Primary Language Matters: Is There a Link Between Primary Language Proficiency and English Language Learners’ Academic Achievement? 1 Nury Rodriguez Education 7202: Seminar in Applied Theory and Research II Fall 2010

Table of Contents 2 Introduction  Statement of Problem (Slide 3)  Review of Related Literature (Slides 4-5)  Research Hypothesis (Slide 6) Method  Participants (Slide 7)  Instruments (Slide 8)  Experimental Design (Slide 9)  Procedure (Slide 10) Results (Slides 11-15) Discussion (Slide 16) Implications (Slide 17) References (Slide 18)

Some English language learners are failing to meet the academic standards. Meanwhile, the debate continues of whether students who are learning English as a second language should be taught using their primary language or in an English only classroom. Some schools have adopted the transitional bilingual programs to help these children, but these transitional bilingual programs provide minimal primary language intervention. However, Cummins’ (1979) developmental interdependence hypothesis asserts that the “development of competence in a second language is partially a function of the type of competence already developed in the first language at the time when intensive exposure to the second language begins” (as cited in Lenters, 2004, p. 329). This action research will attempt to find out: What are the effects of a transitional bilingual intervention on literacy development? Is there a positive correlation between students’ primary language proficiency and target language reading development? 3 Statement of the Problem

Review of Related Literature ProCon  Jim Cummins Interdependence Principle suggests that L1 can facilitate the learning of L2 (as cited in Sparks, 2009, p. 205).  Keith Baker (1998) claims that the structured English immersion program is the best method to teach ELLs.  Cummins (1984) made a distinction between Basic Interpersonal Skills (BICS), and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) (as cited in Coleman & Goldenberg, 2009). He argues that it takes one to two years for second language learners to acquire BICS, and five years of target language exposure to develop CALP (as cited in, Garcia & C. Baker, 2007).  Structured English Immersion programs “mainstream their students in two to three years, compared to the five to eight years called for by a full bilingual education program” (Baker, 1998, p. 202).  Cummins’ (1979) Interdependence Hypothesis asserts that the “development of competence in a second language is partially a function of the type of competence already developed in the first language at the time when intensive exposure to the second language begins” (as cited in Lenters, 2004, p. 329).  The Threshold Hypothesis suggests that the level of proficiency in L2 is dependent on the level of competence in L1 (C. Baker, 2006).  The Threshold Hypothesis resorts to the use of “semi-lingualism” or “limited bilingualism” as the reason for children’s low academic achievement (Macswan, 2009, para. 8). 4

Review of Related Literature  Cross-linguistic transfer helps transfer knowledge of oral and literacy skills of primary language to the second language, and using the native language does not obstruct the second language development (Tong, Lara-Alecio, Irby, Mathes, & Kwok, 2008).  Students’ primary language proficiency at elementary level dictates the level of English proficiency and academic achievement in upper grades (Sparks et al., 2009).  Lee and Lemonnier Schallert’(‘s) (1997) study with Korean middle school and high school students, examined the threshold hypothesis, and it revealed that level of L1 proficiency helps in the reading development of L2, so the level of L1 proficiency determines the reading ability of L2. However, in order to transfer these skills to L2 the students must have some knowledge of L2 in order for this cross- linguistic transfer to occur.  Gort (2006) explains that “knowledge gained in one language serves as a foundation and facilitates learning in the second language,” and an example of how bilinguals do this transfer of knowledge from the first language to the second language is by ways of code switching (p. 326).  Bialystok, Luk, & Kwan (2005) have explained that “bilinguals transferred literacy skills across languages only when both languages were written in the same system” (p. 43). 5

Statement of the Hypothesis 6 HR1: Implementing a transitional bilingual Education program with nine first grade English language learners with average to high Spanish language proficiency will yield greater reading progress than the nine first grade English language learners with low Spanish language proficiency, for 40 minutes five times per week over an eight-week period at PSX in Brooklyn, NY.

Method Participants  Total population of 18 first grade Latino students at PSX in Brooklyn, New York  56% or 10 students are girls  44% or 8 students are boys  Other Participants  Parents of participating students  Teachers and Administration  Racial breakdown of PSX in Brooklyn, New York  PSX student population consists of 1,125 students with ethnic make up of 1 percent African American, 63 percent Hispanic or Latino, Asian or Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and 7 percent White  Limited English proficient (LEP) students are 41 percent (441 students) of the student population at PSX

Method:Instruments  Consent Forms Administered to:  Parent  Assistant Principal  Teacher  Likert Scale Surveys Administered to:  Students  Parents  Assessments:  Primary Language Assessment  Reading Assessments o Pretest Developmental Reading Assessment o Posttest Developmental Reading Assessment

Research Design Quasi Experimental: Quasi Experimental: Nonequivalent Control Group Design Two groups: Designated treatment group (X1) and control group (X2) are pretested, exposed to a treatment (X), and posttested (O). Groups are not randomly assigned. Symbolic Design: O X1 O O X2 O

Procedure  This Action Research was conducted from May 2010 to June 2010:  Consent form were distributed and collected from Assistant Principal, teacher, and students, May  Surveys were distributed to and collected from students and parents, May  Pretest administered September  Posttest administered May  Post Surveys administered June 2010.

