The development and literacy skills in children who speak Spanish is a major problem for our society. The most pressing issue for research in this area is the language in the literacy development of English-language learning. The objective of this program project application is to identify the factors and conditions under which children who speak Spanish develop proficient literacy skills in English and Spanish. The central theme is that there is substantial variability in the development of literacy skills among English-language. Multiple factors and conditions at levels involving the child, teacher, and the context in which the child develops (school, family, community) account for this variability. In order to explain this variability, these factor and conditions must by language in literacy skill development. To address this objective and central theme, we propose a core longitudinal study from K-G3 of 1,440 children in 144 classrooms in schools from 3 geographic regions: urban Texas, border Texas, and urban California. These children will be selected from classroom representative of one of 4 language program models; (1) English language immersion; (2) early exit; (3) late exit; and (4) dual language. Five projects are proposed: 1) Project I (Measurement) addresses the development and evaluation of instruments for measuring oral language proficiency, literacy skills, and literacy-related skills in English and Spanish; 2) Project II (Development) proposes a 4-year longitudinal study (K-G3) of the growth of oral language proficiency, literacy skills, and literacy-related skills; 3) Project III (Instruction) provides for systematic observations of classroom instructional practices; Project IV (Intervention) evaluates the efficacy of early interventions for high risk English-language learners. Two Cores support the 5 projects: Core A (Administrative Core); and Core B (Data Management, Computer, and Statistics). Projects II-IV are based on the same core longitudinal sample and utilize the measures developed in Project I (Measurement). This synergistic, multi-site study addresses the primary focus of the RFA by systematically evaluating """"""""the condition under which English-language reading and writing skills are most efficiently and productively developed in children whose first language is Spanish.""""""""
| Alt, Mary; Arizmendi, Genesis D; DiLallo, Jennifer N (2016) The Role of Socioeconomic Status in the Narrative Story Retells of School-Aged English Language Learners. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 47:313-323 |
| Heilmann, John J; Miller, Jon F; Nockerts, Ann (2010) Using language sample databases. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 41:84-95 |
| Mathes, Patricia G; Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn D; Cardenas-Hagan, Elsa et al. (2007) Teaching struggling readers who are native Spanish speakers: what do we know? Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 38:260-71 |
| Cardenas-Hagan, Elsa; Carlson, Coleen D; Pollard-Durodola, Sharolyn D (2007) The cross-linguistic transfer of early literacy skills: the role of initial L1 and L2 skills and language of instruction. Lang Speech Hear Serv Sch 38:249-59 |
| Linan-Thompson, Sylvia; Vaughn, Sharon; Prater, Kathryn et al. (2006) The response to intervention of English language learners at risk for reading problems. J Learn Disabil 39:390-8 |
| Vaughn, Sharon; Linan-Thompson, Sylvia; Mathes, Patricia G et al. (2006) Effectiveness of Spanish intervention for first-grade English language learners at risk for reading difficulties. J Learn Disabil 39:56-73 |
| Mehta, Paras D; Neale, Michael C (2005) People are variables too: multilevel structural equations modeling. Psychol Methods 10:259-84 |
