TY - JOUR
T1 - Growth of phonemic awareness and spelling in a second language
AU - Yeung, Susanna S.
AU - Liu, Yingyi
AU - Lin, Dan
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by Internal Research Grant, The Education University of Hong Kong; Quality Education Fund, HKSAR [grant number 2011/0316].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
PY - 2020/7/2
Y1 - 2020/7/2
N2 - Previous studies have examined the predictive significance of the level of phonemic awareness in L2 spelling, but have left the role of phonemic awareness growth relatively unexplored. The aims of the present study were to examine (1) the growth trajectory of phonemic awareness in the kindergarten years; and (2) the unique contribution of initial levels and growth of phonemic awareness in L2 spelling, with other important cognitive-linguistic predictors statistically controlled. One hundred and forty-one Chinese ESL children were followed for one year during which their phonemic awareness was assessed four times, at three-monthly intervals. Spelling was assessed at Time 5, which was 12 months after the beginning of the study. Non-linear growth of phonemic awareness was observed. With age, non-verbal intelligence, letter name knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, syntactic awareness, word reading statistically controlled, both the initial levels and growth of phonemic awareness predicted L2 spelling at T5. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
AB - Previous studies have examined the predictive significance of the level of phonemic awareness in L2 spelling, but have left the role of phonemic awareness growth relatively unexplored. The aims of the present study were to examine (1) the growth trajectory of phonemic awareness in the kindergarten years; and (2) the unique contribution of initial levels and growth of phonemic awareness in L2 spelling, with other important cognitive-linguistic predictors statistically controlled. One hundred and forty-one Chinese ESL children were followed for one year during which their phonemic awareness was assessed four times, at three-monthly intervals. Spelling was assessed at Time 5, which was 12 months after the beginning of the study. Non-linear growth of phonemic awareness was observed. With age, non-verbal intelligence, letter name knowledge, vocabulary knowledge, syntactic awareness, word reading statistically controlled, both the initial levels and growth of phonemic awareness predicted L2 spelling at T5. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
KW - Chinese learners
KW - growth model
KW - Phonemic awareness
KW - second language learning
KW - spelling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85035348712&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/13670050.2017.1409695
DO - 10.1080/13670050.2017.1409695
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85035348712
VL - 23
SP - 754
EP - 768
JO - International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
JF - International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism
SN - 1367-0050
IS - 6
ER -
