Abstract
Many immigrant children in minority language settings learn to read in their second language (L2), which is the language of their country of residence, prior to their L1. Differences between groups of learners become more evident when children follow this literacy learning pattern with different scripts and linguistic typologies for the languages they learn to read and speak. This study aimed to identify variables related to L1 reading for Hindi–English and Urdu–English speakers who learn to read in English, prior to receiving formal literacy instruction in Hindi or Urdu. Oral language and reading skills were tested in 100 (8-to-10-year-old) children in both their languages. Urdu–English speakers outperformed Hindi–English speakers when compared on English reading skills. For the Urdu–English group most of the variables were significantly correlated across languages, and Urdu–English reading skills were uniquely related. However, despite most of the variables being significantly correlated across languages, English literacy skills were not uniquely related to word reading in Hindi. Urdu–English, both alphabetic languages, showed stronger cross-linguistic relationships between variables as compared to Hindi and English, languages with different writing systems. Additionally, some language and reading skills were language-specific and some language-general for the two language groups.
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Notes
Even in countries where English is an official language, such as India and Pakistan, most people learn English as a second or additional language.
The demographic information collected from the participants suggests that in several cases the children spoke other languages than Urdu and Hindi in the home, making it unclear which languages were the first second and possibly third languages. For the sake of simplicity, Urdu or Hindi will be referred to as the L1, while English will be referred to as the L2 for all learners.
In this school board, heritage language classes are offered on weekends and named International Language Schools to encourage non-native speakers to enroll if they are interested.
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Mirza, A., Gottardo, A. The effects of second language literacy instruction on first language literacy: a comparison between Hindi–English and Urdu–English Canadian bilinguals. J Cult Cogn Sci 6, 229–248 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41809-022-00100-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41809-022-00100-4