THE ROLE OF CHILDREN IN ADULT SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING¹

Abstract

The study investigates the role of two native English speaking children in the second language acquisition and cultural understanding of an adult learner of English. The research combined the anthropological techniques of participant observation and informal interviews with discourse analysis of recorded material. Activity complexes encompassing the adult learner's typical verbal and behavioral interactions with the children were identified and systematically observed. The interactions were analyzed using a three‐step model of “instructional sequences” covering the manner of the learner's solicitation of information, the form and content of the children's instruction, and the learner's attention to the instruction. Results indicate that through a variety of means both children provided input which positively affected the acquisition of English by the adult learner. The nature and type of instruction, however, varied with the age of the instructor.