The Longitudinal Prediction of YELLs’ English Vocabulary Knowledge: The Role of Internal and External Factors

Are internal or external factors more important to young English language learners’ (YELLs’) learning of English as a foreign language? According to previous studies internal factors are more important than external ones for YELLs’ English vocabulary knowledge (Paradis, 2011; Sun, Steinkrauss, Tendeiro & de Bot, 2016). These studies have measured vocabulary knowledge at one moment in time, but did not investigate whether the contribution of internal and external factors to English vocabulary knowledge changes over time. In our longitudinal study we assessed Dutch YELLs (N = 250) receptive vocabulary knowledge with the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test in grade 4, grade 5 and grade 6 (from age 9 to age 12). The measured internal factors were age, gender, abstract reasoning, English phonological awareness, English phonological short-term and verbal working memory, Dutch vocabulary knowledge, motivation and linguistic self-confidence. The external factors were experience with formal English education, home language(s) and extramural English exposure. Latent growth curve models will be computed to analyze to longitudinal contribution of the internal and external factors to the students receptive English vocabulary knowledge. The results will be presented and will show whether the role of internal and external factors changes over time for YELLs learning English as a foreign language.