Title
The Effects of Developing English Language and Literacy on Spanish Reading Comprehension
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-19-2017
Publication Title
Journal of Educational Research
Volume
111
Issue
5
First page number:
517
Last page number:
529
Abstract
In this longitudinal study, the cross-language transfer from second language (L2) to first language (L1) was examined among Spanish-speaking English-language learners in an English intervention (Grades 1–3) in the southwest United States. Path analysis revealed statistically significant transfers (ps < .05) for the treatment group from English reading comprehension to Spanish reading comprehension. English vocabulary and English grammar also had an indirect influence on Spanish reading comprehension through English reading comprehension. For the comparison group, no English to Spanish paths were statistically significant. We concluded that intervention activities in L2 influenced L1 reading even when L1 instructional time was reduced.
Keywords
Bilingual education; Cross-linguistic transfer; English oral language; English literacy; Spanish reading comprehension
Disciplines
Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education | Education
Language
English
Repository Citation
Spies, T. G.,
Lara-Alecio, R.,
Tong, F.,
Irby, B. J.,
Garza, T.,
Huerta, M.
(2017).
The Effects of Developing English Language and Literacy on Spanish Reading Comprehension.
Journal of Educational Research, 111(5),
517-529.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2017.1306686