Development of productive language skills through language exchange in primary schools in Switzerland – An exploratory intervention study

Abstract The present study examined the effect of language exchange activities on the development of productive foreign language skills of primary school pupils. The sample comprised a total of 392 pupils from German- and French-speaking Switzerland, attending 5th and 6th grade. The pupils’ speaking and writing skills were examined longitudinally using a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test design with an intervention and control group. The intervention lasted one school year and included two physical reunions with the partner class, as well as preparatory and follow-up activities. The German-speaking pupils’ productive skills were assessed at the beginning and end of the school year using communicative tasks. The data was analysed by means of multiple regression analysis. Results show that the intervention had a positive impact on the pupils’ speaking skills and their general language competence, as measured by a C-test. However, the intervention had no significant impact on their writing skills. The findings suggest that even short encounters at primary school level with beginners have the potential to spur language development if they are didactically well embedded.