Language achievements of Polish young learners: Evidence from the ELLiE study

Abstract

This chapter presents the language achievements of young learners of English as a foreign language taught as a compulsory school subject. A sample of 150 learners from 7 primary schools was observed and tested yearly over their first 4 years of school education. This longitudinal study gives insight into the process of foreign language acquisition in instructed contexts and explores factors influencing early language learning in Poland. The study describes the language achievements of a sample from the cohort who started English as part of their regular school education in 2006 when the majority of Polish primary schools had implemented this addition to the curriculum. The study was carried out as part of a multinational, longitudinal research project ELLiE. The main aim of the ELLiE study was to analyse and describe what can realistically be achieved in instructed contexts when little class time is available. It explored language policy implementation, key factors contributing to language achievements and the linguistic and non-linguistic outcomes of an early start in language learning.