Welcome to Francis Academic Press

Frontiers in Educational Research, 2023, 6(5); doi: 10.25236/FER.2023.060511.

The Literacy Development of English Language Learners in Transitional Bilingual Education Program

Author(s)

Li Liu

Corresponding Author:
Li Liu
Affiliation(s)

School of Foreign Languages, Qilu Normal University, Jinan, China

Abstract

This literature review mainly examines the empirical researches on the Spanish and English literacy development and achievement of the English language learners in the transitional bilingual education program compared with the students in the English-only programs. Spanish-speaking English language learners in transitional bilingual programs are provided with not only introductions in English as a second language but also their native language support in their academic study. In addition, bilingual instructions of teachers have also been investigated to understand how they influence the literacy development of the English language learners, including their Spanish oral proficiency, morphological awareness, and writing skills cross-language relations between English and Spanish. Spanish language learning and Spanish instructions that Spanish-speaking English language learners received did not hinder their English performances. 

Keywords

literacy development, transitional bilingual education

Cite This Paper

Li Liu. The Literacy Development of English Language Learners in Transitional Bilingual Education Program. Frontiers in Educational Research (2023) Vol. 6, Issue 5: 56-62. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2023.060511.

References

[1] Wolf, M. K., Kao, J., Griffin, N., Herman, J. L., Bachman, P. L., Chang, S. M. and Farnsworth, T.(2008). Issues in Assessing English Language Learners: English Language Proficiency Measures and Accommodation Uses. Practice Review (Part 2 of 3). CRESST Report 732. National Center for Research on Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). 

[2] Gottlieb, M. H. and Nguyen, D. (2007). Assessment and Accountability in Language Education Programs: A Guide for Administrators and Teachers. Caslon Pub. p.4

[3] DeNicolo, C. P. (2016). School within a School: Examining Implementation Barriers in a Spanish/English Transitional Bilingual Education Program. Bilingual Research Journal, 39(2), 91-106.

[4] Brisk, M. E., & Harrington, M. M. (2010). Literacy and Bilingualism: A Handbook for All Teachers. Thousand Oaks, CA: Routledge.

[5] Han, M., Silva, L., Vukelich, C., Buell, M. and Hou, L. (2014). Development of Early English Language and Literacy Skills among Spanish-Speaking Children: Does Preschool Make a Difference? Early Child Development and Care, 4, 537-552. 

[6] Umansky, I. M. and Reardon, S. F. (2014). Reclassification Patterns among Latino English Learner Students in Bilingual, Dual Immersion, and English Immersion Classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 5, 879-912.

[7] Lindholm-Leary, K. (2014). Bilingual and Biliteracy Skills in Young Spanish-Speaking Low-SES Children: Impact of Instructional Language and Primary Language Proficiency. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2, 144-159. 

[8] Cummins, J. (1979). Linguistic Interdependence and the Educational Development of Bilingual Children. Review of Educational Research, 49, 222 – 251.

[9] Cummins, J. (2000). Language, Power, and Pedagogy: Bilingual Children in the Crossfire. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters.

[10] Goldstein, B. A. (2004). Bilingual Language Development and Disorders in Spanish-English Speakers. Baltimore, MD: Brookes Publishing Company. 

[11] Language and Reading Research Consortium, Mesa, C. and Yeomans-Maldonado, G. (2019). The Role of Prekindergarten Spanish in Predicting First-Grade English Word Reading among Dual-Language Learners. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 1-20. 

[12] Kremin, L. V., Arredondo, M. M., Hsu, L. S. J., Satterfield, T. and Kovelman, I. (2019). The Effects of Spanish Heritage Language Literacy on English Reading for Spanish–English Bilingual Children in the US. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2, 192-206.

[13] Prevoo, M. J., Malda, M., Mesman, J. and van IJzendoorn, M. H. (2016). Within-and Cross-Language Relations between Oral Language Proficiency and School Outcomes in Bilingual Children with an Immigrant Background: A Meta-Analytical Study. Review of Educational Research, 1, 237-276.

[14] Hoff, E. (2013). Interpreting the Early Language Trajectories of Children from Low-SES and Language Minority Homes: Implications for Closing Achievement Gaps. Developmental Psychology, 1, 4. 

[15] Kuo, L. J., Ramirez, G., de Marin, S., Kim, T. J. and Unal-Gezer, M. (2017). Bilingualism and Morphological Awareness: A Study with Children from General Education and Spanish-English dual Language Programs. Educational Psychology, 2, 94-111. 

