Understanding literacy acquisition through immersion in foreign languages

描述（由申请人提供）：本提案是一项“自然实验”，旨在研究对比环境对神经可塑性的深刻影响。目前大多数关于阅读的观点认为，正音系统和正音系统的发展、参与和相互作用取决于语言的统计特性。本研究的总体目标是利用这些差异，对阅读习得的关键时期，复杂的英语阅读学习过程是如何在网上形成的进行全面的神经认知研究。这将通过长时间和密集地接触对比语言（西班牙语，西班牙语；广东话，Cn）来实现，这些语言不同地强调这些正音和正音系统。Sp和Eng有相同的罗马字母。但有一种不同的、更规则的拼写到语音映射，强调语音重新编码。Cn使用的是不透明的汉语词形音节书写系统，字符到声音的映射很弱，可能会导致更多地依赖于正语义过程。具体而言，我们将以英语为基础，对5个小组从幼儿园(K)到二年级结束的阅读习得进行前瞻性、纵向和双向的测试。作为他们的第一或第二语言（L1 vs L2）和沉浸语言（Sp vs Cn vs none）：母语是英语。（L1）美国的新兴读者开始Sp和Cn浸入式课程，最初主要学习他们的L2 (L1Eng/L2Sp, L1Eng/L2Cn)，美国的L1Sp和Cn演讲者开始同样的双向浸入式课程，最初主要学习他们的L1 （L1Sp/L2Eng, L1Cn/L2Eng）和英语。只说一种语言的人在同一所学校上学，但不参加浸入式课程（英语）。本研究的主要目的是探讨：1)英语阅读相关过程和脑回路发展的个体差异。2)中文和中文阅读对英语的影响。3)影响语际/跨文化影响（或迁移）的因素，以及4)这些过程如何受到早期语言环境（如早期接触英语）的影响。神经认知能力（例如语音意识和相关的脑回路，这是未来阅读障碍的一个重要危险因素）。最后一个探索性目标的发现将提供

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This proposal is an "experiment of nature" that examines the profound effect of contrasting environment on neuroplasticity. Most current views of reading posit that the development, involvement and interaction of ortho-phonological and ortho-semantic systems depend on the statistical properties of languages. The overarching goal of this study is to take advantage of these differences, and perform a comprehensive neurocognitive investigation of how the complex process of learning to read in English (Eng.) is shaped online during the critical period of reading acquisition. This will be achieved by prolonged and intensive exposure to contrasting languages (Spanish, SP; Cantonese, Cn) that differentially stress these ortho-phonological and ortho-semantic systems. Sp has the same Roman alphabet as Eng., but with a different and more regular spelling-to-sound mapping that emphasizes phonological recoding. Cn uses the Chinese morphosyllabic writing system that is opaque and has weak character-to-sound mapping, presumably leading to greater reliance on ortho-semantic processes. Specifically, we will launch a prospective, longitudinal, and bidirectional examination of reading acquisition from kindergarten (K) to end of 2nd grade in 5 groups that is manipulated based on Eng. being their first or second language (L1 vs. L2) and the immersed language (Sp vs. Cn vs. none): native Eng. (L1) emerging readers in the U.S. starting Sp and Cn immersion programs initially learning primarily their L2 (L1Eng/L2Sp, L1Eng/L2Cn), L1 Sp and Cn speakers in the U.S. starting the same two-way immersion programs initially learning primarily their L1 (L1Sp/L2Eng, L1Cn/L2Eng), and Eng. monolinguals attending the same schools but not in the immersion programs (L1Eng). The main aims of the study are to investigate: 1) individual differences in the development of reading-related processes and brain circuitries in Eng., 2) how learning to read in Sp and Cn influence Eng. reading development given variant linguistic properties, 3) factors that affect interlinguistic/interliteracy influence (or transfer) , and 4) how these processes are shaped by early linguistic environment (e.g. early exposure to Eng., Cn versus Sp as their L1) and neurocognitive capacities (e.g. phonological awareness and related brain circuits, a significant risk factor of future reading impairment). The findings from this last exploratory aim will provide important initial insight into the influence of second language learning on children at-risk for developing reading disabilities, a population that is often discouraged from learning a foreign language. Children will be recruited from a local school district with which we have a collaborative relationship. The district is well-known for its extensive two-way immersion programs. This large-scale effort will advance theories of the neurocognitive processes underlying literacy development in Eng. by "perturbing the system" with languages of variant linguistic properties, advance understanding of the neurocognitive processes underlying multilingualism, and how minority students learn to read Eng. in the U.S.