Open Access
What factors contribute to the proficiency of young EFL learners in primary school?: assessing the role of CLIL intensity, extramural English, non-verbal intelligence and socioeconomic status
(SAGE Journals, 2024-10-30) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Ciencias humanas y de la educación; Giza eta Hezkuntza Zientziak; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS
Although multiple factors influence language proficiency in instructed settings, the prevalence of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) research in recent decades has placed intensity of exposure (via CLIL lessons) at center stage, sidelining other variables. This study aims to rectify this by examining the impact of CLIL alongside three additional factors: extramural English (EE), socioeconomic status (SES), and non-verbal intelligence (NVI). Specifically, this study analyses the interplay of these variables in the proficiency of 171 young English learners (aged 10-11 years) in Navarre, Spain. The participants were divided into a low-intensity (LI) (n = 54) group and a high-intensity (HI) (n = 117) group depending on exposure to English in school. Results indicate that HI learners are superior in reading, and even more clearly in speaking. EE is very frequent in both groups but more abundant among HI learners, and it shows several positive associations with learners¿ scores. Higher NVI levels positively correlate with all skills in both groups, except for speaking, which appears to be affected by EE and, to a lesser extent, by SES.
Open Access
Are EFL writers motivated or demotivated by model texts and task repetition? Evidence from young collaborative writers
(Universidad de Murcia, 2021) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Villarreal Olaizola, Izaskun; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, CENEDUCA18
Studies on multi-stage writing tasks with adults and children have shown that model texts and task repetition aid language acquisition, especially when learners work in collaboration. However, these studies have not included measures of task motivation, which is vital in young learners (YLs) and could help develop a more comprehensive understanding of task effectiveness. The present study analyses task motivation in 24 EFL YLs writing in pairs during three sessions divided into a model group (MG) and a task repetition group (TRG). Results show that students’ task motivation is high in general but declines in the MG while it is maintained in the TRG. As for the motives, working together is the main reason students give to justify their positive scores. These results complete previous knowledge about models and TR, reinforce the value of collaborative writing and encourage the inclusion of motivation measures in task-based research.
Open Access
Model texts in collaborative and individual writing among EFL children: noticing, incorporations, and draft quality
(De Gruyter, 2021) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
When written corrective feedback is provided via model texts, language learners notice and incorporate features from the models into their subsequent writings. However, little is known about the accuracy of these incorporations or about the impact of model texts on draft quality. Also, model texts have often been implemented with children working in pairs but, to date, studies including individual and collaborative conditions are extremely scarce. This study examines the impact of model texts among 33 EFL children (aged 11-12) divided into a pair (N = 22) and an individual (N = 11) group. Our findings do not reveal any significant differences between pairs and individuals. The students in both conditions noticed features, mainly lexical. They incorporated around 50% of these features from the model texts into their final drafts, with an accuracy rate of 60%. Regarding draft quality, the second draft was significantly better than the first one when rated holistically.
Open Access
El Espacio Europeo de Educación Superior y la fonética del inglés
(Universidad Pública de Navarra / Nafarroako Unibertsitate Publikoa, 2007) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Filología y Didáctica de la Lengua; Filologia eta Hizkuntzaren Didaktika
Open Access
Questioning the effectiveness of procedural repetition: the case of Spanish EFL primary school learners
(Universidad de Granada, 2019) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Villarreal Olaizola, Izaskun; Ciencias Humanas y de la Educación; Giza eta Hezkuntza Zientziak
Varios estudios han mostrado que repetir la misma tarea con diferente contenido, lo que se denomina repetición procedimental (RP), ayuda a prestar atención a la forma y al desarrollo sintáctico. Asimismo, la RP es común y apropiada para el aula. Este experimento investiga los efectos de la RP en la producción de 5 parejas de niños españoles (11 años) aprendiendo inglés como lengua extranjera en un colegio y con un nivel de principiante. Las parejas construyeron y narraron tres historias, una cada semana, siguiendo un procedimiento similar. El análisis de la complejidad, precisión y fluidez de sus narraciones muestra que la RP no tiene un impacto significativo en las narraciones de los estudiantes, excepto en el caso de la diversidad léxica, que mejora en la tercera narración. A la luz de los resultados, se discuten las posibilidades de la RP con niños.
Open Access
Should EFL teachers present vocabulary in semantically related sets?
