Understanding the Relation Between Spanish and English Reading Development

1. Understanding the Relation Between Spanish and English Reading Development Doris Doris Luft Baker, Ph.D.. dbaker@uoregon.edu (541)346-3351

2. Acknowledgement • For: Katie Tate, her creativity and perceptiveness. • Julie Watts

3. Activity • Tell us who you are.

4. Objectives Relation between the Spanish and the English orthographic systems • Differences • Similarities Transfer • Complexities • Research studies Quality of instruction for ELs • Explicit and systematic • Part of a schoolwide model

5. Activity • Is it harder to learn to read in Spanish than in English?

6. Understanding the Foundations of Learning to Read in Spanish • Spanish and English have the same orthographic system, the alphabet. • Alphabetic systems, like English and Spanish, encode language at the unit of the phoneme, meaning that the letter, the smallest unit of the writing system, corresponds to a unit of speech, the phoneme (Perfetti, 1999).

7. Spanish English 27 letters + 3 digraphs (rr, ll, ch) 26 letters 22-24 phonemes 42-44 phonemes 7 conditional rules 27 letter combinations + conditional rules All words are decodable Irregular words Differences in the Orthographic Systems OrthographicSystem

8. Spanish Sound/Spellings and Examples

9. English Sound/Spellings and Examples

10. Spanish WordTypes (According to Frequency and Level of Difficulty)

11. English WordTypes (According to Frequency and Level of Difficulty)

12. English Words 50% are wholly decodable 37% are only off by one sound 50% of the words we read are made up of the first 107 high-frequency words 13% are irregular words Hanna, Hanna, Hodges, & Rudorf, 1966 Words in the English Language

13. Conditional Rules – Spanish • a. The letter “c” is pronounced as /k/ before the vowels “a”, “o”, and “u”, and before consonants (e.g., casa, cuna, claro). b. The letter “c” is pronounced as /s/ before the vowels “e”, and “i” (e.g., cenar, cielo). 2. a. The letter “g” is pronounced as /g/ before the vowels “a”, “o”, and “u”, and before consonants (e.g., gato, gorila, gusano, grasa.). b. The letter “g” is pronounced as /j/ before the vowels “e”, and “i” (e.g., gigante, geranio). 3. The letter “r” is pronounced as /r/ when it is not in the beginning of a word (e.g., cara), but it is read as /rr/ in the beginning of a word or after “n”, “l”, or “s” (e.g., Israel, enredar, alrededor). • “x” can be pronounced as /ks/ as in “taxi”, as /j/ as in “México”, or as /s/ as in Xochimilco. • The letters “k”, and “w” are used in foreign words only (e.g., kilo, watts) • “u” is silent after “q”, or “g” preceding “e” or “i” (e.g., queso, aquí) • “h” is always silent Word knowledge is the only source of information to assign stress in words unless the stress is orthographic (tiene un acento). Ex: nariz, susto, melón.) (Defior, 2002; Signorini, 1997).

14. Comparing sounds in Spanish and English • Consonants with different sounds in Spanish and English: v, ll, j, h, z, g, rr • Vowels: • a = Only 1 sound in Spanish, 4 different sounds in English, and 7 spelling forms (cat, chair, saw, haul, made, stay, art). • e = Only 1 sound in Spanish, 4 different sounds in English, and 7 spelling forms (elephant, beat, bee, be, eve, fern, shrew). • i = Only 1 sound in Spanish, 5 different sounds in English, and 6 spelling forms (fit, sing, high, pie, first, ice, brief). • o = Only 1 sound in Spanish, 7 different sounds in English, and 13 spelling forms (load, hold, boil, toy, boot, short, cloud, own, not, ocean, robe, toe, owl, soup). • u = Only 1 sound in Spanish*, 4 different sounds in English, and 5 spelling forms (cut, burn, unicorn, cute, blue). • Spanish doesn’t have the dg, ng, sh, th combinations • R-controlled vowels – especially the one sound (ir, er, ur) • For more information consult the CORE program, p. 4.19.

15. Summary • Spanish and English are both alphabetic languages meaning that the phoneme is the smallest unit of sound. • Spanish has a more “transparent” orthography than English (e.g., no irregular words, less phonemes, fewer conditional rules). • Most consonant sounds are similar in Spanish and English • Most vowel sounds are different in Spanish and English • Frequency of syllable types varies. • Spanish instruction cannot provide all the support ELs need to learn to read more complex text in English.

16. Activity • Do all core components of reading (phonological awareness, understanding of the alphabetic principle, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension) transfer from one language to another?

