TY - JOUR
T1 - Early oral language and later reading development in Spanish-speaking English language learners
T2 - Evidence from a nine-year longitudinal study
AU - Kieffer, Michael J.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported, in part, by a grant awarded to the author from the American Education Research Association, which receives funds for its AERA Grants Program from the National Science Foundation under NSF Grant No. DRL-0941014 . The opinions expressed here and the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of the granting agencies.
PY - 2012/5
Y1 - 2012/5
N2 - Using nationally-representative, longitudinal data on a cohort of Spanish-speaking English language learners in the U.S., this study investigated the extent to which early oral language proficiency in Spanish and English predicts later levels and rates of growth in English reading. Latent growth models indicated that both Spanish and English proficiency in kindergarten predicted levels of English reading in third through eighth grade, but that only English proficiency was uniquely predictive. English productive vocabulary was found to be a better predictor of later English reading than more complex measures, i.e., listening comprehension and story retell, contrary to findings for native English speakers. Oral language did not predict later growth rates. Findings suggest the need for educational efforts to develop oral language during early childhood for this underserved population. Findings further suggest that such early efforts may be necessary, but insufficient to accelerate ELLs' reading trajectories as they move into adolescence.
AB - Using nationally-representative, longitudinal data on a cohort of Spanish-speaking English language learners in the U.S., this study investigated the extent to which early oral language proficiency in Spanish and English predicts later levels and rates of growth in English reading. Latent growth models indicated that both Spanish and English proficiency in kindergarten predicted levels of English reading in third through eighth grade, but that only English proficiency was uniquely predictive. English productive vocabulary was found to be a better predictor of later English reading than more complex measures, i.e., listening comprehension and story retell, contrary to findings for native English speakers. Oral language did not predict later growth rates. Findings suggest the need for educational efforts to develop oral language during early childhood for this underserved population. Findings further suggest that such early efforts may be necessary, but insufficient to accelerate ELLs' reading trajectories as they move into adolescence.
KW - At-risk learners
KW - Longitudinal studies
KW - Oral language
KW - Reading development
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U2 - 10.1016/j.appdev.2012.02.003
DO - 10.1016/j.appdev.2012.02.003
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84863212733
SN - 0193-3973
VL - 33
SP - 146
EP - 157
JO - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
JF - Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology
IS - 3
ER -