Reading-Writing Relationships in First and Second Language

Abstract

The study reported in this article examined the first language and second language reading and writing abilities of adult ESL learners to determine the relationships across languages (L1 and L2) and across modalities (reading and writing) in the acquisition of L2 literacy skills. Specifically, we investigated relationships (a) between literacy skills in a first language and literacy development in a second language (i.e., between reading in L1 and L2, and between writing in L1 and L2), and (b) between reading and writing in L1 and L2 (i.e., between reading and writing in L1, and between reading and writing in L2). The subjects, Japanese and Chinese ESL students in academic settings, were asked to write an essay and to complete a cloze passage in both their first and second languages. The results indicate that literacy skills can transfer across languages, but that the pattern of this transfer varies for the two language groups. It also appears that reading ability transfers more easily from L1 to L2 than does writing ability, and that the relationship between reading and writing skills varies for the two language groups. These data suggest that L2 literacy development is a complex phenomenon for already literate adult second language learners involving variables such as L2 language proficiency, L1 and L2 educational experience, and cultural literacy practices that may be related to different patterns of L2 literacy acquisition.

Connections between First- and Second-Language Reading

“…This finding not only supports Cummins's (1981) Interdependence Hypothesis, but corroborates the results of previous research supporting the transfer phenomenon (Carson et al, 1990;Groebel, 1980;Reyes, 1987;Wagner et al, 1989; among many others). Evidently, language skills do transfer, allowing language students, particularly upper level students who have reached the necessary language threshold, to capitalize upon their LI skills in order to make sense of the L2.…”

“…The positive correlations resulting from reading ability transfer studies (e.g., Carson, Carrell, Silberstein, Kroll, & Kuehn, 1990;Goldman, Reyes, & Varnhagen, 1984;Groebel, 1980;Reyes, 1987;Wagner, Spratt, & Ezzaki, 1989) uphold the idea that though the relationship between LI and L2 reading may vary according to L2 proficiency level, or other factors such as text genre, reading proficiency can transfer between languages.…”

“…Groebel (1980) administered standardized LI and L2 reading tests to 383 native Hebrew-speaking English as a Second Language (ESL) learners. Carson et al (1990) tested 48 Chinese and 57 Japanese ESL learners, with the correlation for the Japanese subjects higher than it was for the Chinese subjects. Goldman et al (1984) examined the Spanish and English reading scores of 12 bilingual fourth graders.…”

“…Some of the many studies in which positive correlations between LI and L2 reading scores were found include Groebel (1980), Carson et al (1990), Goldman et al (1984), Reyes (1987), and Wagner et al (1989). Groebel (1980) administered standardized LI and L2 reading tests to 383 native Hebrew-speaking English as a Second Language (ESL) learners.…”

The Interrelationship among L1 Writing Skills, L2 Writing Skills, and L2 Proficiency of Iranian EFL Learners at Different Proficiency Levels

“…For instance, Carson, Carrell, Silberstein, Kroll, and Kuehn (1990) examined the correlation between first and second language writing performance of 57 Japanese students and 48 Chinese students Japanese. The results of their study revealed a weak but positive correlation between writing skills of Japanese students (r =.23) but they did not find a positive relationship for Chinese students' composition skills (r = -.19).…”