Abstract

Bilingual studies on cross-linguistic transfer of phonological awareness and word recognition emphasize the relevance of nature of language and orthography. The current study was designed to examine the significance of language and orthographic structure for phonological awareness and word recognition skills in children who are native speakers of Malayalam language learning English at school. The association of phonological awareness and word recognition in 30 Malayalam speaking preschool English Language Learners (ELL’s) was tested using a set of stimuli in both English and Malayalam.  Results revealed that word recognition was associated with phoneme awareness in English whereas in Malayalam, all the three levels tested in this study (rhyme, syllable and phoneme awareness) showed association with word recognition. However, considering the cross-linguistic associations, Malayalam word recognition was related to all levels of phonological awareness in English whereas no strong association was observed for word recognition in Malayalam with phonological awareness in English. Regression analysis revealed phoneme awareness in English as a strong predictor of word recognition in both the languages. These findings highlight the cross-linguistic transfer of phonological awareness between English and Malayalam supporting the Transfer Facilitation Model (TFM). Pedagogical implications of these findings on ELLs are discussed.

Keywords

cross- linguistic transfer, phonological awareness, word recognition, Malayalam, English Language Learners,

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

  1. Anjana, A.V. (2019). Emergent literacy profiling in Malayalam-English bilinguals. Unpublished doctoral thesis, University of Mysore, India.
  2. Anthony, J.L., Lonigan, C.J., Driscoll, K., Phillips, B.M., & Burgess, S.R. (2003). Phonological sensitivity: a quasi-parallel progression of word structure units and cognitive operations. Reading Research Quarterly, 38, 470-487. https://doi.org/10.1598/RRQ.38.4.3
  3. Bailey, N., Madden, C., & Krashen, S.D. (1974). Is there a “natural sequence” in adult second language learning?. Language Learning, 24, 235-43. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1974.tb00505.x
  4. Chen, X., Xu, F., Nguyen, T.K., Hong, G., & Wang, Y. (2010). Effects of cross-language transfer on first-language phonological awareness and literacy skills in Chinese children receiving English instruction. Journal of Educational Psychology, 102, 712-728. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/a0018802
  5. Cummins, J. (1981). The role of primary language development in promoting educational success for language minority students. Schooling and language minority students: A theoretical framework Los Angeles. State University, Evaluation, Dissemination and Assessment Center, California.
  6. Frost, R. (1992). Orthography and phonology. The linguistics of literacy, 255-274. https://doi.org/10.1075/tsl.21.19fro
  7. Frost, R. (2005). Orthographic systems and skilled word recognition processes in reading. John Wiley & Sons, https://doi.org/10.1002/9780470757642.ch15
  8. Frost, R. (2012). Towards a universal model of reading. Cambridge University Press, 35, 263–279. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X11001841
  9. Geva, E. (2008). Facets of metalinguistic awareness related to reading development in Hebrew: Evidence from monolingual and bilingual children. In Learning to read across languages, Routledge, United Kingdom.
  10. Goswami, U., & Brayant, P. (2016).Phonological skills and learning to read. Routledge, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315695068
  11. Goswami, U., & Bryant P. (1990).Phonological skills and learning to read.Erlbaum. East Sussex
  12. Joshi, R.M., & McCardle P. (2017). Models of reading in different orthographies: An introduction. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 51. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219417718196
  13. Karanth, P., & Prakash P. (1996). Developmental investigation on onset, progress and stages of literacy acquisition: Its implication for instructional processes. National Council of Educational Research and Training Report. New Delhi
  14. Katz, L, & Frost R. (1992). Reading in different orthographies: The orthographic depth hypothesis. Advances in Psychology, 94, 67-84. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0166-4115(08)62789-2
  15. Kinstch, W. (1998). Comprehension: A paradigm for cognition. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.
  16. Koda, K. (2015). Development of word recognition in a second language. In Reading in a Second Languag, Routledge, United Kingdom.
  17. Koda, K. (2005). Insights into second language reading: A cross-linguistic approach. Cambridge University Press. United Kingdom.
  18. Lonigan, C.J., Burgess, S.R., & Anthony, J.L. (2000). Development of emergent literacy and early reading skills in preschool children: Evidence from a latent-variable longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 36,596–613. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139524841
