Its Time to Revisit Approaches to Spanish Literacy Instruction

1
Its Time to Revisit Approaches to Spanish
Literacy Instruction

• Diane Sharken Taboada
• Jill Kerper Mora
• CABE Two-Way Bilingual Immersion Conference
• July 9, 2009

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Roadmap to a Revisit

• Review of the theoretical research base for
  Spanish literacy instruction methods in a
  biliteracy context.
• What we learn from colleagues in Spanish-speaking
  countries Taboada Mora study
• A model Mexico National Reading Program unit
• Examination of the Reflexión sobre la lengua
  component A taxonomy of approaches
• Application of a metalinguistic approach
• Word Study in Spanish

3
The Biliteracy Puzzle Our Knowledge Base
Research
Effective Practice
Biliteracy ProgramDesign
4
Why Its Time

• Meta-analyses of research in the USA
• National Reading Panel (2000)
• National Literacy Panel on Language-minority
  Children Youth (2006)
• Re-examination of prior current research
  studies from Spain Latin America
• Literacy learning among native Spanish speakers
• Literacy program design implementation in
  Spanish-speaking countries
• Focus on cross-linguistic transfer
  metalinguistics in literacy learning in
  dual-language programs

5
The alphabets have existed since the 17th century
B.C.E. Should we really be afraid that the
current generation of students will fail to
appreciate and learn the aphabetic principle?
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National Reading Panel (2000)

• The Big Five phonemic awareness, phonics,
  vocabulary, fluency, comprehension. The Panel
  used these categories to classify research
  studies for meta-analysis.
• Phonics studies reviewed based on the salience of
  phonemic awareness and letter knowledge as strong
  predictors of reading achievement.
• Rigorous criteria for inclusion of studies in the
  meta-analysis (empirical, treatment vs. control
  groups)
• Taxonomy of phonics instruction approaches
  analogy, analytic, phonics through spelling,
  synthetic.
• Continuum of explicit, direct, systematic types
  of phonics instruction.

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The National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority
Children Youth Report (2006)

• 293 methodologically-sound research studies from
  1980-2002 included.
• Analysis based on a solid theoretical framework.
• LMS instructed in their L1 (Spanish) as well as
  in English on average perform better on English
  reading measures than their peers taught only in
  English at the elementary and secondary levels.
• While word level decoding spelling skills may
  be at equal levels to their monolingual peers,
  this is not the case for text-level comprehension
  skills.
• The report concludes Language-minority students
  (LMS) who are literate in their first language
  are likely to be advantaged in the acquisition of
  English literacy. (August Shanahan, 2006, p.
  17).

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Connections with the Spanish-speaking world
Demographics

• Children of immigrants
• Migratory transnational students
• Spanish Heritage Language students
• ?
• collaborative scholarship for
• effective programs and
• instructional approaches

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Connections with the Spanish-speaking world
Theoretical

• 1960s-70s Methodological disputes (La querrella
  de los métodos)
• 1980s Constructivist reforms Emilia Ferreiro,
  Margarita Gómez Palacio, Donald Graves, Frank
  Smith, Kenneth Yetta Goodman
• 1990s Federal program reforms (La nueva
  propuesta) implementation becomes a mature
  established program
• 2007-2012 National development plan maintain
  theoretical underpinnings

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What We Learn From Spain Latin America

• How native-Spanish speakers learn to read in
  terms of stages progression in literacy
  development.
• What challenges they encounter at different
  stages of literacy development.
• The best predictors of school reading
  performance.
• The relationship between oral language, reading
  and writing metalinguistic knowledge.
• Approaches methods of reading writing
  instruction.
• Literacy program theoretical models, curriculum
  design instructional materials classroom
  implementation.

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Lost in Translation

• We cant simply impose models of English literacy
  teaching learning onto Spanish.
• Assessments of Spanish readers must be based on
  sound theory research into how Spanish literacy
  is commonly taught why.
• We must consider pre-literacy experiences in the
  home community and in schools in immigrant
  students countries of origin.
• After 10 years of English-only emphasis in laws
  and policies, the value of Spanish literacy for
  its own sake must be reconsidered.