(Universidad de Granada, 2015) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; Filología y Didáctica de la Lengua; Filologia eta Hizkuntzaren Didaktika
La enseñanza de vocabulario agrupado en campos semánticos es práctica habitual en el aula de inglés como lengua extranjera. En este estudio se compara esta técnica con su contraria, la presentación de vocabulario no relacionado, con dos grupos de alumnos de un instituto. Tras presentar las palabras con ambas técnicas los alumnos completaron un post-test. Los resultados muestran la efectividad de ambas técnicas pero con una ligera ventaja para la enseñanza de vocabulario no relacionado semánticamente.
Open Access
Are EFL writers motivated or demotivated by model texts and task repetition? Evidence from young collaborative writers
(Universidad de Murcia, 2021) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Villarreal Olaizola, Izaskun; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua, CENEDUCA18
Studies on multi-stage writing tasks with adults and children have shown that model texts and task repetition aid language acquisition, especially when learners work in collaboration. However, these studies have not included measures of task motivation, which is vital in young learners (YLs) and could help develop a more comprehensive understanding of task effectiveness. The present study analyses task motivation in 24 EFL YLs writing in pairs during three sessions divided into a model group (MG) and a task repetition group (TRG). Results show that students' task motivation is high in general but declines in the MG while it is maintained in the TRG. As for the motives, working together is the main reason students give to justify their positive scores. These results complete previous knowledge about models and TR, reinforce the value of collaborative writing and encourage the inclusion of motivation measures in task-based research.
Open Access
Talking to write: insights into the oral interactions of young EFL writers repeating a collaborative task
(De Gruyter Brill, 2025) Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Ciencias humanas y de la educación; Giza eta Hezkuntza Zientziak
Writing and speaking, being considered the productive skills, have been traditionally studied in isolation in second language acquisition research. However, these two skills are interwoven in collaborative writing (CW) tasks. In CW, the process of writing a text, which had been traditionally considered a solitary task (Lázaro-Ibarrola, 2023; Storch, 2005), is carried out in collaboration, with two or more learners talking to each other to decide what to write and how to write it. Thus, CW tasks enable the very desirable integration of skills, in this case of writing and speaking, for teaching and research purposes (Hirvela & Belcher, 2016; Lázaro-Ibarrola, 2023).
Open Access
Motivation towards the foreign language (English) and regional language (Basque) in immersion schools: does CLIL in the foreign language make a difference?
(SAGE Publications, 2021) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Azpilicueta Martínez, Raúl; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS; Gobierno de Navarra / Nafarroako Gobernua
Motivation to learn languages strongly correlates with language achievement, and the school context has a great influence on the motivation of young learners (YLs). A key rationale for the implementation of content and language integrated learning (CLIL) programs, therefore, was pupil motivation. Very few studies have measured motivation in this context, especially in primary schools. Even fewer have done so in bilingual areas, where the continuation of widespread use of the regional language often depends on its presence in the school system and where CLIL reduces this presence. To address these gaps, motivation towards the foreign language (FL), English, and the regional language, Basque, was measured in 399 YLs of English (aged 10–12 years) in Basque immersion schools. The learners were divided into a CLIL group (n = 230), with English as a foreign language (EFL) and CLIL lessons, and a non-CLIL group (n = 169), which received only EFL lessons. Results showed that the CLIL learners had a more positive attitude towards English and a slightly lower motivation towards Basque. This suggests that increasing the amount of exposure to the foreign language (FL) via CLIL lessons improves the motivation towards English but could decrease the instrumental motivation towards the regional language.
Open Access
Collaborative writing among young EFL learners in a school context: product and process
(Taylor and Francis, 2022) Lázaro Ibarrola, Amparo; Hidalgo Gordo, María Ángeles; Institute for Advanced Social Research - ICOMMUNITAS
The recent surge in studies on collaborative writing (CW) has providedvaluable insights into the product and process of writing. When writingtogether, adults tend to produce better texts and generate and resolvea large number of language-related episodes (LREs). Also, analyses ofthe dialogues of collaborative writers show that learners are able toco-construct knowledge and mainly focus their attention on thegeneration of ideas. As for young learners (YLs), the very few studiescomparing jointly and individually written texts have not identified anyadvantages in the use of collaboratively written drafts.Furthermore,while YLs also produce and resolve LREs in CW tasks, no study to datehas provided a thorough analysis of their dialogues. To address thesegaps, this study compares the products of primary school learners ofEnglish as a foreign language (EFL) aged 11–12 writing in pairs (n= 20)and individually (n= 19) and provides a thorough analysis of pair talk(process). Results suggest that collaborative writers produced moreaccurate texts and focused most of their efforts on the generation ofideas and on the discussion and successful resolution of LREs. In light ofthese results the implementation of CW with YLs is encouraged.