The anxiety around implementing reading and writing systems in a new language can sometimes make schools overlook a consistent finding in research: oral proficiency is a predictor of success for acquiring written language. In simpler terms: the better children are at speaking English (not just understanding, but SPEAKING), the easier and more natural it will be for them to learn to read and write.
When we think about monolingual English-speaking children, the skills that predict success in literacy are:
- Print motivation: children are interested in and enjoy books.
- Print awareness: children notice the written world around them, know how to handle books, and follow the text while someone reads to them.
- Letter knowledge: children can differentiate symbols from letters, understand that letters represent sounds, and match letters to their common or primary sounds.
- Vocabulary: Children understand and use words that are appropriate for their age.
- Phonological awareness: children can recognize, isolate, and manipulate sounds in oral language.
- Narrative skills: children can speak coherently, organize events, make predictions, connect cause and effect, and tell stories.
Well, these are the predictors for a MONOLINGUAL child in a monolingual English context. Can our 4, 5, or 6-year-olds start a literacy program designed for monolingual children?
Do the children at your school have the same vocabulary, narrative skills, and phonological awareness as a monolingual child of the same age?
That’s why we advocate for careful consideration when planning the curriculum and adopting a literacy program. No matter how successful or “scientifically proven” the literacy program is, doesn’t it need a critical review and adaptation before being used in your classroom or school?
“But my students are learning!” some teachers say. Yes, of course they are! You’re dedicating a significant amount of intentional teaching time to these practices, so the children will learn. The deeper question here is: should this considerable amount of time be divided between other skills that help build a foundation for (bi)literacy? Could investing more in speaking skills bring the same results, but in a quicker and more effective way? What percentage of time do you and the co-teacher spend on this area of knowledge? While you focused on it, what other areas of knowledge are being left out or underemphasized?
These are questions answered by the National Committee for Effective Literacy, which states:
“For dual language learners who are developing early literacy in English, the development of oral language and background knowledge in English is crucial to effective early literacy approaches, helping to connect the association of sounds and text with meaning. The repertoire of vocabulary that dual language learners develop as preschoolers is an important precursor to their development of reading skills and comprehension.” (Herrera et al., 2022, p. 14)
So, the suggestion here is to step away from paper and structured phonic-based programs while the children are still in Early Childhood Education (or until they have adequate fluency in English, perhaps in first or second grade?) and invest heavily in expanding vocabulary, narrative skills, phonological awareness, reading, and building a bond with books and stories—along with oral production in the new language! These are the actions that will make the process of biliteracy much simpler and more effective in the following years.
If you want to learn how to work on biliteracy in Early Childhood Education, check out our course “Biliteracy in Action”. Through hands-on, practical strategies, this course provides the tools necessary to engage students and foster biliteracy in bilingual classrooms.
Reference:
Herrera, S. G., Martinez, M. I., Olsen, L., & Soltero, S. (2022). Early literacy development and instruction for dual language learners in early childhood education. National Committee for Effective Literacy for Emergent Bilingual Students.
