The role of first-language listening comprehension in second-language reading comprehension.

Abstract

Although the simple view of reading and other theories suggest that listening comprehension is an important determinant of reading comprehension, previous research on linguistic transfer has mainly focused on the role of first language (L1) decoding skills in second language (L2) reading. The present study tested the assumption that listening comprehension in L1 is a significant predictor of language minority students’ reading comprehension in L2. In addition, we explored whether the cross-linguistic relationship is particularly pronounced at higher levels of L1 proficiency. The sample included 502 9th grade students with Russian as L1 and 662 9th grade students with Turkish as L1 from a nationwide study conducted in Germany. The L1s of these students differ in their similarity to their L2, German: Russian is considerably more similar to German than is Turkish. In both language groups, L1 listening comprehension significantly predicted L2 reading comprehension in linear regression models; this was also true after important control variables were taken into account. Polynomial regression models indicated that the relationship between L1 proficiency and L2 proficiency was linear in the Russian sample, yet stronger at higher levels of L1 proficiency in the Turkish sample. Thus, the prediction that transfer should be more pronounced at higher levels of L1 proficiency was also partly supported. Our study extends the range of L1 skills previously known to transfer to L2 reading. We found the predicted relationship between L1 listening comprehension and L2 reading comprehension in 2 language groups with varying degrees of language similarity, suggesting that the effect is language-independent.

From equality and inclusion to cultural pluralism – Evolution and effects of cultural diversity perspectives in schools

“…Yet, teachers enforcing a monolingual education policy were recently found to have less trust in the engagement of their students, which may increase stereotype threat and hamper minority student achievement (Pulinx, Van Avermaet, & Agirdag, 2015). There is now an increasing appreciation of multilingualism and first-language skills as an additional resource, which can promote integration and socio-emotional adjustment of immigrant students (Makarova, 2014), but also facilitate second-language acquisition (Edele & Stanat, 2015). Early exposure to a multilingual environment (even when not speaking another language) has further been associated with better perspective taking and communication skills (Fan, Liberman, Keysar, & Kinzler, 2015).…”

Specific Effects of Language Transfer Promoting Teaching and Insights Into the Implementation in EFL-Teaching

“…Actual empirical data from the DESI-study and from other large-scale studies confirm the relevance of this assumption (Edele & Stanat, 2015;Hesse, Göbel, & Hartig, 2008;Rauch, 2014) . The language systems within the individual seem to be in continuous interaction; changes in one linguistic system might have an effect on other linguistic systems (Hufeisen & Jessner, 2009) .…”

Should Schools Undermine or Sustain Multilingualism? an Analysis of Theory, Research, and Pedagogical Practice

“…However, they also reported significant positive cross-language transfer from L1 to L2, which they suggest is capable of partially mitigating the negative association between L1 input and Dutch language development. Edele and Stanat (2016) carried out a large-scale and well-designed study of Russian-and Turkish-speaking 9 th grade students (aged approximately 15 years) in Germany focused primarily on investigating the relationship between L1 listening comprehension and German (L2) reading comprehension skills. For both groups, they reported significant relationships between L1 listening comprehension and L2 reading comprehension that were independent of background variables such as SES, non-verbal cognitive ability, and type of school.…”