Learning Icelandic as a second language: Vocabulary instruction in outdoor teaching

Abstract

The number of immigrants in Iceland has increased significantly in recent years. A few years ago, almost all children in Icelandic preschools were monolingual Icelandic children, while now in 2021 about 15% of preschool children are immigrant children learning Icelandic as a second language. Studies on Icelandic vocabulary knowledge of immigrant children in Iceland have shown that their vocabulary is considerably smaller than that of their monolingual Icelandic peers. Studies also indicate that Icelandic preschool teachers need more support and teaching materials to teach Icelandic as a second language. Specialists at Centre of School Development at the University of Akureyri have, in the past three years, developed dedicated teaching material called Orðaleikur which is intended to support the teaching of Icelandic as a second language in preschool. Orðaleikurconsists of a gallery of pictures showing things relating to preschool and the daily life of young children, and a collection of assignments and ideas that can be used with children to work with the words in the gallery.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of vocabulary teaching with the teaching material Orðaleikur in outdoor teaching. The research questions were: 1) Is the teaching material Orðaleikur suitable for strengthening children’s vocabulary? And 2) What effect does the teaching have on the children’s vocabulary?

Five 4–5 year old children who were learning Icelandic as their second language, received targeted vocabulary teaching for seven weeks. In each week the children had two or three 45–60 min long lessons with their teacher, focusing on teaching a special vocabulary. Three word-groups from Orðaleikur were chosen to work with, words about weather, outdoor environment, and outdoor play areas. The teaching took place outdoor as the words taught related to things and phenomena in the outdoor environment. Conversations and games were then used to help the children to learn and remember the new words.

  The children’s progress was assessed by measuring receptive and productive vocabulary, before intervention, at the end of the intervention period and two months after the intervention ended. Their teacher also kept a research journal to record their participation and progress. Results showed progress in both receptive and productive vocabulary during the intervention period and the children maintained that vocabulary two months later. Some words were learned more easily than others. Not surprisingly the children learned words standing for things and ideas in their daily environment (e.g., jungle gym, playground) more easily than words indicating things or ideas less closely related to their daily life (e.g., pier, fjord). Although all the children showed progress in vocabulary knowledge, significant individual differences were found in vocabulary knowledge and progress over the intervention period. From data in the research journal, it can be concluded that the children’s level of activity in lessons affects their vocabulary progress. The children who were enthusiastic and active in conversations with other children and adults in the vocabulary lessons showed better progress than those who took less interest in the project or were too shy to take part in conversations.

The results confirm that using the teaching material in Orðaleikur to work with a specially selected vocabulary in context in the preschool is an effective way to strengthen young children’s vocabulary. However, teachers should bear in mind that the participation of the whole class is important for their learning and ensure that all children are active in lessons. Special attention should be paid to those children who show little interest or are shy, encouraging them to take part in conversations with adults and other children in the preschool.