Aims:

The current study seeks to better understand the effects of input quantity, input quality, and output on the French vocabulary development of early-elementary school students attending a French–English dual language immersion (DLI) program in the United States.

Design:

The participants were 42 early-elementary students attending a French–English DLI program, who participated in a longitudinal study. At the beginning of the study, they experienced variability in out-of-school French input and output.

Data and analysis:

Data on out-of-school French input and output came from parents’ responses on a survey. Children’s French receptive vocabulary was measured using their scores on the Échelle de Vocabulaire en Images Peabody, while their French expressive vocabulary was measured using the number of different words employed on a picture description task. Their vocabulary skills were assessed over one year, and data from the five time points were used to fit a longitudinal growth model.

Findings:

Students who were exposed to more French input had higher scores on the French receptive vocabulary measure at baseline, whereas those who produced more French output had higher scores on the French expressive vocabulary measure at baseline. Maternal French proficiency had no significant effect on French receptive and expressive vocabulary scores at baseline.

Originality:

Few previous studies, if any, have analyzed the associations between input, output, and vocabulary development in the DLI context; that is, the extent to which children’s vocabulary trajectories in the partner language are affected by their out-of-school input and output experiences.

Implications:

Bilingual programs ought to emphasize both input and output in the target language given their unique contribution to children’s receptive and expressive language skills. Also, future research on bilingual vocabulary development should examine input and output in both languages.

中文翻译：

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双重语言沉浸式计划中的早期英语学生的法语词汇发展：校外输入和输出的作用

目的：

当前的研究旨在更好地了解输入量，输入质量和输出对在美国参加法语-英语双重语言沉浸式（DLI）计划的初中学生法语词汇发展的影响。

设计：

参与者是参加法语-英语DLI计划的42名早期学生，他们参加了纵向研究。在研究开始时，他们在校外法语输入和输出中经历了变化。

数据与分析：

校外法语输入和输出的数据来自父母在一项调查中的回答。儿童的法语接受词汇是通过在Échellede Vocabulaire en Images Peabody上的分数来衡量的，而他们的法语表达词汇是通过在图片描述任务中使用的不同单词的数量来度量的。他们的词汇技能经过了一年的评估，并使用了五个时间点的数据来拟合纵向增长模型。

发现：

暴露于更多法语输入的学生在基线时的法语接受词汇量度得分较高，而产出更多法语的学生在基线上的法语表现性词汇量度得分较高。法语水平对母体的法语接受和表达词汇得分没有显着影响。

独创性：

很少有先前的研究（如果有的话）在DLI上下文中分析了输入，输出和词汇发展之间的关联；也就是说，伙伴语言中儿童的词汇轨迹在多大程度上受到其校外输入和输出体验的影响。

含义：

双语计划应强调目标语言的输入和输出，因为它们对儿童的接受和表达语言技能有独特的贡献。而且，将来有关双语词汇发展的研究应检查两种语言的输入和输出。