Spelling It Out, One por Uno: Patterns of Emergent Bilinguals in a Dual Language Classroom

Abstract

The extant research literature on emergent bilingual spelling focuses on developmental patterns and the interference of first language with second language. The purpose of this article is to provide teachers with an alternate view of emergent bilingual spelling in an effort to influence spelling instruction in the classroom. Writing samples produced by second‐grade students in a dual language program were analyzed to gain insight into the spelling development of emergent bilinguals. Strikingly, there was an inverse relationship between Spanish‐influenced errors and English approximations as the school year progressed. In other words, as fluency in English orthography increased, Spanish‐influenced errors decreased. Furthermore, emergent bilinguals committed vowel spelling errors throughout the school year. The researchers discuss implications for classroom instruction in the form of a process that teachers can use to teach English spelling. Additionally, a list of common spelling errors is provided. The authors maintain that spelling errors are not a result of interference but are part of the developmental process in learning English that can be addressed through individualized and/or group instruction.

Linguistic Factors and the Spelling Ability of Spanish Heritage Language Learners

“…Of the errors made by bilingual children from the Spanish-literacy group, 29% were Spanish-influenced. Linan-Thompson et al (2018) found an even higher rate of Spanish-influenced spelling errors in second grade students' bilingual journals (naturalistic writing). They note that over half of the children's spelling errors involved vowels, such as "geyme" for "game.…”

Supporting the Writing Development of Emergent Bilingual Children: Universal and Language‐Specific Approaches

“…For example, because English and Spanish are both alphabetic languages that share many of the same sounds, studies of Spanish-English bilingual children learning two languages simultaneously suggest similar writing progressions in both languages and reciprocal interactions between the languages across time (Butvilofsky et al, 2017). For Alvaro, who is learning Spanish and English sequentially, increasing knowledge in the second language can help him acquire stronger phonemic awareness knowledge (Raynolds & Uhry, 2010), which will be important to both L1 and L2 spelling development (Linan-Thompson et al, 2018). Although teachers cannot possibly know all the intricacies of the varied languages that children might bring to the classroom, a deep appreciation for these cultural and linguistic resources can help them attend to the varied manner in which children's meaning and print-based writing processes support each other.…”

Emergent Bilinguals’ Use of Word Prediction Software Amid Digital Composing

“…Students experimented with letters and words and eventually moved toward the act of spelling by making connections between graphemes and phonemes in both languages. Additionally, Linan‐Thompson et al (2018) found that fluency in English orthography resulted in a decrease in Spanish‐influenced errors. This is substantial because it showed that spelling errors are not a result of language interference but are part of a developmental process of learning to spell that exists across a continuum.…”

“…The software assisted Salomon with English spelling, which allowed him to continue writing and not be frustrated with the choice of letters for the word bed. As part of the repeated exposure to standard spellings of English words, some students began to identify patterns within words that support emergent bilinguals' writing in English (Linan- Thompson et al, 2018).…”