Native Language Literacy
From LiteracyTentWiki
The discussion thread below, streamlined here, was taken from messages posted to the NIFL-ESL electronic discussion forum [ nifl-esl@nifl.gov ] in November, 2005.
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: PAUL ROGERS pwaynerogers at yahoo.com
Fri Nov 4 13:54:47 EST 2005
I know that the Mexican government provides materials and teachers for free for a Spanish literacy program. And more and more literacy courses are offered on the web.
I think the best ESL program would also have such classes as a component.
Paul Rogers
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Jill Kramer kramerjill at sbcglobal.net
Sat Nov 5 16:35:49 EST 2005
Offering literacy courses in the first language is ideal but impractical for programs such as the one I work in. Our students come from Africa, Asia, Central and South America and Europe. It would be impossible to offer literacy classes in many languages, not to mention finding instructors.
Jill Kramer
Columbus Literacy Council
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Deborah J.C. MS CCC/SLP deb_bil_slp at yahoo.com
Sat Nov 5 19:50:21 EST 2005
But it is important to remember that one who is aware of the linguistic features of a language can be of benefit as well...
DEBORAH JILL CHITESTER M.S.,CCC/SLP
Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist
Second Language, Literacy & Learning Connection, LLC
-Attaining Success for Second Language Learners-
Web Site: www.SLLLC.org
Listserve: Second_Language at yahoogroups.com
E-mail: djcslp at slllc.org
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: A Tom abtom at mindspring.com
Sun Nov 6 12:34:46 EST 2005
Our program has the same issue (advantage?) of having students who
speak many languages. An additional issue is time... for the students.
I 've asked my students if they would be interested in learning to
read in their L1, but most of them already have full schedules
including work, family time, etc and don't see it as a priority. I
would love to know, however, if students (those with the same writing
system) who learn to read in a second language use that knowledge to
learn to read their first language. Has anyone ever looked at that?
Abbie Tom
abtom at mindspring.com
Abbie Tom
Durham Technical Community College
Durham, NC US
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: David Brown dabro at csulb.edu
Sun Nov 6 12:55:36 EST 2005
Both cognitive development and academic development in the first language have been found to have positive effects on second-language learning (Bialystock, 1991; Collier, 1989, 1992; Garcia, [E.] 1994; Genessee, 1987, 1994; Thomas & Collier, 1997). Academic skills, literacy development, concept formation, subject knowledge, and strategy development learned in the first language transfer to the second language. However, because literacy is socially situated, it is equally critical to provide a supportive school envirornment that allows the academic and cognitive development in the first language to flourish.
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li7lk12.htm
The term common underlying proficiency (CUP) has also been used to refer to the cognitive/academic proficiency that underlies academic performance in both languages.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/cummins.htm
Peace,
David Brown
ESL/EFL Teacher
Long Beach, CA
USA
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: A Tom abtom at mindspring.com
Sun Nov 6 13:54:09 EST 2005
I know there has been a lot of work with kids on the topic of L2
development's influence on children's L1 development, but I wonder if
anyone has studied adults, who often have less exposure, and less
structured exposure, than children.
Abbie Tom
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Kevin Jepson kevin.jepson at sbcglobal.net
Sun Nov 6 13:54:21 EST 2005
Abbie Tom - were you asking about L2 influence on L1 literacy or vice versa? I've read a lot about L1 influence on L2, but haven't seen much on L2 influence on L1 literacy!
Kevin
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: David Brown dabro at csulb.edu
Sun Nov 6 14:12:00 EST 2005
The term common underlying proficiency (CUP) has been used to refer to the cognitive/academic proficiency that underlies academic performance in both languages.
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/JWCRAWFORD/cummins.htm
Peace,
David Brown
ESL/EFL Teacher
Long Beach, CA
USA
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Deborah J.C. MS CCC/SLP deb_bil_slp at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 7 16:02:20 EST 2005
I have heard that L2 positively impacts L1.
DEBORAH JILL CHITESTER M.S.,CCC/SLP
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: zazie zazee27 at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 7 16:02:58 EST 2005
But Mr. Brown's response is not to the question that was asked. The talk is always about L1 aiding L2, not the other way around. It would be an interesting thing to study. Previously somone mentioned that students with problems in ESL class tended to be those with less L1 education. STudents in Literacy-level classes often have had so little education that they have not had the training in academic (school/study) skills that others have, even those with only elementary-school education. No wonder they don't feel a great desire to learn to read in their L1; they have no intention of sitting home reading books in the evenings. (Not that many "educated" Americans do so, either!)
Zazie
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Deborah J.C. MS CCC/SLP deb_bil_slp at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 7 16:07:37 EST 2005
I hae read some studies which point to a positive impact of L2 upon L1 in
terms of metalinguistics.
