Exploring the Cross-Linguistic Contribution of Spanish and English Academic Language Skills to English Text Comprehension for Middle-Grade Dual Language Learners

Abstract

In this study, we examine the unique and shared contributions of Spanish and English core academic language skills (CALS) to English reading comprehension in a population of Spanish-English dual language learners in Grades 4 and 5 (n = 165). We focus on cross-disciplinary CALS, operationalized as sets of high-utility lexical, syntactic and discourse resources prevalent in school texts. This study finds that Spanish and English CALS are positively and significantly related, and, further, that both sets of skills exert a unique positive influence on English reading comprehension. Aligned with an interpretation of linguistic interdependence between Spanish and English academic language skills, results document their cross-linguistic contribution to reading comprehension for students enrolled in educational programs that foster literacy and content learning regularly in two languages.

PDF PDF (English) HTML HTML (English) Vocabulario académico y habilidades de lenguaje académico: predictores de la comprensión lectora de estudiantes de primaria y secundaria en México

“…El constructo de Habilidades Clave del Lenguaje Académico (CALS) es un conjunto completo y claramente definido de habilidades de lenguaje que han demostrado ser útiles para predecir y apoyar la comprensión lectora de textos académicos en inglés por parte de estudiantes monolingües y bilingües inglés-español Phillips Galloway, Uccelli, Aguilar, & Barr, 2020;Uccelli & Meneses, 2015;Uccelli et al, 2015a). En 2015, Uccelli y sus colegas definieron los siguientes dominios dentro de CALS: 1) descomponer palabras complejas; 2) comprender oraciones complejas; 3) conectar ideas; 4) reconocer temas; 5) organizar textos argumentativos; 6) conciencia del registro académico.…”

Broadening the Lens on the Science of Reading: A Multifaceted Perspective on the Role of Academic Language in Text Understanding

“…Studies increasingly have revealed how teaching language to talk about language (e.g., metalanguage) supports students’ awareness of the functions of academic language to facilitate text comprehension (e.g., Schleppegrell, 2013). Other studies have investigated how learners’ own metalanguage and metalanguage drawn from systemic functional linguistics (e.g., genre, passive voice) and literary criticism (e.g., terms from feminist literary or cultural studies) can be used to problematize, resist, and transform ways of using academic language (Harman & Khote, 2018; Phillips Galloway et al, 2020). In the example above, students made use of taught metalanguage (e.g., the phrase “authoritative perspective”) and student‐generated metalanguage (e.g., “givin’ impressions that you’re knowing something”).…”

“…Studies of multilingual students educated in English‐only U.S. classrooms have revealed a similar pattern: CALS contribute significant variance to students’ text understanding (Phillips Galloway & Uccelli, 2019). Studies of learners educated in U.S. dual‐language Spanish–English school settings have further found that CALS measured in both Spanish and English contribute unique variance to students’ English text comprehension (Aguilar, Uccelli, & Phillips Galloway, 2020; Phillips Galloway, Uccelli, Aguilar, & Barr, 2020). Linked with the idea that stores of language knowledge are interdependent, these studies indicated that both Spanish and English CALS are positively related, yet each also contribute uniquely to explain the variability in dual‐language learners’ English reading comprehension.…”

Understanding and Supporting Literacy Development Among English Learners: A Deep Dive Into the Role of Language Comprehension

“…At the upper-elementary level, H. Hwang and Duke (2020) and Phillips Galloway et al (2020) offer insight into predictors of English reading comprehension, with a focus on the role of prior knowledge and academic language skills, respectively. H. Hwang and Duke’s secondary data analysis—utilizing the ECLS-K national data set—focused on ELs from various language backgrounds and monolingual English-speaking peers.…”