  19. Lonigan, C.J., & Shanahan, T. (2009). Developing Early Literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. Executive Summary. A Scientific Synthesis of Early Literacy Development and Implications for Intervention. National Institute for Literacy.
  20. Mishra, R., & Stainthorp, R. (2007). The relationship between phonological awareness and word reading accuracy in Oriya and English: A study of Oriya-speaking fifth-graders. Journal of Research in Reading, 30(1), 23–37. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2006.00326.x
  21. Nag, S., & Snowling, M.J. (2011). Cognitive profiles of poor readers of Kannada. Reading and Writing, 24, 657–676. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-010-9258-7
  22. Nag, S., & Snowling, M.J. (2012). Reading in an alphasyllabary: Implications for a language-universal theory of learning to read. Scientific Studies of Reading, 16, 404–423. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2011.576352
  23. Nag, S. (2007). Early reading in Kannada: The pace of acquisition of orthographic knowledge and phonemic awareness. Journal of Research in Reading, 30(1), 7–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9817.2006.00329.x
  24. Nagy, W., & Anderson, R.C. (1984). How many words are there in printed school English? Reading Research Quarterly, 19, 304-30. https://doi.org/10.2307/747823
  25. Nakamura, P.R., Koda, K., & Joshi, R.M. (2014). Biliteracy acquisition in Kannada and English: A developmental study. Writing Systems Research, 6(1), 132–147. https://doi.org/10.1080/17586801.2013.855620
  26. Prakash, P., & Joshi, R.M. (1995). Orthography and reading in Kannada: A Dravidian language. Scripts and Literacy, 95–108. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-1162-1_7
  27. Prema, K.S. (1997). Reading acquisition profile in Kannada. University of Mysore, India.
  28. Prema, K. S. (2006). Reading acquisition in Dravidian languages. International Journal of Linguistics, 1, 111-126.
  29. Rayner, K., & Bertera, J.H. (2013). Reading without a fovea. Science, 206, 468-469. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.504987
  30. Reddy, P.P., & Koda, K. (2012). Orthographic constraints on phonological awareness in biliteracy development. Writing Systems Research, 5(1), 110–130. https://doi.org/10.1080/17586801.2012.748639
  31. Rekha, D. (1997). Reading acquisition and metaphonological awareness: A longitudinal study. Unpublished thesis, submitted to the University of Mysore. Mysore.
  32. Scarborough, H. S. (1998). Early identification of children at risk for reading disabilities: Phonological awareness and some other promising predictors. Specific reading disability: A view of the spectrum, 10(2), 75-119.
  33. Seetha, L., & Prema, K.S. (2002). Reading acquisition in Malyalam: A profile of secondary graders. Unpublished Master’s dissertation submitted to the University of Mysore, India.
  34. Share, D.L., & Daniels, P.T. (2014). Aksharas, alphasyllabaries, abugidas, alphabets and orthographic depth: Reflections on Rimzhim, Katz and Fowler. Writing Systems Research, 8(1), 17-31. https://doi.org/10.1080/17586801.2015.1016395
  35. Share, D.L. (2008). On the Anglocentricities of current reading research and practice: The perils of over-reliance on an “outlier” orthography. Psychological Bulletin, 134, 584–615. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.134.4.584
  36. Singhi, Kumar, Prabhjot, & Kumar (2007). Utility of WHO Ten questions screen for disability detection in rural community-the North Indian experience. Journal of Tropical Pediatrics, 53(6), 383-87. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmm047
  37. Swaroopa, K.P. (2001). Checklist for screening language based reading disabilities (Che-SLR). Unpublished Master’s dissertation submitted to the University of Mysore.
  38. Tiwari, S., Rajashekhar, N., & Krishnan, G. (2011). A preliminary investigation of akshara knowledge in the Malayalam alphasyllabary: extension of Nag's study. Writing Systems Research, 3(2), 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1093/tropej/fmm047
  39. Torgesen, J. K. (2002). Lessons learned from intervention research in reading: A way to go before we rest. Learning and teaching reading, 1(1), 89-104.
  40. Wagner, R. K., Torgesen, J. K., & Rashotte, C. A. (1994). The development of reading-related phonological processing abilities: New evidence of bi-directional causality from a latent variable longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 30, 73-87. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0012-1649.30.1.73
  41. Wang, M., Cheng, C., & Chen, S.W. (2006). Contribution of morphological awareness to Chinese–English biliteracy acquisition. Journal of Educational Psychology, 98, 542–553. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-0663.98.3.542
  42. Ziegler, J.C., & Goswami, U. (2005). Reading acquisition, developmental dyslexia and skilled reading across languages: A psycholinguistic grain size theory. Psychological Bulletin, 131(1), 3–29. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0033-2909.131.1.3