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Teaching for L1/L2 Transfer A Metalinguistic
Model
Linguistic Competence ListeningSpeakingReading W
riting
Language Universals
Phonology Morphology Syntax Grammar Conventiona
l Meanings
Age-Peer Level Proficiency
DevelopingProficiency
Cross-linguistic Transfer
L1 Specific Mappings (Transparent/Opaque) Orthogra
phy-to-phonology Semantics Lexicon
L2 Specific Mappings (Transparent/Opaque) Orthogra
phy-to-phonology Semantics Lexicon
TranslationCognates
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Taxonomy of Phonics Instruction Approaches

• Methods of analysis of relationships between oral
  language the alphabetic principle (orthography)
• Whole to part or analytical approaches (and, not
  versus) part to whole or synthetic approaches.
  Remember There can be no synthesis of language
  without analysis.
• Meaning of decoding word recognition
• Visual cueing based on word configuration
• Direct, explicit, systematic vs. embedded
  continuum
• Contextualized vs. discrete-point teaching

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Research from Spanish-speaking countries
Phonological Print Awareness

• Jiménez González Ortiz González (2000),
  Universidad Complutense de Madrid
• Awareness of written language features (print
  awareness) is the strongest predictor of reading
  comprehension performance.
• Syllable awareness emerges before phoneme
  awareness is a stronger predictor of reading
  ability.
• We must question assessments that claim to
  predict reading achievement for Spanish speakers
  based on research conducted on native English
  speakers.

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Letter Naming An Example of Spanish
Language-specific Mapping

• Cano Vernon (2008) from Mexico in Lectura y
  Vida
• Consonant letter identification among beginning
  readers is based on
• -consonant phonemes
• -word referents
• -first syllable of a word
• -letter names
• Traditionally, the teaching of Spanish letter
  names is delayed. Spanish-speaking immigrant
  parents from Latin America will typically not
  teach letter names to their pre-school children.

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Phonics in Biliteracy Classrooms

• Spanish L1 Phonics

• English L2 Phonics

• Syllabic awareness develops before phonemic
  awareness (PA) since syllables are
  defined-boundary rhythmic sound units.
• PA involves attention to syllabic stress patterns
  that alter meaning.
• Spelling patterns within syllables (syllabic
  context) such as with letters c and g determine
  letter-sound correspondence.

• There is greater consistency in English spelling
  in larger-than-phoneme units.
• Onset rhyme segmentation abilities are
  precursors to learning analogical decoding
  concepts.
• English has many monosyllabic words with
  1-phoneme differences.
• Open vs. closed syllables determine vowel sounds
  in multisyllabic words.

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The Context for Beginning Literacy Instruction
in Mexican First-Grade Classrooms(Taboada
Mora, 2008)

• Examine the relationship between the
  constructivist theoretical base of the literacy
  program in Mexico (Español), and the teachers
  understanding and application of this theory to
  their classroom practice.
• Explore the universal literacy teaching
  principles strategies that support instruction
  in differing socio-cultural and linguistic
  contexts (México and United States)
• Examine language-specific strategies that Mexican
  teachers espouse and apply in teaching Spanish
  literacy.

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Mixed Method Research Triangulated data
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Mexican National Reading ProgramReform Objectives

• Traditional instruction
• in Spanish
• Focus on mechanical decoding
• Strategies taught in isolation
• Repetition and memorization
• Students passively receiving information from
  teachers
• Limited attention to student motivation

• Constructivism
• Focus on comprehension
• Strategies taught in context of meaningful and
  integrated text
• Communicative and functional focus
• High level of student participation and creative
  effort
• Changes in the definition of a good reader

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Mexican National Reading ProgramTeachers Guide
Grade 1 (Libro para el Maestro)

• Functional Communicative Approach
• Reading is not only the translation of written
  material to oral language this would be the
  simple technical act of decoding.
• Leer no es simplemente trasladar el material
  escrito a la lengua oral eso sería una simple
  técnica de decodificación.
• Learning to read for understanding takes more
  time than learning to read as an act of decoding.
• Aprender a leer en forma comprensiva lleva más
  tiempo que aprender a descifrar.

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Mexican National Reading ProgramTeachers Guide
Grade 1 (Libro para el Maestro)

• 3. Reading and writing are two different actions
  that represent the two sides of a single coin.
• Leer y escribir son dos actos diferentes que
  conforman las dos caras de la misma moneda.
• 4. Once you learn to read as a mechanical act,
  it is difficult later to change your definition
  of reading.
• Cuando se comienza a leer mecánicamente es muy
  difícil cambiar después la forma de leer.
• 5. First grade teachers deal with a
  heterogeneous group of conceptual levels in their
  students.
• Los maestros de 1er grado enfrentan la
  heterogeneidad de niveles conceptuales de los
  alumnos de primer ciclo.

