engleski

Early English language learning outcomes in different local learning contexts: Comparison of young learner achievements in Austria and Croatia

English as a foreign or a second language is taught in different language learning contexts throughout the world, and its formal instruction most commonly starts early, this is, at the primary level of mandatory education. Nowadays, different early English language teaching (ELT) approaches can be found. For example, traditional ELT (language competence programme whereby pupils actually learn a foreign language) is implemented in some countries (e.g., Croatia) and Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL), which is increasingly gaining in popularity in others (e.g., Austria). Although different, these approaches to early formal instruction of English share the same aim: development of young learners’ (YLs’) communicative competence. Therefore, the aim of the study that follows is to compare early English language learning (EELL) outcomes of YLs exposed to two different ELT approaches, CLIL in Austria and traditional ELT in Croatia, after four years of their primary education. YLs in both countries completed a series of tasks, four of which were receptive and one productive, and a motivational questionnaire. The results pointed at significant differences between Austrian and Croatian learners. The Croatian YLs outperformed their Austrian peers on one listening comprehension task, one reading comprehension task and on classroom language productive task. Nonetheless, Austrian YLs scored much higher on the other reading comprehension task. In addition, no significant differences between the two groups of YLs were found on another listening comprehension task. Likewise, no significant differences were found in the motivation for learning English. Some differences emerged in the choice of Austrian and Croatian learners’ favourite activities and the choice of the skill they reported to enjoy best in their English classes. The findings of this study are important in that they contribute to the understanding of EELL and highlight the importance of variety of factors that may lead to similar or different outcomes.

CLIL ; early English outcomes ; EELL ; traditional EFL ; young learners

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