Understanding literacy acquisition through immersion in foreign languages

描述(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。目前的大多数阅读理论都认为，语音系统和语义系统的发展、参与和相互作用取决于语言的统计特性。这项研究的首要目标是利用这些差异，并对学习英语阅读的复杂过程进行全面的神经认知调查。是在阅读习得的关键时期在网上形成的。这将通过长期和密集地接触不同的语言(西班牙语、SP；广东话、CN)来实现，这些语言不同地强调这些拼音和拼音系统。SP和Eng有相同的罗马字母，但有不同的、更有规则的拼写到声音的映射，强调语音重新编码。CN使用的是中文形音节书写系统，这种书写系统不透明，字到音的映射很弱，可能导致对正音加工的更多依赖。具体地说，我们将启动一项前瞻性的、纵向的、双向的、从幼儿园到二年级末的阅读习得研究，以英语为基础，分5组进行操作。是他们的第一或第二语言(L1对L2)和沉浸式语言(Sp对CN对None)：母语英语。(L1)在美国开始Sp和CN沉浸课程的新兴读者最初主要学习他们的L2(L1Eng/L2Sp，L1Eng/L2Cn)，在美国开始相同的双向沉浸课程的L1 Sp和CN使用者最初主要学习他们的L1(L1Sp/L2Eng，L1Cn/L2Eng)和Eng。在同一所学校学习但不在浸入式课程中学习的单语者(L1Eng)。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)学习英语阅读对英语阅读的影响。不同的语言特性下的阅读发展，3)影响语言间/识字间影响(或迁移)的因素，以及4)这些过程是如何被早期的语言环境(例如，早期接触英语，CN和Sp作为第一语言)和神经认知能力(例如，语音意识和相关的大脑回路，未来阅读障碍的一个重要风险因素)塑造的。这最后一个探索性目标的发现将提供 对第二语言学习对有阅读障碍风险的儿童的影响的重要初步洞察，这一群体往往不鼓励学习外语。我们将从与我们有合作关系的当地学区招募儿童。该学区以其广泛的双向沉浸项目而闻名。这一大规模的努力将推动英语识字发展背后的神经认知过程的理论。通过用不同语言特性的语言“扰乱系统”，促进对多种语言背后的神经认知过程的理解，以及少数族裔学生如何学习阅读英语。在美国

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.