Literacy development in Spanish-English bilingual children: The role of phonological awareness and working memory
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between phonological awareness and working memory in the development of basic reading skills in bilingual children. Tasks measuring phonological awareness, working memory, and word recognition were given to sixteen Spanish-English bilingual participants between the ages of 6 and 7 and who were currently enrolled in the first grade. This investigation features a correlation research method intended to determine the relationship between phonological awareness, working memory, and reading skills. Additionally, a multiple regression statistical procedure was applied to determine the extent to which phonological awareness and working memory predict reading both within and across languages. Results indicated that phonological awareness measurements in one language are associated with literacy outcomes in the other, but cross-linguistic transfer between English and Spanish reading measures decreased after controlling for working memory. This indicates that additional factors, such as working memory, play a role in explaining the cross-linguistic transfer of phonological awareness. These results are discussed in light of current research on bilingualism and point to the importance of reading as a shared ability between the two languages.
Degree
M.A.
Advisors
Sundquist, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Bilingual education|Linguistics
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