1. The relation between teacher input and the SLA of immigrant children aged 2,5 Machteld Verhelst, TBLT 2005, Leuven

2. Two main research questions What is the relation between input characteristics and (vocabulary) acquisition? What is the relation between learner characteristics and (vocabulary) acquisition?

3. Setting The situation in Brussels - position of Dutch - schools The children - 11 with zero knowledge - neglected in research!

4. 1. Learner Characteristics (Individual characteristics) Socio-emotional characteristics Characteristics of the individual learning situation

5. Socio-emotional Characteristics Involvement/motivation : 2.4-4/5 (M 3,2) Well-being: 2-4/5 (M 3.2) Personality: 30-49/5 (M 38)

6. Characteristics of the Individual Learning (Communication) Situation Quantity of input - Teacher direction: 1-15/30 min. (M 5,2) - Name per day: 18-81 (M 39) Child initiative: 0-3/30 min. (M 1) Imitation: 3 yes/8 no

7. Abdel Amine

8. High involvement High well-being Assertive, extrovert, hyperactive Highest input quantity Highest initiative Low involvement Medium well-being Not assertive, introvert, quiet Lowest input quantity No initiative

9. 2. Input Characteristics Input features of words: Frequency Saliency - Attention to meaning - Attention to form Comprehension

10. Results: Vocabulary Acquisition Receptive test - after 5 weeks: 0-54% (M 23%) - after 10 weeks: 20-64% (M 38,2%) Productive test: 4-40% (M 18,6%) Spontaneous production: 0-30 words (M 7 words)

11. Medium/high receptive score High productive score Highest spotaneous production Medium receptive score Low productive score No spontaneous production

12. Relation amongst learner characteristics -Quantity of input x child initiative** x imitator** -Communicative situation x socio-emotional variables*

13. Relation between learner characteristics and acquisition x involvement* x input quantity** x child initiative** x imitator**

14. Discussion: Communicative situation Behaviour of input giver S.E.B. Acquisition Behaviour of learner

15. Relation between input characteristics and acquisition Words with highest scores Main effects: x Frequency* x Action Context** x Meaningfulness of the context**

16. Discussion: Effective input contexts Input with a strong communicative and functional value: association with physical actions; association with visual, auditory or tactile experiences.

17. Conclusion: consequences for education in kindergarten Powerful environment for task-based language teaching Teacher's support Functional & meaning- ful activities (‘tasks’) Safe and positive classroom environment

18. References Verhelst, M. (2002), De relatie tussen mondeling taalaanbod en woordenschat­verwerving van het Nederlands als tweede taal door 2,5-jarige allochtone kleuters in Brussel. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Leuven: K.U. Leuven Verhelst, M., … (2004). Bonte Boel! Taalvaardigheidsstimulering voor de jongste kleuters via muzische vorming. Leuven: Centre for Language and Migration Verhelst, M. (to appear), A box full of feelings: Promoting infants’ second language acquisition all day long, In: Van den Branden, K. (ed.), Task-based language education: from theory to practice. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press machteld.verhelst@arts.kuleuven.be