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The Acquisition of Turkish in Childhood
Edited by Belma Haznedar and F. Nihan Ketrez
[Trends in Language Acquisition Research 20] 2016
► pp. 389–412

Second language exposure in the preschool

Relation to first language skills and executive functions

| Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
| Boğaziçi University, Istanbul, Turkey
An emerging situation in Turkey involves the acquisition of a second language (L2; English) in a context where the first language (L1; Turkish) is the majority language by children from advantaged social backgrounds. The present study explores the consequences of exposure to L2 in preschool on L1 and on executive functioning. One-hundred-four preschool children, attending Turkish-instruction preschools with one hour of English per day and English-instruction preschools with full-time English were assessed for their L1 and L2 competence and for executive functioning. An SEM model showed no difference in L1 competence between the two groups. Contrary to expectations, L2 competence did not have an effect on executive functioning in L2 preschools whereas an effect was observed in L1 preschools with fewer hours of exposure.
Keywords: Turkish L1 – English L2 learners, effects of L2 on L1, early second language acquisition, bilingualism, L1 dominant context, L2 learning in preschool, additive bilingualism, executive functions, mother education
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
    • 1.1Effects of L2 on L1
    • 1.2Effects of second language learning on executive functions
    • 1.3Motivation for and aims of the current study
  • 2.Method
    • 2.1Participants
    • 2.2Instruments of assessment
      • 2.2.1Language competence tasks
      • 2.2.2Executive function tasks
      • 2.2.3Demographic form
    • 2.3Procedure
  • 3.Results
  • 4.Discussion
  • 5.Conclusion
  • References
Published online: 18 November 2016
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/tilar.20.17akt
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