ERIC Number: EJ969183
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012-Apr
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0142-7164
EISSN: N/A
English as a Foreign Language Spelling Development: A Longitudinal Study
Kahn-Horwitz, Janina; Sparks, Richard L.; Goldstein, Zahava
Applied Psycholinguistics, v33 n2 p343-363 Apr 2012
English as a foreign language (EFL) spelling was examined longitudinally three times (4th, 9th, 12th grades) during 9 years of EFL study among Hebrew first language (L1) students. The study examined the impact of L1 literacy variables including phonemic awareness, word attack, and spelling on EFL spelling and the relationship between EFL literacy variables and EFL spelling. Results showed that English spelling measured at earlier points strongly predicted later English spelling. L1 literacy skills measured in fourth grade were more significant than English word recognition in explaining end of ninth grade EFL spelling. Beginning of first year EFL letter knowledge in fourth grade predicted end of first-year EFL spelling. These results show qualitatively different L1 and EFL literacy abilities impacting EFL spelling at 4th, 9th, and 12th grades.
Descriptors: Spelling, Phonemic Awareness, Word Recognition, Grade 12, Grade 9, Grade 4, Literacy, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Longitudinal Studies, Semitic Languages, Native Language, Correlation, Alphabets, Prediction, Transfer of Training
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 12; Grade 4; Grade 9
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A