TY - JOUR

T1 - Investigating the transition from elementary to secondary school

T2 - student perspectives of the continuum and receptive language proficiency

AU - Jaekel, Nils

AU - van Ackern, Isabelle

AU - Schurig, Michael

AU - Markus, Ritter

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Association for Language Learning.

PY - 2022

Y1 - 2022

N2 - With the growing popularity of early foreign language learning (EFLL) programmes in elementary schools, the transition to secondary school constitutes a crucial bridge. Ensuring a smooth transition that builds on students' L2 language proficiency and gradually shifts pedagogical approaches is key for long-term success. The present study examines students' perceptions of the transition (N = 763) two months after they switched to secondary school in Germany. Analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression, which controlled for the impact of individual learner characteristics. Students' receptive language proficiency was assessed to investigate its relationship with students' perceptions at this early stage of the transition. Results showed that few students perceived the transition as a disruption from their prior experience, while 43% identify both similarities and changes. Looking forward to English in secondary school and higher cognitive functions decreased the odds of perceiving the transition as a disruption. Students with lower receptive language proficiency were more likely to perceive the transition as a disruption. Pedagogical implications include policymakers providing better guidance on expectations. Initial language assessments at the beginning of the transition, paired with questionnaires gauging students' expectations, fears and prior experience, may support teachers in better addressing their students' language needs.

AB - With the growing popularity of early foreign language learning (EFLL) programmes in elementary schools, the transition to secondary school constitutes a crucial bridge. Ensuring a smooth transition that builds on students' L2 language proficiency and gradually shifts pedagogical approaches is key for long-term success. The present study examines students' perceptions of the transition (N = 763) two months after they switched to secondary school in Germany. Analyses included descriptive statistics and logistic regression, which controlled for the impact of individual learner characteristics. Students' receptive language proficiency was assessed to investigate its relationship with students' perceptions at this early stage of the transition. Results showed that few students perceived the transition as a disruption from their prior experience, while 43% identify both similarities and changes. Looking forward to English in secondary school and higher cognitive functions decreased the odds of perceiving the transition as a disruption. Students with lower receptive language proficiency were more likely to perceive the transition as a disruption. Pedagogical implications include policymakers providing better guidance on expectations. Initial language assessments at the beginning of the transition, paired with questionnaires gauging students' expectations, fears and prior experience, may support teachers in better addressing their students' language needs.

KW - Early foreign language learning

KW - individual differences

KW - transition

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85101230195&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1080/09571736.2021.1879906

DO - 10.1080/09571736.2021.1879906

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85101230195

VL - 50

SP - 747

EP - 762

JO - Language Learning Journal

JF - Language Learning Journal

SN - 0957-1736

IS - 6

ER -