17. Defining Cross-linguistic Transfer • Cross-linguistic transfer is the ability of students to relate what they know in one language to another language. • However, …“there is still remarkably little clarity about how to define transfer operationally, what evidence would count as demonstrating its existence, or the range of phenomena for which it might be expected to operate” Snow (2006) in August & Shanahan, 2006,) p. 638. • It depends on the proficiency level in the first language. • What does the research say about cross-linguistic transfer?

18. Transfer of Phonological Awareness • Phonological awareness, decoding skills, and word recognition transfer in two alphabetic languages (Carlisle et al., 1999; Cisero & Royer, 1995; Durgunoglu, Nagy, & Hancin-Bhatt, 1998; Cirino, Vaughn, Linan-Thomposon, Hagan, Fletcher, & Francis, 2009). • Strong phonological awareness (PA) skills are good predictors of reading in first and second languages. (Durgunoglu, Nagy, and Hancin-Bhatt, 1993; Hammer, Lawrence & Miccio, 2008; Lindsey, Manis, & Bailey, 2003).

19. Understanding the alphabetic principle. Decoding nonwords in Spanish is strongly correlated with decoding nonwords in English (r = 0.73, p < .01; Bialystok, Luk, and Kwan, 2005). What Transfers in Phonics?

20. Vowel Sounds (e.g., long /e/ in eat or short /i/ in it, etc.) English consonant sounds in the beginning or ending of words (e.g., /sp/, /sc/, /th/, etc.) What does NOT Transfer in Phonics?

21. Transfer of Fluency, Vocabulary & Comprehension • Evidence of cross-linguistic transfer of passage fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension has been mixed (Cirino et al., 2009; Dressler & Kamil, 2006; Proctor, Carlo, August, & Snow, 2006).

22. Vocabulary Proctor, Carlo, August & Snow (2006) found that vocabulary knowledge in Spanish had a significant effect on reading comprehension in English, after taking decoding skills and word reading in English into account. The effect of Spanish vocabulary on English reading comprehension was particularly pronounced for students with strong English word reading skills, indicating an interaction effect between vocabulary in Spanish and word reading fluency in English. Cognate Recognition Students know the word in Spanish and can identify the word as an English cognate (e.g., family – familia; music – música) Difficult words in English are related to frequently known words in Spanish (e.g., encounter vs. encuentro). Cognate recognition depends on similar spelling and morphological patterns (e.g., cafeteria vs. cafetería; respond vs. responder; but occur vs. ocurrir) Occurs at higher levels, not lower levels of reading proficiency (Nagy, 1993)

23. Comprehension • Research Questions: • Does the level of reading comprehension in the first language correlate with reading comprehension ability in the second language? • Does second language oral proficiency mediate the processes of acquiring second language comprehension? • Seven studies • Review indicated mixed results: • Language proficiency ability might mediate the effect of first language reading skills on second language reading comprehension • Reading comprehension is affected by reading skills in first language at the level of academic proficiency. Dressler & Kamil, 2006, NLP.

24. Summary • Only 7 studies have looked at the cross-linguistic transfer of higher order skills. • No studies have looked at the cross-linguistic transfer of fluency. • The largest evidence is in the transfer of phonological awareness, phonics, and comprehension strategies. • Cognate recognition occurs at higher levels of language proficiency.

25. Activity • Can you teach Spanish and English using systematic and explicit instruction?

26. Quality of Instruction • Explicit and systematic instruction helps kids make the connection between what they know in Spanish and what they need to learn in English. • Quality of instruction is linked to the school and district support of instruction for ELs.

27. What is Explicit Instruction? • Explicit instruction “is instruction that is concrete and visible. The teacher explains new concepts and strategies in clear, concise, and consistent language. Explicit instruction involvesmodeling and explaining concepts and skills using many examples. Teachers provide a high level of support as students practice and apply newly learned concepts.” Excerpt from Leading for Reading Success: An Introductory Guide for Reading First Coaches. National Center for Reading First Technical Assistance, 2005.

28. What Is Systematic Instruction? • Systematic instruction is instruction that introduces skills in a developmental sequence (e.g., In Spanish from most common sounds like a, e, m, s, p to least common sounds like k, w, x.) Carnine et al., (2004). Direct instruction reading. 4th Ed. Pearson, Mahwah: NJ.

29. Critical Features to Introducing Letters • Letters visually and/or auditorily similar should be separated by at least 6 letters. • Auditorily similar letters: /f/ and /t/, /b/ and /d/, /m/ and /n/, /o/ and /u/ • Visually similar letters: b and d, b and p, p and q, n and m, n and r. • Example: If /b/ is introduced, then the letters /n/, /l/, /f, /k/, /s/, /j/ could be introduced before /d/. • Upper-case letters not the same in appearance as their respective lower-case letters are introduced after most lower-case letters are introduced. • Most useful letters are introduced before less useful letters. Activity:Find out how your program introduces letters. Does the sequence take into account the above critical features? *Carnine, D., Silbert, J., Kame’enui, E., & Tarver, S. (2004). Direct Instruction Reading, (4th Ed.) NJ: Pearson, Prentice Hall.

