Individual variations in the English vocabulary status among Hong Kong learners of English with varying socio-economic status (SES)

Kwok Shing Richard WONG

Research output: Contribution to conferencePapers

Abstract

Accumulated research has shown that children’s oral vocabulary status is closely linked with their grammar development in the early years and their future reading success in English. Alarmingly, a large vocabulary gap was noted in learners across socio-economic groups in the US prior to their entry to kindergarten, giving rise to the possibility of the Matthew Effects on learners from disadvantaged backgrounds. In Hong Kong, importance is attached to early English exposure, but the quantity and quality of English language input varies widely across kindergartens in the territory. Children from low-income families may be disadvantaged twice because of their restricted access to high quality English language input both at home and at school. This study sought to examine the English vocabulary status of two groups of 4-year-old kindergarteners: those attending kindergartens serving low-income families and those attending schools serving high income groups. The children were administered the following tests twice over a six-month period: Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Reynell Developmental Language Scale-Cantonese, and a non-verbal IQ test. The purpose was to examine 1) the initial differences in English vocabulary status across learners of varying SES; 2) the changes in their vocabulary status overtime; and 3) the relationship between first language (L1) proficiency and second language (L2) vocabulary. Results showed that the average vocabulary status of this small sample of low SES children was three S.D. below that of high SES children. Second, no relationship was found between L1 proficiency and L2 vocabulary status perhaps due to the typological differences between the two studied languages.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 2011
Event12th International Congress for the Study of Child Language 2011 (IASCL 2011): Social, genetic and cognitive determinants in the acquisition and development of language - University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada
Duration: 19 Jul 201123 Jul 2011

Conference

Conference12th International Congress for the Study of Child Language 2011 (IASCL 2011): Social, genetic and cognitive determinants in the acquisition and development of language
Country/TerritoryCanada
Period19/07/1123/07/11

Citation

Wong, K. S. (2011, July). Individual variations in the English vocabulary status among Hong Kong learners of English with varying socio-economic status (SES). Paper presented at the International Association for the Study of Child Language 2011 (IASCL 2011): Social, genetic and cognitive determinants in the acquisition and development of language, University of Quebec in Montreal, Canada.

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Individual variations in the English vocabulary status among Hong Kong learners of English with varying socio-economic status (SES)'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.