What Really Matters in Second Language Learning for Academic Achievement?

Abstract

This retrospective analysis seeks to explain why a group of children who had been matched for English proficiency and socioeconomic status (SES) when they started a school year, and who were subsequently taught and tested through the medium of English, differed in their school achievement at the end of that year. Factors considered include relative productive competence in English morphology, syntax, and vocabulary; verbosity; patterns of social interaction; first language performance; and personality factors. Extensive intra-group variability is reported, but several generalizations are drawn which have relevance for ESL curriculum organization and instructional practice: vocabulary knowledge is the single most important area of second language (L2) competence when learning content through that language is the dependent variable; grammatical accuracy is of little importance to students' immediate academic needs; communicative competence in social interaction does not guarantee communicative competence in academic situations; and the use of the first language (Ll) enhances conceptual development, even when it is tested through the medium of the L2.

Linking Reading Comprehension Instruction to Language Development for Language-Minority Students

“…Conversations in students' homes in a first and/or second language have been shown to support the learning of a new language (Delgado-Gaitan, 1990; Pease-Alvarez, 1993). In fact, heritage-language proficiency and skills have been shown to facilitate English language and literacy generally (Hakuta & Gould, 1987;Saville-Troike, 1984;Troike, 1981). Yet, most teachers fail to capitalize on this in school, and may even counteract the educational benefits of heritage languages by discouraging students from using their first language and by neglecting to foster natural conversations in a first or second language in the classroom.…”

The Influence of Language Contact and Vocabulary Knowledge on the Speaking Performance of Japanese Students of English

“…Evidence was also found suggesting that better vocabulary knowledge produces better oral performance in terms of all the aspects examined -fluency, accuracy, complexity, and global impression. This adds oral performance to the list of areas in second language learning that appear to be influenced by vocabulary knowledge, which as noted earlier includes both reading comprehension [14,15] and academic performance [16,17]. The following sections discuss these findings further, exploring some of the possible reasons for the relationships found (as well as those not found) in this study, and the implications of the findings towards more effective second language learning and instruction.…”

“…Where academic achievement is concerned, SavilleTroike [16] found that vocabulary knowledge was a predictor of academic achievement of non-native-English-speaking children, aged 6 to 12 years old, mainstreamed in Englishmedium classes. More recently, Loewen and Ellis [17] reported similar results for ESL university students.…”

A Generation in Transition

“…Saville-Troike, Bridgeman and Carlson, Horowitz, and Ostler for example, used surveys to assess what types of academic activities students were performing at the college level. 3 Other studies, (Christison and Krahnke, Leki and Carson) have examined the students' own perceptions of their academic needs. 4 Other studies (Currie, Shuck) have looked specifically at the needs for writing classes.…”