Effects Of COVID-19 Pandemic on Bilingual Students' L2 Basic Language Skills

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of adverse learning conditions (the COVID-19 pandemic and multi-grade classrooms) on bilingual students' L2 (Turkish) speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. The study looked into the basic language skills of bilingual children who have been receiving education in multi-grade classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: The sample consisted of 69 third- and fourth-grade students from four primary schools. The study sought answers to three questions: (1) What level of speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills do students have (2) How do independent variables (gender, the age of Turkish acquisition, grade level, parents’ education, and school) affect students’ language skills (3) What kind of relationship is there between students’ speaking, writing, reading, and listening skills. The study adopted a multiple case study design. Data were analyzed using nonparametric tests, correlation, and multiple group comparisons. Findings The results revealed findings regarding participants’ speaking, reading, and listening skills. The independent variables did not affect participants’ language skills. The results showed that participants had below-average L2 speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. The results indicate that bilingual students in multi-grade classrooms have low L2 language skills during the COVID-19 pandemic. And The results indicate that bilingual students in multi-grade classrooms in the schools in the rural areas of Turkey have significant gaps in their L2 language skills.