This paper discussed a test comparing the reading capabilities of Spanish-speaking children in bilingual versus monolingual programs. This experiment focused on the effect of bilingual and monolingual instruction on children’s word-attack and comprehension capabilities. The test used fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from the same area and Wisconsin Design for word-attack and comprehension. The results show that the students with the bilingual instruction had higher word-attack and comprehension scores in English than the students in the monolingual program. The results are in keeping with the previous experiments on bilingual versus monolingual instruction that also showed teaching the dominant language first improves the reading scores for the second language. This outcome supports programs delaying instruction of the second language until after the initial instruction of the dominant language. In the monolingual program, students were developing their oral English skills at the same time they were learning to read.
This paper talks about the difference of comprehension and word-attack skills between bilingual children and monolingual children. It is totally understandable that bilingual children showed higher comprehension skills than that of monolingual children because they are received bilingual education. However, it was surprising for me that there was no big difference between the two groups in word attack skills. It was still hard for me to understand what those statistical numbers show.
This study compares the literacy skills of native Spanish-speaking students in a bilingual program with those enrolled in a monolingual program. It supports past research proving that students who learn to read first in their L1 will have higher reading scores in both their L1 and L2. This supports a theory called the “threshold hypothesis”, posited by James Cummins, which maintains that children must attain a certain level of competence in their L1 before learning their L2 in order to avoid any cognitive disadvantages. By receiving instruction first in their native Spanish, the students in the bilingual program seem to be at an advantage when compared with those in the monolingual program.
This article discussed the effectiveness of bilingual programs. In most of the previously conducted studies, the results showed that students who received instruction in both languages progressed further than students who only had instruction in one language. In her study, Mortensen looked specifically at the comprehension skills and word-attack skills of monolingual and bilingual programs, comparing the two. Mortensen’s study showed that there was no difference in the word-attack skills of students who received monolingual and bilingual instruction. However, when it came to comprehension skills, students who received bilingual instruction performed much higher than students who received monolingual instruction. Mortensen notes that the bilingual instruction students may have an advantage because they first learn comprehension skills in their native Spanish, and also learned to read first in Spanish.
It’s a natural matter that recognition and word attack skills for the fluent reader develops by time from recognizing words to phrases or larger segments. But it’s very important to focus more on how to develop children or beginners’ skills, as this study shows that teachers might consider more time for teaching word attack for children who enter school speaking different language from the language used as a medium of instruction. I agree that reading instruction to be given to the child in the child’s dominant language until he/she is fluent enough to receive instructions in L2. It reminds me of my childhood and the difficulties I faced receiving reading instructions in L2 while I don’t speak it! Recently, some schools started adopting the bilingual education system which is important to develop word-attack and cognitive skills comparing the word and the concept.
This article compared the reading skills of native Spanish-speaking elementary students enrolled in a bilingual program and an English monolingual program. They were assessed in word-attack skills and comprehension skills. The results showed no significant difference between the two groups in word-attack skills, and an advantage in comprehension skills for the bilingual instruction group. These results are in keeping with previous studies which have suggested students develop better reading skills by receiving instruction first in their native language and then in their L2.
This paper compared the abilities of students in bilingual education and monolingual education. It appears that students who are taught to read in their L1 first are more successful, which makes sense, because it’s hard to learn to read in a language you are not completely comfortable with yet. So it just reinforces the fact that bilingual education is better for those who are learning a new language.
I think studies like this are important because a lot of times the parents of children who have to go through this are afraid of enrolling their child into a bilingual program because they think their child won’t learn english as well, but as this study shows that isn’t the case.
I found it really interesting that students in the Bilingual Group showed better progress in acquiring English reading skills than those in the Monolingual Program. Not only did they make more progress in mastering word-attack skills in a shorter period of time, they may also have an advantage in comprehension skill mastery compared to subjects in the Monolingual Program. It is very interesting because people would think that Bilingual Program would be more difficult for children, but the results show that it is actually more beneficial. I wonder if it’s because of the plasticity of children in learning, i.e. critical period. It wonder what would be the case for adult learners.
This article was an eye opener. It seems that bilingual education worked for Illinois in the mid 80’s. I wonder if this is still true today in Illinois or other places where there are big bilingual communities. In the past I have worked in schools where there were bilingual programs but the students struggled to meet NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) scores. I suggest there needs to be a revised study.
I am very interested in this study as it presents findings proving that bilingual education helps students develop comprehension skills over monolingual counterparts. The implications of this study on the acquisition of literacy are of particular relevance to schools in states mandating monolingual education. The cited literature proves that children receiving literacy instruction in their native languages first, before L2 literacy instruction, consistently performed better than their counterparts who only received initial literacy instruction their L2. The author suggests that the higher comprehension scores in the bilingual taught group could be related to their familiarity with searching for contextual clues to make meaning of a text in the data detailing word-attack tasks. The strategies linked to this type of task are invariably present in bilingual education, as students are required to simultaneously extract meaning from two linguistic systems.
