The Simple View of Reading in Bilingual Language-Minority Children Acquiring a Highly Transparent Second Language

The present study evaluated which components within the simple view of reading model better predicted reading comprehension in a sample of bilingual language-minority children exposed to Italian, a highly transparent language, as a second language. The sample included 260 typically developing bilingual children who were attending either the first 2 years (n = 95) or the last 3 years (n = 165) of primary school and who had Italian as an instructional language. Children were administered a comprehensive battery for the assessment of decoding skills, listening comprehension, and reading comprehension latent variables. Results showed that, in both groups, listening comprehension was the most powerful predictor of reading comprehension, followed, only for younger children, by reading accuracy. Reading speed was not a significant predictor. These results confirmed the primary role of listening comprehension in predicting reading comprehension in bilinguals and added important evidence regarding the role of reading accuracy as a predictor of reading comprehension.     

外语朗读和语音修辞

朗读是外语教学中重要的一个环节。语音修辞在朗读中起着很重要的作用。朗读中语音修辞的结构可以分为表层结构和深层结构。对语音的要求是朗读中语音修辞的最基本要求。读出语味是朗读中语音修辞的最高境界，它对深刻解读文本和作家的创作主旨具有重要意义。     

Assessing the Role of Book Reading Practices in Indian Bilingual Children’s English Language and Literacy Development

The goal of this study was to examine the role of Indian bilingual parents’ book reading practices on the development of the children’s oral language, narrative and literacy skills in English, their second language. About 24 bilingual children from two preschools in Bangalore, India were tested in schools in English on receptive vocabulary, complex syntax, narrative expression, phonological awareness, and concepts about print. The findings suggest that exposure to book reading in English is associated with bilingual children’s oral language, narrative and literacy development in their second language.     

The Relationship Among Oral Language,Decoding Skills,and Reading Comprehension in Children with Autism

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among oral language, decoding, and reading comprehension for children with autism. Participants included 13 English-speaking children with a diagnosis of high-functioning autism (IQ > 70) who were included in a typical classroom, and who had parents who spoke English. Parts of the Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals, OWLS: Listening Comprehension, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test were administered to measure oral language abilities, and parts of the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test and Test of Word Reading Efficiency were given to assess decoding and reading comprehension. Results indicated there was no significant relationship between phonology and decoding, but there was a significant relationship between semantics and decoding. There were also significant relationships between semantics and comprehension and syntax and comprehension.     

Effects of a Computer-Based Early Reading Program on the Early Reading and Oral Language Skills of At-Risk Preschool Children

This study examined the effects of a computer-based early reading program (Headsprout Early Reading) on the oral language and early reading skills of at-risk preschool children. In a pretest–posttest control group design, 62 children were randomly assigned to receive supplemental instruction with Headsprout Early Reading (experimental group) or Millie's Math House (control group) for 30 min each school day for 8 weeks. Children using Headsprout Early Reading made greater gains in early reading skills as measured by the Test of Early Reading Ability (TERA-3), F(1, 59) = 39.35, p < 0.01, and in oral language skills as measured by the Test of Language Development-Primary (TOLD-P:3), F(1, 59) = 37.03, p < 0.01. Effect sizes were large for the gains in both measures (TERA-3, η² = 0.24; TOLD-P:3, η² = 0.17). Teachers' responses to an open-ended interview indicated that the program was perceived as a desirable instructional aid. Educational considerations for preventing future reading difficulties and issues about implementation integrity are discussed.     

Children’s Reading Comprehension and Oral Reading Fluency in Easy Text

This study explored third-graders’ oral reading fluency (ORF) in easy text in relation to their third- and fourth-grade reading comprehension. It also examined the children’s performance on two different measures of text exposure, a self-report questionnaire and a title-recognition test. Although third-graders’ ORF related significantly to their reading comprehension, oral language comprehension accounted for most of the variance in reading comprehension, whereas single word reading speed accounted for most of the variance in ORF. Third-grade reading comprehension and ORF each predicted unique variance in children’s scores on a fourth-grade state-mandated reading comprehension assessment. Scores on the self-report questionnaire correlated significantly with third-grade ORF and fourth-grade reading; the self-report accounted for reliable variance in ORF even with all of the other reading ability variables entered first. Results are consistent with the viewpoint that text exposure affects reading fluency. They also demonstrate that ORF is a valuable predictor of middle-elementary children’s reading comprehension, even when the ORF measure employs very easy text in which children achieve near-perfect word accuracy.     