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Mexican National Reading Program Contents of
Teachers Guide
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Theoretical Orientation to Reading Instruction in
Spanish (TORIS)

• 25 items translated adapted from Diane
  DeFords (l985) Theoretical Orientation to
  Reading Profile plus 9 original items
• Development of the instrument
• Content validity procedures
• Factor analysis
• Correlation analysis

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Classroom Observation Checklist

• Fidelity to core program scope sequence
• Use of additional materials to core program
• Instructional grouping
• Setting instructional purpose
• Assessment

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SALON DE PRIMER GRADO
INICIOS Y FINALES IGUALES. RELACIONAR GRAFIA CON
SONIDO.
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• Portadores de texto
• Que existen en el contexto social.
• Diferentes tipos de texto que los mismos alumnos
  elaboran.

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BIBLIOTECA ESCOLAR
ADQUIRIR EL GUSTO POR LA LECTURA Y LA COMPRENSION
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PORTADORES DE TEXTO
CARTELES, ENVOLTURAS, ETIQUETAS
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(No Transcript)
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RELACION GRAFIA SONIDO
AUTOCORRECCION
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DISCOS SILABICOS
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EL CAMINITO
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Leccion 19 Un huevo saltarín

• Tiempo de escribir Time to write
• Write a recipe (prior knowledge) for cooking
  eggs
• Hablar y escuchar Talk and listen
• Relate to other stories. Use other known farm
  barnyard birds to create a story.
• Reflexión sobre la lengua Metalinguistics
• Work with other students to think of opposites
  (share vocabulary)

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Lección 19 Un huevo saltarín

• Leer y compartir read and share
• Promote collaboration between students to
  accomplish their work.
• Invite children to talk about the story and
  imagine a different ending.

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Métodos Analíticos o Globales

• Método del cuento
• Método de la oración
• Método de la palabra

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Métodos Sintéticos

• Alfabético
• Silábico
• Fonético
• Onomatopéyico

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Cómo se escribe?

• Por sílabas
• meteorología me-te-o-ro-lo-gí-a
• inmisericordiosamente in-mi-se-ri-cor-dio-sa-men
  -te
• Por diferencia de letras difíciles
• El apellido Esparza? Es con z.
• González o Gonzales? Es con s o con z?
• Jirafa es con g o con jota?
• Barrio es con v de vaca o b de burro?
• Coser de hilo y aguja, o cocer de cocinar?
• Por acento desinencial y significado
• Es sí con acento como en Sí, se puede!

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La mar estaba serena. Serena estaba la mar.

• La mar estaba serena. Serena estaba la mar.
• La mar astaba sarana. Sarana astaba la mar.
• Le mer estebe serene. Serene estebe le mer.
• Li mir istibi sirini. Sirini istibi li mir.
• Lo mor ostobo sorono. Sorono ostobo lo mor.
• Lu mur ustubu surunu. Surunu ustubu lu mur.

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Onocuentos Alfredo, El Niño Asustado
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La Vocal A

• A Alfredo le encantaba contar cuentos de
  fantasmas para asustar a sus amigos, pero un buen
  día le jugaron una broma con un globo de gas y
  una sábana. Pensó Alfredo que le perseguía un
  fantasma como los que había inventado él. Sus
  amigos le dieron un buen susto y se fue corriendo
  diciendo AAAAAAA aaaaaaa!

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TWI Daily Instruction Plan
Framing the Theme Read Aloud, Oral Language
Development
120 Minutes Literacy Block PhonicsLiterature
Thematic Units
IndependentReading-Sp
StructuredWriting-Eng
Phonics/MAInstruction
Guided Reading-Sp
Self-selected S/E Literature
Word Study
ELD/GuidedReading-Eng
Reader Response
Writing
L2 English/Spanish Transfer Instruction
Math 75 Min. Science/ Soc.St.45 Min. Alternate
Days
Content Areas

Concept Development in L1ESL/SSL
Reinforcement
Sp/Eng Dominant
Bilingual Instruction/SDAIE
Bilingual Students
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Word Study In Spanish

• Letras difíciles
• Parts of speech changes of function
• Singular/plural inflections noun/adjective
  agreement
• Classification by syllable stress written
  accent

• Cognates
• Verb tenses, conjugation and agreement
• Diminutive and augmentation derivitives (ito, ón,
  ote, ísimo)
• Enclisis apócope (cualquier, cualquiera, gran,
  grande)

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ConclusionIt Does Matter After All!

• There is much to learn from each other.
• Theoretical foundations and coherence of a
  program do matter.
• Teachers theoretical orientation to language and
  literacy instruction do matter.
• Technical expertise in teaching Spanish language
  and literacy are necessary.