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Cultural Diversity

Cultural Diversity. Hispanic sound system affecting students’ literacy in English Presented by Joanna Sherry. Based on the article: “Building on the sound system of Spanish: Insights from the alphabetic spellings of English-language learners”.

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Cultural Diversity

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  1. Cultural Diversity Hispanic sound system affecting students’ literacy in English Presented by Joanna Sherry

  2. Based on the article: “Building on the sound system of Spanish: Insights from the alphabetic spellings of English-language learners” Author: Helman, Lori A.The Reading Teacher v.57 no.5 (February 2004) p.452-460

  3. Method & Objective • Helman’s method: To analyze the similarities and differences of sounds in Spanish and English languages • Helman’s objective: To indicate where possible problems may occur in Spanish- speaking English Language Learners’ (ELL) articulation and literacy

  4. Importance of Sounds in Literacy • Researchers give various names to the phases/stages of development of literacy • They all suggest a continuum that students’ progress through • Limited print awareness initial understanding of alphabet full phonemic awareness spelling patterns spelling-meaning connection

  5. Similarities and Differences • Helman divides the sound system into 3 parts to examine and discuss • Consonant sounds • Vowel sounds • Position of consonants, consonant clusters, and vowels

  6. Consonant sounds • Many sounds are the same in English/Spanish; they may be ‘spelled’ differently • Many clusters are used in both languages: pl, pr, bl, br, tr, dr, cl, cr, gl, gr, fl, fr • Differences: Some sounds are not present in both languages. These will cause the MOST problems due to being difficult to hear and produce these sounds (Goldstein, 2000; Kress, 1993) • These include: /d/, /j/, /r/, /v/, /z/, /sh/, /th/, /zh/

  7. Vowel sounds a,e,i,o,u • Spanish vowels are much simpler-only 1 sound per vowel • Spanish does NOT contain: 4 short vowels, r-controlled vowels, schwa (most common in English), u, aw • Some similar sounds, but represented with different letters (see table)

  8. Vowels continued • Helman: Table 3 Vowel sounds common to English and Spanish

  9. Positioning of Sounds • Spanish and English allow all respective sounds begin words (except ng in English) • In Spanish only 5 consonant sounds may end words l, r, d, n, s • Vowels have opposite rules in Eng/Sp

  10. How does this help us?Helman says: • Start with commonalities • Use knowledge of Spanish to understand students’ developmental reading and writing • Identify areas of distinction and provide explicit support

  11. continued • Use developmental spelling tasks to assess students’ learning • Ensure that students understand foundational concepts • Include students in think-aloud process comparing Spanish and English

  12. Critique • Helman provided interesting and helpful information although……… • Actual classroom samples?? • Real-life instruction and modification based on classroom samples?? • Some of her Tables were not as clear and useful

  13. Discussion • Referred to guided reading, authentic assessment, explicit instruction, etc • Ties together classroom teaching, ESL teaching, and Speech-language treatment • Have used similar information to test ELL students, but never thought to take speech results and assist teachers with phonics instruction—I will now!!

  14. Current practice • Classroom teachers give whole class instruction on GLE’s, followed by small group guided instruction based on levels • ESL teachers provide extra support to qualifying ESL students • TIME teachers provide extra support to lowest readers in classroom • Speech Pathologist gives support to qualifying students in areas of speech and/or language

  15. Areas of Difficulty • If students are behind in basic areas such as phonics, phonemic awareness, spelling, etc- provides a huge problem for teacher • Too many levels of groups to get to each day • Students only get extra support if they qualify by testing

  16. Options • Can divide the area of struggle to the appropriate support staff • SLP could provide lessons of articulation and phonemic awareness to the specific sound errors in students speech (and writing) • ESL teacher can provide assessment for errors and provide lessons accordingly, along with follow up writing to reinforce phonemic awareness lessons • Teacher can follow up with similar skills while focusing on GLE’s

  17. Comments • All this requires a common planning time among supporting staff  • Does anyone have common planning time to plan this type of instruction? • Does anyone see the type of errors in Hispanic students’ writing mentioned? • How are these issues handled in other school systems?

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