The effectiveness of L2 instruction for low-literate, low-educated adult learners

Adult second language (L2) learners who have had little or no schooling in their first language – commonly referred to as LESLLA learners – have been largely neglected in second language acquisition research. Yet, the proportion of LESLLA learners is not small: 40% of the immigrants in Belgium and other Western countries is low-literate and low-educated. This research project examines whether and how LESLLA learners benefit from L2 instruction by pursuing three goals: (1) determine to what extent LESLLA learners gain from L2 instruction; (2) identify what teacher practices work best in L2 instruction to adult learners, and LESLLA learners in particular; (3) explore how LESLLA learners process written input. By gathering longitudinal data, performing a teacher effectiveness study, and conducting an experimental study in a research population that has long been neglected in L2 research, this study will provide a rich picture on the effectiveness of current-day adult L2 instruction.