BE023768: Vocabulary Improvement and Reading in English Language Learners: An Intervention Study.

Notes:

15 p. In: "A Research Symposium on High Standards in Reading for Students from Diverse Language Groups. Proceedings." pp129 43. (Washington, DC. April 19 20, 2000). For other papers from the symposium, see BE023752, BE023769-772, and BE023774.

Abstract:

To understand the manner in which enabling skills for reading are transferable across languages, this study investigated how performance on indicators of Spanish reading at the end of second grade (April 1999) predicted English performance at the beginning (October 1999) and end (April 2000) of the third grade. The specific focus was on gains made over the course of a year of English reading instruction and the relationship of these gains to children’s levels of proficiency on enabling skills in reading in Spanish in grade 2. Differences in transfer were examined across phonological, orthographic, and comprehension processes in Spanish and English. Also compared was the developmental progression in English reading of Spanish speaking children instructed in English to the progression of children instructed in Spanish. Researchers collaborated with 24 teachers, and cross sectional and longitudinal data were collected for English language learners and their English only peers. Approximately 150 students in the fourth year, and 150 students in fifth grade were involved in the study. Findings show a large gap between English language learners and English only students in all aspects of vocabulary knowledge, favoring the English only students. Findings from the longitudinal analyses indicated that students in the program outperformed comparable students on breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge and on measures of reading comprehension. In addition, English language learners in the program closed the gap between themselves and English only students by 50% on measures of vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. Researchers concluded that an enriched vocabulary development program can substantially close the gap between native and nonnative speakers in vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. (Contains 17 references.) (Author/SLD)