ABSTRACT
Conducting research with young multilingual participants is challenging, particularly for those who want to access learner perspectives. Questionnaires analysed quantitatively provide insights into learner experiences worded by researchers, as in the investigation of primary pupils’ perceptions towards the teaching of Science through English in Malaysia (Yassin et al., 2009). More qualitative data from interviews with pupils, classroom observation, and document collection provide a richer description of the learning experience, as in the seven country comparative and longitudinal European study of primary English Language Teaching (Szpotowicz, Mihaljevic Djigunovic and Enever, 2009) or the holistic Primary English Curriculum Innovation impact study in Beijing (Wang, Sun and Ma, 2008). These ‘grown up’ methods are adapted for young learners using non-verbal signs such as smiley faces or visual prompts. Written or spoken protocols are used to elicit a ective and evaluative responses to questions such as ‘Which activity do you like best? or ‘Why did you like it?’ (e.g. Shak and Gardner, 2008), but responses tend to be short, and so these techniques o er limited access to detailed or nuanced young learner perspectives on learning and teaching. One reason for this is that most learners, whether children or adults, do not have the vocabulary needed to discuss specifi c aspects of the lessons they experience in detail. A second reason is that learners may not be used to refl ecting on their experiences or may be uncertain of what exactly researchers are looking for. As Pinter (2011: 212) points out,
When a research project is conducted at school, children may think that the research task is a test, and as such it may count towards their formal assessment. This may make them reluctant to speak up or be critical in any way. Class routines, such as teachers nominating those who are allowed to speak, may also interfere with the researchers’ intentions when inviting children to contribute ideas freely to a discussion. Children know that most tasks and questions at school have a right or wrong answer and they have this same expectation when they participate in research.
