L2 Vocabulary Acquisition of Dutch Pupils in Group 8 (Grade 6): Differences Between Late and Early Starters

Abstract

The study at hand presents the outcomes, as examined, of the L2 vocabulary knowledge of Dutch pupils in their last year of primary school. Special focus was granted to the difference in level between pupils attending an Eibo school (English in the last two years of primary school) and pupils attending an EarlyBird school (Early English language programme starting in the first year). This study also examines whether the vocabulary knowledge of future pupils at vmbo-level differs from that of pupils at havo-level and vwo-level. On average, pupils attending an EarlyBird school attained higher results for the vocabulary-related parts of the testing than did those attending Eibo schools. In addition, the results showed that future havo/vwo pupils had a higher score than future vmbo pupils. Future havo/vwo pupils possess a broader knowledge of vocabulary than future vmbo basis, vmbo kader and vmbo tl pupils.