Research methods and early additional language learning: ethics, agency and study design

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions, attitudes and experiences of early additional language learning researchers, in order to uncover whether research about children or research with children is the kind of research which is currently prevalent in the international academic community and the reasons for such state of affairs. More specifically, we explored the data collection methods and instruments used by researchers worldwide and the rationale behind their decisions, the most frequent levels of child involvement in research, and research methods which promote the highest level of active participation. Finally, we recorded ethical issues the participants deemed important when studying children’s beliefs and reflections on their language learning processes and their language proficiency. This was not done, as it is common, by analysing the published papers in the field, but rather by reaching out to the researchers themselves. An online questionnaire was used, and the responses were collected from 61 eminent researchers in the field, from 27 countries worldwide. The main results showed that research about children is still prevalent in the early additional language learning academic community but that the attitude towards research with children is largely positive, with many leaning in that direction.