which its outcomes enable teachers to give feedback that contributes to valid classroom assessment.Résumé : Cet article souligne l'importance de la rétroaction en relation avec l'apprentissage de l'écriture de jeunes apprenants en salle de classe et le rô le central que le CECR peut jouer dans cette dernière. En effet, le CECR présente un cadre qui aide à juger la validité de la rétroaction dans l'évaluation de l'apprentissage. Cet article présente donc un projet de recherche (évaluation de l'alphabétisation de jeunes apprenants) qui vise à développer un instrument d'évaluation basé sur le CECR et un manuel d'accompagnement pour les professeur(e)s qui puisse les guider dans la rétroaction qu'ils doivent donner à leurs apprenants. Cette rétroaction cherche à développer l'apprentissage des apprenants et à leur permettre d'apprécier leur progrès. L'article présente les démarches qui ont été suivies dans la réalisation du projet et évalue si les rétroactions des professeur(e)s, basées sur le CECR, peuvent réellement contribuer à une évaluation valide en salle de classe.
Growing attention is being given to young language learners (YLL), following a global trend to introduce foreign languages at earlier stages of the curriculum. This article provides an overview of some recent international YLL research and follows this up by comparing it to current YLL research in Norway. A YLL research network has recently been established in Norway in order to share and promote research in the field. Eight Norwegian YLL research projects, involving both English and other foreign languages, are presented. The scope of this research in Norway is compared with international research being conducted in the field. Although the Norwegian YLL research is active in certain areas, such as starting age of second foreign languages, teachers’ practices and attitudes, the use of extensive reading, vocabulary and the analysis of written texts, there appear to be gaps in other areas. These include research into the effects of story-telling and drama in the classroom, processes in writing, pupils’ cognitive skills, the use of textbooks and the effect of the curriculum. The establishment of a YLL network is considered as an important step in both consolidating current YLL research in Norway and initiating new research projects.
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