Language Use Contributes to Expressive Language Growth: Evidence From Bilingual Children

The unique relation of language use (i.e., output) to language growth was investigated for forty‐seven 30‐month‐old Spanish–English bilingual children (27 girls, 20 boys) whose choices of which language to speak resulted in their levels of English output differing from their levels of English input. English expressive vocabularies and receptive language skills were assessed at 30, 36, and 42 months. Longitudinal multilevel modeling indicated an effect of output on expressive vocabulary growth only. The finding that output specifically benefits the development of expressive language skill has implications for understanding effects of language use on language skill in monolingual and bilingual development, and potentially, for understanding consequences of cultural differences in how much children are expected to talk in conversation with adults.     

The Effects of Storytelling and Story Reading on the Oral Language Complexity and Story Comprehension of Young Children

What began as a case study of intergenerational initiatives in university-based early childhood programs evolved into a comparative study of two different program implementation processes. Despite operating with the same goals, university partners, and resources, two early childhood centers pursued fundamentally different strategies for launching their intergenerational programs. One site followed what we call an explicit intervention with a set timeline and series of planned steps for finding, placing, and involving seniors in classroom activities. The other pursued what we call an emergent (or organic) strategy with no predetermined plan for finding senior volunteers and integrating them into classroom activities. Drawing on data collected from interviews with program staff and parents, and observations of intergenerational activities, this study serves to describe, compare, and contrast these alternative program initiation strategies. Both models are effective, but represent different approaches to valuing the contributions of older adults in the lives of young children.     

从儿童母语习得谈儿童二语习得年龄及双语教学

从语言习得理论入手,分析儿童母语习得过程,并从语言功能角度解释儿童习得第二语言年龄因素的重要性,进而提出提高双语教学质量的建议：一是重视语音语调;二是尽量创造真实的语言环境;三是培养学生兴趣,寓教于乐。     

从儿童母语习得看双语教学

本文从心理语言学的角度出发,运用儿童母语习得中的部分原理来研究双语教学.经过分析说明了双语教学的可行性,指出了双语教学的关键期,环境,方法,情感因素,语言输入的正负迁移以及语言习得的心理因素,期望能为我国的双语教学提供一点见解.     

南疆地区维吾尔族儿童双语者跨语言正迁移双语学习机制的实验研究

WANG Xiao-long;YU Peng(College of Education Science,Kashgar University,Kashgar 844000,China)     

汉语阅读障碍儿童与普通儿童朗读错误研究

为反映汉语阅读障碍儿童朗读的特点,采用错误分析技术,对10名汉语阅读障碍儿童和10名普通儿童的朗读错误进行了系统的分析.结果发现:汉语阅读障碍儿童朗读流畅性与准确性都低于普通儿童,朗读中的替代错误、添加错误、省略错误都显著多于普通儿童.而二者在颠倒错误上的差异不显著.在替代错误中,音似、形似、语义及无关替代显著地多于普通儿童.与普通儿童相比,汉语阅读障碍儿童的朗读问题主要表现为错误数量更多,而不是表现为错误类型上的特点.最后结合研究发现对阅读障碍的诊断与干预提出了建议.     

Development of Oral Reading Fluency in Young Children at Risk for Failure

The body of knowledge on critical components of reading instruction is broad and deep with phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension serving as building blocks for literacy. The importance of fluent reading (i.e., with speed, accuracy, and proper expression, as well as comprehension) in the formula for success is widely accepted. The purpose of this study was to evaluate oral reading rates in a sample of 2nd-grade children. Using growth curve analysis, we identified models for a combined sample of at-risk and not-at-risk children. Large and important differences in oral reading were evident, but the growth rates remained the same throughout the 2nd- grade; in fact, the gap between at-risk and not-at-risk students remained constant. We discuss the implications of our findings for future research and the improvement of practice.     

Jamaican Deaf Children Interacting with Written Language: Support for Bilingual Instruction?

