36.1924, Reviews: Early Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Martinez-Leon (2025)

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LINGUIST List: Vol-36-1924. Sat Jun 21 2025. ISSN: 1069 - 4875.

Subject: 36.1924, Reviews: Early Foreign Language Learning and Teaching: Martinez-Leon (2025)

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Date: 20-Jun-2025
From: Natalia Martinez-Leon [nataliaml at ugr.es]
Subject: Applied Linguistics: Martinez-Leon (2025)


Book announced at https://linguistlist.org/issues/35-2863

Title: Early Foreign Language Learning and Teaching
Subtitle: Evidence Versus Wishful Thinking
Series Title: Second Language Acquisition
Publication Year: 2024

Publisher: Multilingual Matters
           http://www.multilingual-matters.com/
Book URL:
https://www.multilingual-matters.com/page/detail/?K=9781800418691

Editor(s): Marianne Nikolov, Stela Letica Krevelj

Reviewer: Natalia Martinez-Leon

SUMMARY
Subjects
Language & Literature, Library Science, Education
Editorial and Thematic Cohesion
The book is praised for its well-organized structure and thematic
cohesion. The editors maintain continuity across chapters by linking
research findings to broader pedagogical and policy themes. Each
chapter is grounded in practical teaching implications and concludes
with suggestions for future research.
Target Audience and Contributions
Researchers: Offers inspiration and practical frameworks for new
research.
Policy Makers and Educators: Provides critical insights into
curriculum development, assessment practices, and language education
policies.
This volume is dedicated to Prof. Jelena Mihaljević Djigunović, whose
substantial contribution to the fields of teaching modern languages to
young learners and the role of affective factors in language learning
are recognized.
Comprising 19 chapters and two interviews, the book presents a rich
array of ethical, methodological, instructional, and policy
perspectives. The chapters are thematically organized, progressing
from research methodologies to instructional strategies, learner
perspectives, assessment practices, cognitive factors, and policy
implications
Interviews
Chapter 1: Transcript of the conversation held with Prof. Richard
Johnstone titled “Learners can be applied to children, teachers and
all stakeholders” done not live and online, but due to circumstances,
an interview in written form. Prof. Johnstone provides a broad
perspective on the evolution of early language education, setting the
basis for the remaining chapters. Mention is made of the annual
reviews of research on language learning and teaching, highlighting
new “themes” that have become prominent the year; these annual reviews
showed the evolution of the field, discussing “two worlds, the world
of policy into practice and the world of big picture research.” He
discusses the "two worlds" of language education—policy-to-practice
and macro-level research—alongside emerging themes such as
translanguaging, parental roles, motivation, and contextual factors.
Chapter 2: Interview with Prof. Mihaljević Djigunović exploring her
interest in early foreign language learning: how in her initial
teaching practice she realized that L1 interferences, language
transfer and a teacher´s disregard for difficulties of young learners
may affect learner behaviour, and the phenomenon of demotivation. She
also talks about the local context and pioneering research in the
field of early language learning in Croatia. She encourages new
scholars to adopt mixed-methods approaches, consider
learner-teacher-context interactions, and collaborate across
disciplines.
Part I: Research Methods and Ethics (Chapters 3–5)
The following three chapters explore issues connected with research
methods and ethical considerations:
Chapter 3 (Pinter): Emphasizes ethical research with young learners,
advocating for participatory approaches and informed consent. The
chapter focuses on changes and development in research methods and
approaches to child L2 and FL education over the years. It also
highlights the importance of seeing children as active agents in
research.
Chapter 4 (Cohen): The use of verbal report to describe strategies
used by YLL. The chapter  explores verbal reports (evaluation and
assessment) as a research tool, offering a classification system and
analysis strategies for understanding young learners' language
strategies.
Chapter 5 (Goto Butler): Expands on verbal reports but as an
instructional tool for young SL learners. She conducts an intervention
study with Japanese English learners (32, 6th graders) using paired
retrospection in Japan. Findings suggest this method boosts
communication and collaboration but is less effective for linguistic
objectives.
Part II: Input, Interaction, and Learning (Chapters 6–9)
This section revolves around quality of input and output and
interaction in learning and its influence in YLL education.
Chapter 6 (Vallbona & Tragant): Set in technology-mediated learning
environments, the chapter compares face-to-face vs. instant messaging
among Spanish learners, discussing peer interaction and L1 use as an
important tool for language learning and L2 practice that provides
cognitive support and fulfils social and linguistic functions in peer
interaction. Their chapter sheds light on the use of metatasks and
metalanguage episodes among young EFL learners when performing
collaborative creative tasks in two modalities: FTF and IM.
Face-to-face yields richer linguistic and metalinguistic output.
Chapter 7 (Carmel & Nikolov): Examines translanguaging in Israeli EFL
multilingual and multicultural classrooms. Teachers primarily use
their repertoire (L1) for classroom management, to establish rapport,
to scaffold learning, and to maintain motivated behaviour and ensure
understanding but struggle with creating multilingual learning
environments. The research participants were 8 in-service female
certified English teachers with varied teaching experience and were
observed in 10 EFL lessons with a total of 238 young EFL learners.
Chapter 8 (Muñoz, Avello & Pujadas): Investigates vocabulary
acquisition of vocabulary in L2 by YL through audiovisual input in
Chile and Spain. The study was carried out with primary school
learners (120 participants being 4th and 5th graders) and secondary
school learners (106 EFL  8th graders). Greater vocabulary gains are
linked to pre/post-viewing activities and existing vocabulary
knowledge. The outcomes confirmed the benefits from frequent viewing
of L2 videos, playing an important role in `learners’ proficiency.
Chapter 9 (Vickov & Jakupčević): Analyzes cultural content in Croatian
