BILINGUAL PRESCHOOLERS--PRECURSORS TO LITERACY

描述：(根据应聘者的描述改编)识字是一种 所有儿童都必须具备的多方面技能。识字率变得更高 对于说西班牙语的儿童来说很复杂，因为他们开始了识字过程 有着不同的语言经验。孩子们可以在以下家庭中抚养 西班牙语是唯一说的语言，在下列情况下可能会逐渐变成双语 他们进入了一个教育环境。其他人同时学习两种语言 同时。扫盲发展可能会因以下原因而进一步复杂化 家庭环境和学校环境之间的差异。这一前景 纵向研究涉及三个相互关联的问题：(A)什么是 语言和识字发展的速度和质量的差异 在孩子们按顺序和同时学习西班牙语和英语之间？ (B)口语发展和环境的哪些因素导致 双语儿童的积极和消极识字结果？及(C)如何 双语儿童语言系统的具体特征涉及 对于识字结果，家庭环境如何缓冲儿童 负面结果？为了解决这些问题，这项研究考察了 百人的语言习得、识字发展与家庭环境 参加Head Start的波多黎各裔儿童。五十个孩子 顺序习得西班牙语和英语，50人习得这两种语言 同时学习的年龄从四岁到六岁不等。这个 将深入研究24名儿童的发育情况。结果是 调查的结果将告诉我们：(A)双语语言的模式 获得更好的识字能力；和(B)具体因素 干预措施应针对这一点，以促进更好的结果。

DESCRIPTION: (Adapted from applicant's description) Becoming literate is a multifaceted skill that all children must accomplish. Literacy becomes more complex for Spanish speaking children because they begin the literacy process with varied language experiences. Children may be raised in a home in which Spanish is the only language spoken and may become bilingual sequentially when they enter an educational setting. Others learn both languages simultaneously. Literacy development may be further complicated by differences between the home and school environments. This prospective longitudinal study addresses three interrelated questions: (a) What are the differences in the rate and quality of language and literacy development between children learning Spanish and English sequentially and simultaneously? (b) What factors of oral language development and the environment result in positive and negative literacy outcomes in bilingual children? and (c) How do the specific characteristics of bilingual children's linguistic systems relate to literacy outcomes and how does the home environment buffer children against negative outcomes? To address these questions, this study examines the language acquisition, literacy development, and home environment of 100 children of Puerto Rican descent who attend Head Start. Fifty children acquiring Spanish and English sequentially and 50 acquiring the two languages simultaneously will be studied from the ages of four to six years. The development of a subset of 24 children will be studied in depth. The results of the investigation will inform us of (a) the patterns of bilingual language acquisition that result in better literacy abilities; and (b) specific factors that should be targeted in interventions to facilitate better outcomes.