ERIC Number: EJ1221828
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019-Jul
Pages: 35
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1520-3247
EISSN: N/A
Moving Forward by Looking Back: Understanding Why Some Spanish-Speaking English Learners Fall Behind
Rojas, Raúl; Hiebert, Lindsey; Gusewski, Svenja; Francis, David J.
New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, n166 p43-77 Jul 2019
This study investigated early indicators of Spanish-speaking English learners (ELs) at risk for reading difficulties at the end of Grade 2 by examining their early bilingual oral language development, taking into account language of academic instruction. Standardized measures of reading and narrative samples were collected in English and Spanish from kindergarten to Grade 2 from 1,243 ELs primarily instructed in English or Spanish. Conditional growth curve models yielded four primary findings of reading and oral language development. First, ELs with low reading achievement at the end of Grade 2 demonstrated early reading difficulties during kindergarten. Second, although ELs demonstrated overall higher reading achievement in their instructed language, this difference decreased over time. Third, ELs with low reading achievement at the end of Grade 2 demonstrated lower oral language skills in each language over time. Fourth, ELs demonstrated overall higher oral language skills in their instructed language, yet these differences varied over time. The study provided a detailed description of the longitudinal relations among the bilingual reading and oral language skills of Spanish-speaking ELs during the early school years. These findings help to inform the processes of early identification and intervention for Spanish-speaking ELs who are likely to demonstrate reading achievement difficulties.
Descriptors: Spanish Speaking, Educational Indicators, Bilingualism, Oral Language, English Language Learners, Language of Instruction, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Elementary School Students, Reading Tests, Standardized Tests, Language Skills, Skill Development, Longitudinal Studies, Correlation, Identification, Reading Achievement, Reading Difficulties, Narration, Intervention
Wiley Periodicals, Inc. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Grade 1; Grade 2
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED); Department of Education (ED); Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
IES Funded: Yes
Grant or Contract Numbers: R324A160258; R305P030031; P50HD052117; P01HD39521