Exploring Young Children’s Use of Language Learning Strategies: A Case of Early Exposure to Four Languages in a Multilingual Classroom

This study aimed to identify young school students’ language learning strategies (LLSs) within their diverse socio-linguistic reality. The study was conducted in one elementary school in a peripheral city characterized by a heterogeneous population (Arabs and Jews) and immigrants from various countries who speak multiple languages. The principal of this school opted to introduce young children (Grades 1 and 2) to four languages: Hebrew, as a socially dominant language; Russian and Arabic, as the children’s home languages; and English, as a global language. We used photo elicitation and dialogical conversation to obtain reflections of 11 Arab and Jewish students (Grade 2). Each student was asked to describe the strategies they used to learn a novel language in the classroom and at home. Findings support the appropriateness of Oxford’s taxonomy to young language learners: all LLSs’ categories were reported. This study contributes to our understanding of children’s ability to use LLSs in early primary school. It highlights the leading role of language teachers who seem to mediate by modelling LLSs. Furthermore, it enriches the understanding of how 7–8-year-old learners can use diverse metacognitive LLSs and transfer them across languages. We also found one “child-specific” characteristics of the strategy related to parental involvement.