The interrelationship among language components is the main conceptual framework for this study which examined the written language performance of Jamaican children with severe to profound hearing loss. Twelve subjects aged 15 to 16 years completed text level tasks in writing, reading and sign language. Hearing children aged 13 to 14 years completed writing and reading tasks. Multilevel analyses were undertaken. Differences and parity in performances were observed within and between groups at the word, sentence and text levels. Deaf children's ability to express complex ideas in sign language in the Jamaican education system indicated a need for nontraditional approaches in the teaching of written language. Suggestions are outlined for developing an instructional model to enhance written language using a bilingual approach.     

Semantic Development in Spanish–English Bilingual Children: Effects of Age and Language Experience

This study examines semantic development in 60 Spanish–English bilingual children, ages 7 years 3 months to 9 years 11 months, who differed orthogonally in age (younger, older) and language experience (higher English experience [HEE], higher Spanish experience [HSE]). Children produced 3 associations to 12 pairs of translation equivalents. Older children produced more semantic responses and code switched more often from Spanish to English than younger children. Within each group, children demonstrated better performance in the more frequently used than the less used language. The HEE children outperformed the HSE children in English and the HSE children outperformed the HEE children in Spanish. These effects of age and language experience are consistent with predictions of the revised hierarchical model of bilingual lexical organization.     

高效阅读:儿童内化语言的现实路径

阅读,对于学生拓宽视野、陶冶性情、提高文化修养等有着重要的作用。在平时的阅读指导课上,教师要根据实际情况积极地激发学生的阅读内在因素,利用内驱力促使学生进行快乐阅读,适时地进行阅读方法的指导,让学生掌握阅读方法,在评价中促使学生不断阅读,从而实现语言的内化。     

Social Competence and Oral Language Development for Young Children of Latino Immigrants

Research Findings: In this study we analyze how parent and teacher ratings of young Latino children’s social competencies in rural California are associated with children’s oral language development. We find (a) that there is considerable incongruence between parent and teacher ratings of child social competence, (b) that both parent and teacher ratings account for meaningful variation in children’s oral language development, and (c) that incongruence between parent and teacher ratings is associated with oral language above and beyond the effects of parent and teacher ratings alone. Practice or Policy: Young Latino children’s social competencies contribute to their oral language development. These competencies represent an important, though to date underutilized, asset for building stronger academic/language functioning. Part of the paradoxical development of Latino children (i.e., strong social though weak academic/language competence) could be attributable to cultural differences that underlie teacher and parent perceptions of social competence. Teachers of young Latino children should (a) be aware of the cultural nature of social competence and (b) explore culturally responsive ways of interacting in classrooms to build stronger oral language functioning.     

谈朗读的语调

朗读是把书面语言转化为发音规范的有声语言的一种再创作活动 ,而朗读时语调是否恰当将直接影响表达效果。在朗读训练时 ,方言、不良朗读习惯及某些媒体会对语调产生不良影响。朗读者只有养成用普通话思维的习惯 ,加强普通话语音训练 ,合理运用各种朗读技巧才能使语调自然流畅 ,使朗读声情并茂 ,富有感染力。     

The Development of Reading Skills in Children With English as a Second Language

One goal of this longitudinal study was to examine whether the predictors of reading skills in Grade 3 would differ between English as a second language (ESL) students and native English-speaking (L1) students. Phonological processing, syntactic awareness, memory, spelling, word reading, and lexical access skills were assessed in kindergarten and in Grade 3. The results indicated that in kindergarten, the ESL group had significantly lower scores on phonological processing, syntactic awareness, spelling, and memory for sentences tasks. However, in Grade 3, the ESL group performed in a similar way to the L1 group except on the syntactic awareness task. The combination of the two kindergarten measures, memory for sentences and Oral Cloze, and the combination of phonological processing and letter identification all contributed equally to predicting the L1 students' word-reading skills. However, for ESL students, letter identification and phonological processing made much larger contributions to predicting Grade 3 reading ability. Another goal of this study was to assess the procedures used to identify reading disability in the ESL and L1 student sample. Performance on two measures—letter identification and phonological awareness in kindergarten—predicted whether students would be classified in Grade 3 as at risk or having typical reading development for the ESL and L1 groups. The ESL children developed strong reading skills, and their status as ESL speakers did not put them at risk for reading difficulties in Grade 3. ESL students were not at any particular risk for reading difficulties after 4 years in Canadian schooling with an adequate balanced literacy program.