EFL textbooks (years 1-4 in primary schools). The chapter surveys 24
textbooks in six series, all officially approved by the Ministry of
Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia to be used in
2022/23. The authors highlight inconsistencies concerning the range of
culture-related vocabulary in textbooks, especially in early grades,
and underrepresentation of learners' L1 cultures.
Part III: Multilingualism and Oracy (Chapters 10–11)
Chapter 10 (Fenyvesi & Jensen): Introduces Natural Semantic
Metalanguage (NSM) in Danish multilingual classrooms to enhance
students’ metalinguistic awareness and promote use of minority
languages in classrooms. NSM supports metalinguistic awareness and
minority language use addressing teachers’ and students’ needs for
learning an additional language maintaining their heritage languages.
They worked with 31 fourth graders in Denmark.
Chapter 11 (Lopriore): Titled Early Language Oracy Development:
Challenges from Research in Multilingual Contexts, this chapter
emphasizes the importance of translanguaging and plurilingual
practices in developing oracy in multilingual contexts. It mentions
classroom practices that draw on learners' full language repertoires
to develop oracy.
Part IV: Learner Perspectives (Chapters 12–14)
Chapter 12 (Erk): Surveys Croatian learners’ beliefs about early EFL
instruction, discussing English at the primary vs. pre-primary level.
While early start is generally assumed beneficial, students’ attitudes
are mixed and context dependent. The sample involved two nearby
schools, with 70 learners who had already had at least 490 English
lessons in their primary school. Parents also contributed information
about the type of EFL learning on the consent form. The study involved
134 learners (aged 9-15) of Spanish as a FL at three primary schools
in three large urban areas. The research shows that an optimal
starting age for FL learning should consider individual and contextual
factors.
Chapter 13 (Jelić): Explores Croatian learners’ motivation to study
Spanish. Early learning of Spanish in the Croatian context has
recently been introduced as an elective subject and a second FL in
some larger urban areas across the country, with Spanish being the 5th
most often learned FL in the education system of the country. Teacher
influence and informal exposure (e.g., soccer culture) are strong
motivators.
Chapter 14 (Lugossy): Longitudinal case study of early exposure to
English literature shows long-term benefits in cognitive, emotional,
and multilingual development. The chapter shares children’s literature
(narratives) written in English, mostly picture books, by two
Hungarian adults with extensive experience with books during their
childhood. The author shares her personal experience with her two
children when they were very young and read picture books, fairy tales
and novels, for the pleasure of reading, discussing them later. Over
the years, she interviewed them and kept diary entries on their
reading experiences.
Part V: Assessment and Teacher Perspectives (Chapters 15–16)
Chapter 15 (Bagarić Medve & Pavičić Takač): Looking back to look
forward compares Croatian assessment practices over 15 years. The
chapter reviews Croatian teachers’ evolving assessment practices over
15 years, noting improved assessment literacy. 46 questionnaires by
English and/or German teachers in Croatia are studied.  Positive
changes in assessment literacy are noted, with increased use of varied
and appropriate techniques for the benefit of learners.
Chapter 16 (Savić & Prošić-Santovac): Reports that Serbian teachers
still rely on summative assessments for older learners but are
increasingly using creative approaches with younger students. The
mixed-method approach study calls for better training and professional
development. The questionnaire was distributed online and completed by
40 primary EFL teachers in Spring 2022. The chapter also calls for
enhanced professional development.
Part VI: Cognitive and Policy Dimensions (Chapters 17–19)
Chapter 17 (Čengić): Investigates cognitive factors in young learners’
language aptitude in Croatia, emphasizing the predictive value of
general analytic abilities. It researches YLs’ language aptitude in
Croatian young learners and their language analytic ability. This
study is part of a larger project testing a model of YLs’ FL aptitude
during early stages of literacy development. They conclude
domain-general analytic abilities play a significant role in
predicting language learning success.
Chapter 18 (Flynn & Singleton): Discusses specific language policy
issues in Ireland, in particular the “Say Yes to Languages” initiative
(2021). They describe the SL teaching and learning in Ireland, the
(re)introduction of additional languages into the primary-school
curriculum (called modern foreign languages) such as French, Spanish,
German and Italian (2023). They emphasize teacher support and
plurilingual awareness.
Chapter 19 (Peng & Huang): Explores family language policies in
China’s Three Gorges Region. They conducted a comprehensive
three-month investigation combining online and offline methodologies.
They targeted 1st and 2nd secondary school students and parents in the
Wanzhou District. Three hundred twenty-three completed parental
questionnaires  offered insight into the views of a large sample of
the student population (401). The research reveals shifting language
ideologies influenced by socio-economic change. Putonghua is
considered crucial for daily life; English is seen as key for
academics and global engagement, while local dialects maintain
cultural identity.
Conclusion
This volume is a comprehensive and multidimensional contribution to
the field of early foreign language education. Through empirical
research, theoretical insights, and real-world classroom practices, it
deepens our understanding of young language learners. The diversity of
cultural contexts, learner voices, and methodological approaches makes
it a valuable resource for scholars, educators, and policy makers
alike.
ABOUT THE REVIEWER
Natalia Martínez-León. PhD professor and researcher at the University
of Granada. Belonging to the research project research "Design of a
teacher profile for pre-primary Education from a plurilingual
approach: learning foreign and additional languages in early childhood
(LEyLA)". Areas of specialization: early- age multilingualism,
multilingual education, CLIL, pre-K education, ICLHE, educational
technology and transnational literacies, linguistic landscape and its
educational use.



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