Acquiring English L2 in Irish primary schools : an investigation of the relation between pupils' achievement and the learning outcomes specified in the English language proficiency benchmarks

Abstract

This thesis compares empirical evidence of English L2 acquisition by primary school pupils acquiring English as a second language in Ireland (ESL pupils) with the learning outcomes described in the guidelines provided for English language support in Irish primary schools; the English Language Proficiency Benchmarks for non-native-speaking pupils at primary level (IILT 2003). It investigates whether and, if so, how well these ‘Benchmarks’ reflect the English L2 acquisition of 18 ESL pupils participating in a longitudinal study conducted over the school year 2007-2008.