Fostering phonetic input in the classroom.

The case of very young learners acquiring English in a Brazilian bilingual school

Abstract

The quality and quantity of phonetic input are considered the main factors in L2 sound acquisition (cf. Flege 1995; Flege/Bohn 2021; Kuhl 2011). Over the years, many empirical studies have supported the statement that for accurate perception and intelligible pronunciation, learners need to receive robust phonetic input to guide their attention to the acoustic cues used to distinguish L1 sounds from L2 sounds (cf. Flege 1995; Flege/Bohn 2021; Moyer 2009). These works have bolstered the widespread idea that when it comes to L2 acquisition, the more input and the earlier the exposure, the better. However, despite the growing interest in the area, research in classroom settings still needs to be conducted, particularly with very young learners (cf. Munro/Derwing 2015; Levis 2016; Levis 2017; O’Brien et al. 2018). This paper focuses on the work with L2 sounds in classroom settings with very young learners and integrates contributions from sound acquisition theory and pedagogical practice. It also discusses the role of the teacher in fostering phonetic input in bilingual education with very young Brazilian Portuguese L1 speakers acquiring English as an L2. To support this discussion, it presents the results of perceptual tests in a Brazilian bilingual school developed to investigate children's L2 sound perception. A pre-test was applied at the beginning of the school year, and a post-test by the end of the year. In between, playful mediation with L2 sounds took place (cf. Barros 2022). The comparison between the pre-test and the post-test suggests that teachers play a pivotal role in fostering phonetic input to enhance very young learners’ perception of L2 sounds, thus leading to a more successful L2 acquisition. This paper also underscores the importance of linking theory to pedagogical practice so teachers can better scaffold learning.