Second Language Learners: The Influence of Secondary L2A Sources on Peer Teaching

Abstract

This paper will report on the findings of an experiment conducted at a Dutch secondary school in 2011. In this experiment, two first-year HAVO/VWO classes were taught the use of the English indefinite articles, specifically the proper use of a and an, using peer teaching as a means of conveying this information. The students were also asked beforehand how much time they spend per week, on average, on Secondary L2A Sources (SLAS), more informally known as sources of L2A that are not part of the established curriculum (for example, subtitled television). The aim of the experiment was to determine if there is a significant correlation between the amount of time these students spent on SLAS and the results of a test on the English indefinite articles, which was given after the peer teaching session.