ERIC Number: EJ1287304
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2021-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0007-0998
EISSN: N/A
Second-Language Learning Difficulties in Italian Children with Reading Difficulties
Fazio, Denise; Ferrari, Livia; Testa, Silvia; Tamburrelli, Federica; Marra, Emma; Biancardi, Marta; Palladino, Paola; Marzocchi, Gian Marco
British Journal of Educational Psychology, v91 n1 p63-77 Mar 2021
Background: Children with dyslexia often show second-language reading and writing difficulties, but the cognitive mechanisms connected to this impairment need to be clarified. Aims: The present study examined the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying learning English as a foreign language in 4th- to the 8th-grade Italian students showing reading difficulties (RD) or typical development (TD). For this purpose, screening involving 901 students was carried out to select children with RD. Sample: Ninety students with RD were compared with 90 typically developing (TD) children matched for non-verbal IQ, grade, and gender. Methods: The two groups were compared on different measures to understand the relationships between reading skills in their mother tongue and in English as a second-language (L2). Subsequently, their phonological and memory skills were investigated to understand the potential role of these variables in learning L2 English. Results: Students with RD obtained worse results than TD students for phonological awareness and working memory, which are both crucial to L2 learning. Conclusions: The results suggest that memory mainly influences accuracy in English writing and, together with phonological skills, plays an important role in reading accuracy. Socio-economic status also plays an important role in L2 learning.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Dyslexia, Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6, Grade 7, Grade 8, Reading Difficulties, Reading Skills, Native Language, Phonological Awareness, Short Term Memory, Writing Skills, Socioeconomic Status
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 4; Intermediate Grades; Grade 5; Middle Schools; Grade 6; Grade 7; Junior High Schools; Secondary Education; Grade 8
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Italy
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A