30. Acceptable Sequence for Introducing Letters In English • a m t s I f d r o g l h u c b n k v e w j p y In Spanish • a m o s p t e n l c (hard) b t g (hard) i r ll q c (soft) ñ ch y d h g (soft) j w x • English sequence from: *Carnine, D., Silbert, J., Kame’enui, E., & Tarver, S. (2004). Direct Instruction Reading, (4th Ed.) NJ: Pearson, Prentice Hall. • Spanish sequence developed by Baker, D. following recommendations from Carnine et al., 2004.

31. Teaching Word Reading • Sequence of steps: • The first three words in the list should contain the newly introduced letter combination • Of the remaining words in the list, a third to half should include the newly introduced letter combination • Include words that will appear in passages students will read within the next few lessons Carnine et al., (2004). Direct instruction reading. 4th Ed. Pearson, Mahwah: NJ.

32. Example • New letter combination to be taught: ou • Sequence of words: out, round, loud, boot, beam, proud, moon, sound, pound. • After students have practiced reading these words on their own, they can read a decodable book that includes the “ou” sound. Tip: Show a picture of words students might not understand (e.g., proud, pound, beam)

34. Example • New letter combination to be taught: consonant blends with “l” • Sequence of words: plato, globo, flor, foca, playa Clara, olas, flaquita, soplaba, dijo. • After students have practiced reading these words on their own, they can read a decodable book that includes the “pl” consonant blend. Tip: Show a picture of words students might not understand (e.g., foca, olas)

36. Teaching Vocabulary - English

37. Vocabulary – Spanish (Cena, 2010) 37

38. 38

39. Quality of Instruction • “To develop a coherent program of instruction for language-minority students, it is important to involve all staff concerned with their education in the same professional development efforts (Haager & Windmueller, 2001; Ruiz et al., 1995).” p.562 NLP.

40. Summary • Instruction should be delivered with high quality in Spanish and in English. • Consider: • Differences in the orthographic system • Which skills transfer • Explicitness and systematicity • Professional development

41. Questions • 1. How do we provide appropriate literacy instruction for ELLs with limited oral proficiency in English and with a strong literacy foundation in Spanish? • 2. What is the most appropriate and effective way to teach Spanish speaking students from non/low print environments, no preschool and limited vocabulary in English and Spanish? • 3. What does research say about simultaneous literacy? • 4. How should we address phonemic awareness in English for native Spanish speakers in our simultaneous literacy Dual Immersion program? • 5. What is the best way to address the current emphasis on English phonics for native Spanish speakers in our simultaneous literacy Dual Immersion program? (Specifically when and how do we teach our low vocabulary, low literacy Spanish speakers the vowel sounds in English? • 6. Do we wait until children are proficient in L1 before we start providing RTI in L2?

42. Selected References • August, D., & Shanahan, L. (2006). Developing literacy in second-language learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language Minority Children and Youth. Washington, D.C. : National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth (U.S.). • Baker, S., & Baker, D. (2008). English Language Learners and Response to Intervention. Educating Individuals with Disabilities: IDEIA 2004 and Beyond, 249. • Baker, D. L., Ketterlin-Geller, Leanne. (2010, December/January). Conceptualizing a schoolwide bilingual literacy model: Closing the achievement gap through systematic formative assessment. NABE News 32(2), 6-9. • Bialystok, E., Luk, G., & Kwan, E. (2005). Bilingualism, biliteracy, and learning to read: Interactions among languages and writing systems. Scientific Studies of Reading 9(1), 43-61. • Bravo-Valdivieso, L. (1995). A four year follow-up study of low socioeconomic status, Latin American children with reading difficulties. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 42, 189-202. • Carnine, D. Kame’enui, E., Silbert, J. & Tarver, S. …. • Durgunoglu, A., Nagy, W.E., & Hancin-Bhatt, B.J. (1993). Cross-Language transfer of phonological awareness. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85, 453-465. • Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English language learners. What research does -and does not- say. American Educator, Summer, 8-23, 42-44. • Honig, B., Diamond, L., Gutlohn, L. (2000). Teaching reading. Sourcebook for kindergarten through eighth grade. Arena Press, Ca. • Jiménez, J. E., & Guzmán, R. (2003). The influence of code-oriented versus meaning-oriented approaches to reading instruction on word recognition in the Spanish language. International Journal of Psychology, 38, 65-78. • Mercier Smith, J. L., Baker D., & Santoro L. (2009, January/February). Early intervention in bilingual education: Teaching phonological awareness in Spanish. NABE News