Exposure to L2 English and its correlation to oral proficiency among very young learners

Informal learning of second/foreign languages (L2) is often a byproduct of so-called extramural exposure to the target language. Today, individuals often interact with one another in an L2 with the help of new technologies, for instance on social media or through digital gaming. Many studies have manifested positive effects of such exposure on L2 learning among adolescents and young adults. Much less, however, is known about informal learning of an L2 among younger individuals.To partially fill this gap, taking its point of departure in an ongoing, longitudinal study of 4-8 year-old children in Sweden and their exposure to L2 English outside any educational context, this presentation focuses on L2 English oral production. A picture description task was administered to children in first grade (N = 14 ) where they were asked to describe one out of three pictures in English. All interaction was done on a one to one basis between the researcher and the child. Everything was audio-recorded and subsequently transcribed. Through language diaries, data on the children's exposure to English were collected. In addition, a receptive vocabulary test was administered among children in both kindergarten and first grade (N = 20). The presentation will offer insights into quantitative measures of the descriptions and vocabulary tests, and illustrative audio-recorded examples will accompany the presentation. Preliminary findings show possible correlations between amount of exposure to L2 English on the one hand, and receptive vocabulary knowledge. The findings are of relevance not only to the research community, but also to key stakeholders in education. The fact that some children are more or less fluent in English (so-called self-selected bilinguals) already before they start school necessitates fundamental changes in the teaching of L2 English as a school subject.