Are certain types of instruction better for certain learners?

The goal of this study was to investigate a possible link between second language (L2) learners' background variables and the type of instruction learners receive in L2 classrooms. We specifically focused on the relationship between several learner background factors (e.g., L2 contact, native language literacy skills, general academic ability) and measures of L2 speaking by analyzing the data from a large-scale longitudinal project investigating two different methods of teaching English as an L2 (comprehension-based vs. “traditional” L2 program). We found that the learners who had greater contact with English, who showed more interest in reading, whose parents spoke more English, and who attained higher scores in French reading, English vocabulary recognition and general school ability tended to produce more accurate and comprehensible English sentences in an elicited imitation task. However, this relationship was stronger in the comprehension-based than in the traditional program, revealing a possible interaction between type of instruction and learner background variables. Taken together, these findings suggest that certain types of instruction could be more beneficial for learners with certain learning profiles and highlight the importance of investigating interactions between learner background variables and type of instruction in authentic learning contexts.