DEBORAH JILL CHITESTER M.S.,CCC/SLP
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Nancy R Faux/AC/VCU nfaux at vcu.edu
Mon Nov 7 16:20:55 EST 2005
Deborah,
Can you cite those studies?
Nancy
Nancy R. Faux
ESOL Specialist
Virginia Adult Learning Resource Center
Virginia Commonwealth University
Richmond, VA
nfaux at vcu.edu
http://www.aelweb.vcu.edu/
1-800-237-0178
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: Deborah J.C. MS CCC/SLP deb_bil_slp at yahoo.com
Mon Nov 7 16:50:05 EST 2005
Not at this time--I am knee deep in deadlines.......perhaps in a few weeks--i ahve read it and witnessed it clinically.
DEBORAH JILL CHITESTER M.S.,CCC/SLP
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: robinschwarz1@aol.com robinschwarz1 at aol.com
Wed Nov 16 23:35:24 EST 2005
Elsa Cardenas-Hagan just reported on this at IDA in Denver. Her studies on Spanish speaking children learning English confirmed that phonological skills-particularly phonological awareness- are bi-directional-. That is, improvement in one influences the other-- which is why, of course, as Aydin Dorgonoglu of U of MN has shown, that literacy skills are highly transferable-- and that includes phonological skills needed for literacy. This bi-directionality of skills was also shown in studies done by Leonore Ganschow and Rick Sparks and Karen Miller on high school students with LD learning Spanish through a highly structured-- Ortong-Gillingham-type language program. This was around 1993. They showed that improved skills in Spanish ( the students' L2) improved skills in English ( L1). Those findings were replicated by other collaborating with Ganschow and Sparks on other language instruction (German, Latin).
Dr. Cardenas-Hagan noted that these studies show why it is important to build literacy in the learner's first or dominant language if at all possible. It should then be much easier for the learner to become literate in English. We know, however, that many learners do not have that possiblity because their education system will not support bilingual education or native language literacy, or because their language is not written, or because even if written, is not a prominent language in the setting where the learner studies and no one can do the native language instruction. Then for those who cannot become literate in their first or other language they already speak, it is essential to build the pre-literacy skills thoroughly before they are asked to start literacy studies per se. Literacy is WAY more than knowing how to acquire it by studying. We have to remember that most children in THIS culture (and all other highly literate cultures) are exposed to literacy almost from birth and are given great amounts of phonological preparation for reading. It is a disadvantaged child in this culture who does not already "know" a lot of stories in books he or she has been read.
In terms of learning difficulties, the failure to transfer literacy skills is one of the most diagnostic problems when a person literate in one language cannot become literate in another. This is another of Dorgonoglu's conclusions as well. She notes, as does Geva (Toronto) that it does not matter what the first language is, the literacy skills--including phonological awareness- will transfer quite solidly, although for those from languages that have a very different writing system and/or are quite different structurally and phonologically, the transfer may take a little longer. Geva notes a phenomenon called "negative transfer" where the normal language learner at first tries to apply the rules of the first language to the new language. Eventually --and in normal language learning this happens rather rapidly--the learner corrects him/herself and begins to learn and apply the new language rules. Sometimes the transfer can be improved by raising the learner's metacognitive skills --learning how to learn, but if there are core phonological difficulties it will still be a hard task to learn how to deal with the written code.
Richard Sparks has studied the problem in American College students having difficulty learning a foreign language-- he has not moved much off his and Ganschow's original conclusion that if there is a core weakness in phonological awareness, it will seriously impact learning to be literate in a new language.
Nonetheless, I think it is hard to pin the difficulties of adult language learners on one cause. There are MULTIPLE causes for their failure to learn. It often requires a lot of gentle digging to find out the probable cause.
Robin Schwarz
To: nifl-esl@nifl.gov
From: smilin7@direcway.com smilin7 at direcway.com
Thu Nov 17 13:54:44 EST 2005
<<he has not moved much off his and Ganschow's original conclusion that if there is a core
weakness in phonological awareness, it will seriously impact learning
to be literate in a new language.>>
Hello all,
the above quote from Robin Schwarz reminds me of the time (years ago) when I took an "Introduction to linguistics" course --- and throughout the semester (and many, many times since) -- wondered why linguistics was not a mandated curriculum pre-requisite for all second/other language learners!
As with the push for critical thinking and metacognitive skills in state/federal education standards, linguistic awareness often triggers lightbulb flashes upon lightbulb flashes (as in those wonderful "ah Hah!" moments all educators love to see in the learners they work with).
Rethinking, reflecting, rethinking, reflecting -- evaluating one's progress -- so crucial to success!
In fact, a refresher basics in linguistics would probably be a worthwhile, valuable ongoing professional development idea -- for all of us.
Holly
ESL, Distance Learning and GED Instructor; Dialogue Cafe and Volunteer Coordinator
Charlottesville City Schools Adult Education Program
Charlottesville, VA
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