[16] Soltero-González, L., Sparrow, W., Butvilofsky, S., Escamilla, K. and Hopewell, S. (2016). Effects of a Paired Literacy Program on Emerging Bilingual Children’s Biliteracy Outcomes in Third Grade. Journal of Literacy Research, 1, 80-104. 

[17] Butvilofsky, S. A., Hopewell, S., Escamilla, K. and Sparrow, W. (2017). Shifting Deficit Paradigms of Latino Emerging Bilingual Students’ Literacy Achievement: Documenting Biliterate Trajectories. Journal of Latinos and Education, 2, 85-97.

[18] Spies, T. G., Lara-Alecio, R., Tong, F., Irby, B. J., Garza, T. and Huerta, M. (2018). The Effects of Developing English Language and Literacy on Spanish Reading Comprehension. The Journal of Educational Research, 5, 517-529. 

[19] Baker, D. L., Park, Y., Baker, S. K., Basaraba, D. L., Kame'enui, E. J. and Beck, C. T. (2012). Effects of a Paired Bilingual Reading Program and an English-Only Program on the Reading Performance of English Learners in Grades 1–3. Journal of School Psychology, 6, 737-758.

[20] Uchikoshi, Y. and Maniates, H. (2010). How Does Bilingual Instruction Enhance English Achievement? A Mixed-Methods Study of Cantonese-Speaking and Spanish-Speaking Bilingual Classrooms. Bilingual Research Journal, 3, 364-385. 

[21] Farver, J. A. M., Lonigan, C. J. and Eppe, S. (2009). Effective Early Literacy Skill Development for Young Spanish‐Speaking English Language Learners: An Experimental Study of Two Methods. Child Development, 3, 703-719. 

[22] Proctor, C. P., August, D., Carlo, M. and Barr, C. (2010). Language Maintenance Versus Language of Instruction: Spanish Reading Development among Latino and Latina Bilingual Learners. Journal of Social Issues, 1, 79-94.  

[23] Durán, L., Roseth, C., Hoffman, P. and Robertshaw, M. B. (2013). Spanish-Speaking Preschoolers' Early Literacy Development: A Longitudinal Experimental Comparison of Predominantly English and Transitional Bilingual Education. Bilingual Research Journal, 1, 6-34.

[24] Murphy, A. F. (2014). The Effect of Dual-Language and Transitional-Bilingual Education Instructional Models on Spanish Proficiency for English Language Learners. Bilingual Research Journal, 2, 182-194. 

[25] Tong, F., Lara-Alecio, R., Irby, B. J. and Mathes, P. G. (2011). The Effects of an Instructional Intervention on Dual Language Development among First-Grade Hispanic English-Learning Boys and Girls: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study. The Journal of Educational Research, 2, 87-99. 

[26] Miley, S. K. and Farmer, A. (2017). English Language Proficiency and Content Assessment Performance: A Comparison of English Learners and Native English Speakers Achievement. English Language Teaching, 9, 198. 

[27] Lindholm-Leary, K. (2014). Bilingual and Biliteracy Skills in Young Spanish-Speaking Low-SES Children: Impact of Instructional Language and Primary Language Proficiency. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2, 144-159. 

[28] Cheung, A. C. and Slavin, R. E. (2012). Effective Reading Programs for Spanish-Dominant English Language Learners (ELLs) in the Elementary Grades: A Synthesis of Research. Review of Educational Research, 4, 351-395. 

[29] Baker, D. L., Burns, D., Kame’enui, E. J., Smolkowski, K. and Baker, S. K. (2016). Does Supplemental Instruction Support the Transition from Spanish to English Reading Instruction for First-Grade English Learners at Risk of Reading Difficulties? Learning Disability Quarterly, 4, 226-239.

[30] Tong, F., Lara-Alecio, R., Irby, B., Mathes, P. and Kwok, O. M. (2008). Accelerating Early Academic Oral English Development in Transitional Bilingual and Structured English Immersion Programs. American Educational Research Journal, 4, 1011-1044. 

[31] Slavin, R. E., Madden, N., Calderón, M., Chamberlain, A. and Hennessy, M. (2011). Reading and Language Outcomes of a Multiyear Randomized Evaluation of Transitional Bilingual Education. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 1, 47-58. 

[32] Valentino, R. A. and Reardon, S. F. (2015). Effectiveness of Four Instructional Programs Designed to Serve English Learners: Variation by Ethnicity and Initial English Proficiency. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 4, 612-637.