This paper discussed a test comparing the reading capabilities of Spanish-speaking children in bilingual versus monolingual programs. This experiment focused on the effect of bilingual and monolingual instruction on children’s word-attack and comprehension capabilities. The test used fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students from the same area and Wisconsin Design for word-attack and comprehension. The results show that the students with the bilingual instruction had higher word-attack and comprehension scores in English than the students in the monolingual program. The results are in keeping with the previous experiments on bilingual versus monolingual instruction that also showed teaching the dominant language first improves the reading scores for the second language. This outcome supports programs delaying instruction of the second language until after the initial instruction of the dominant language. In the monolingual program, students were developing their oral English skills at the same time they were learning to read.
This paper talks about the difference of comprehension and word-attack skills between bilingual children and monolingual children. It is totally understandable that bilingual children showed higher comprehension skills than that of monolingual children because they are received bilingual education. However, it was surprising for me that there was no big difference between the two groups in word attack skills. It was still hard for me to understand what those statistical numbers show.
This study compares the literacy skills of native Spanish-speaking students in a bilingual program with those enrolled in a monolingual program. It supports past research proving that students who learn to read first in their L1 will have higher reading scores in both their L1 and L2. This supports a theory called the “threshold hypothesis”, posited by James Cummins, which maintains that children must attain a certain level of competence in their L1 before learning their L2 in order to avoid any cognitive disadvantages. By receiving instruction first in their native Spanish, the students in the bilingual program seem to be at an advantage when compared with those in the monolingual program.
This article discussed the effectiveness of bilingual programs. In most of the previously conducted studies, the results showed that students who received instruction in both languages progressed further than students who only had instruction in one language. In her study, Mortensen looked specifically at the comprehension skills and word-attack skills of monolingual and bilingual programs, comparing the two. Mortensen’s study showed that there was no difference in the word-attack skills of students who received monolingual and bilingual instruction. However, when it came to comprehension skills, students who received bilingual instruction performed much higher than students who received monolingual instruction. Mortensen notes that the bilingual instruction students may have an advantage because they first learn comprehension skills in their native Spanish, and also learned to read first in Spanish.
It’s a natural matter that recognition and word attack skills for the fluent reader develops by time from recognizing words to phrases or larger segments. But it’s very important to focus more on how to develop children or beginners’ skills, as this study shows that teachers might consider more time for teaching word attack for children who enter school speaking different language from the language used as a medium of instruction. I agree that reading instruction to be given to the child in the child’s dominant language until he/she is fluent enough to receive instructions in L2. It reminds me of my childhood and the difficulties I faced receiving reading instructions in L2 while I don’t speak it! Recently, some schools started adopting the bilingual education system which is important to develop word-attack and cognitive skills comparing the word and the concept.
This article compared the reading skills of native Spanish-speaking elementary students enrolled in a bilingual program and an English monolingual program. They were assessed in word-attack skills and comprehension skills. The results showed no significant difference between the two groups in word-attack skills, and an advantage in comprehension skills for the bilingual instruction group. These results are in keeping with previous studies which have suggested students develop better reading skills by receiving instruction first in their native language and then in their L2.
This paper compared the abilities of students in bilingual education and monolingual education. It appears that students who are taught to read in their L1 first are more successful, which makes sense, because it’s hard to learn to read in a language you are not completely comfortable with yet. So it just reinforces the fact that bilingual education is better for those who are learning a new language.
I think studies like this are important because a lot of times the parents of children who have to go through this are afraid of enrolling their child into a bilingual program because they think their child won’t learn english as well, but as this study shows that isn’t the case.
I found it really interesting that students in the Bilingual Group showed better progress in acquiring English reading skills than those in the Monolingual Program. Not only did they make more progress in mastering word-attack skills in a shorter period of time, they may also have an advantage in comprehension skill mastery compared to subjects in the Monolingual Program. It is very interesting because people would think that Bilingual Program would be more difficult for children, but the results show that it is actually more beneficial. I wonder if it’s because of the plasticity of children in learning, i.e. critical period. It wonder what would be the case for adult learners.
This article was an eye opener. It seems that bilingual education worked for Illinois in the mid 80’s. I wonder if this is still true today in Illinois or other places where there are big bilingual communities. In the past I have worked in schools where there were bilingual programs but the students struggled to meet NECAP (New England Common Assessment Program) scores. I suggest there needs to be a revised study.
I am very interested in this study as it presents findings proving that bilingual education helps students develop comprehension skills over monolingual counterparts. The implications of this study on the acquisition of literacy are of particular relevance to schools in states mandating monolingual education. The cited literature proves that children receiving literacy instruction in their native languages first, before L2 literacy instruction, consistently performed better than their counterparts who only received initial literacy instruction their L2. The author suggests that the higher comprehension scores in the bilingual taught group could be related to their familiarity with searching for contextual clues to make meaning of a text in the data detailing word-attack tasks. The strategies linked to this type of task are invariably present in bilingual education, as students are required to simultaneously extract meaning from two linguistic systems.