Quasi Experimental: Results: Quasi Experimental: Nonequivalent Control Group Design/ Printed Language Concepts and Reading Comprehension Pretest and Posttest Scores/Group 1 & Group 2 Pretest/Printed Language Concepts Posttest/Reading Comprehension StudentGroup 1Group 2Group 1 Group %367%253%1464%12 255%1100%250%861% %3 371%1639%8 4100%366%168%1432%6 5100%3 257%1664% %389%361%1639%12 789%2 261%1271%10 889%2100%275%1264% %344%A68%1843%8 Average93%84%63%53% Reading Ability LevelPretest Group 1 Pretest Group 2 Reading Ability Level Posttest Group 1 Posttest Group 2 Level A01Level 601 Level 111Level 812 Level 225Level 1001 Level 362Level 1223 Level 1422 Level 1630 Level 1810

Results: Correlation of Students Primary Language Attitudes and Posttest English Reading Assessment scores. Likert Scale Post Survey Question #2: Correlation Coefficient (rxy)= Correlation Coefficient (rxy)=0.29 I like to use Spanish to speak with my family. 1  No 2 Yes Posttest/Reading Comprehension Scores StudentGroup 1 Student Survey ResponsesGroup 2 Student Survey Responses 153% 2 64% 2 250% 2 61% 2 371% 1 39% 1 468% 2 32% 2 557% 2 64% 1 661% 2 39% 1 761% 1 71% 2 875% 2 64% 2 968% 2 43% 2 Average63%53%

Correlation of Students Primary Language Proficiency and Posttest DRA2 Reading Levels Primary Language Proficiency Versus Performance on Posttest DRA2 Reading Levels Student Group 1 Primary Language Proficiency Reading Level Group 2 Primary Language Proficiency Reading Level 180%1460%12 270%860%14 380%1650%8 470%1430%6 570%1640%14 680%1660%12 770%1240%10 880%1250%12 990%1860%8 Results: Correlation Coefficient (rxy)=0.65. The line of best fit show a fair positive correlation between students primary language proficiency and posttest English reading levels. Therefore, if primary language proficiency is high, students reading levels are high.

Data Analysis Quasi Experimental: Results: Data Analysis Quasi Experimental: Nonequivalent Control Group Design Pretest/Group 1 Pretest/Group 2 Grade Level Equivalent DRA2 Reading Levels Students % Level Student s % Level Kindergarten Readiness Level A00111% Level 1111%1 Kindergarten- First Grade (Pre-primer) Level 2222%556% Level 3667%222% Total9100%9 Posttest/Group 1Posttest/Group 2 Grade Level Equivalent DRA2 Reading Levels Students % Level Students % Level Level % Level 8111%222% First Grade Primer) Level % Level 12222%333% First grade Level 14222%2 Level 16333%00 Second Grade Level 18111%00 Total Students9100%9 Pretest and Posttest Reading Engagement, Fluency, and Comprehension Scores PretestPosttest StudentGroup 1Group 2Group 1Group 2 192%71%65%59% 260%85%56%66% 382%89%73%48% 485%74%66%36% 585%82%60%70% 689%85%60%51% 782%78%70%63% 885%93%75%65% 989%56%75%58% PretestPosttest Group 1Group 2Group 1Group 2 Mean83% 79%67%57% Median85% 82%66%59% Mode85% 68%N/A

Data Analysis Quasi Experimental: Results: Data Analysis Quasi Experimental: Nonequivalent Control Group Design The data for Group 1 indicate that after Transitional Bilingual Education, and high levels of primary language proficiency (treatments) students are at higher reading level compared to Group 2 reading levels.  11% of the students are reading significantly below grade level.  22% of the students are reading below grade level.  55% of the students are reading on grade level.  11% of the students are reading above grade level. The data for Group 2 indicate that after Transitional Bilingual education, and low levels of primary language proficiency (treatments) students are at lower reading levels compared to Group 1 reading levels.  33% of the students are reading significantly below grade level.  45% of the students are below first grade level.  22% of the students are on grade level.  

Discussion This action research appears to support the hypothesis that a transitional bilingual Education program with nine first grade English language learners with high to average Spanish language proficiency to some extend achieved higher reading progress compared to English language learners with lower primary language skills. There is a correlation between reading performance and primary language proficiency as demonstrated by the higher reading levels of those student with high to moderate primary language proficiency. In line with Cummins interdependence hypothesis “instruction in primary language is effective in promoting proficiency in primary language, transfer of this proficiency to the target language will occur provided there is adequate exposure to target language.” (as cited in Garcia and Baker, 2007, p. 112.) This demonstrates the use of primary language intervention and students’ native language proficiency may increase students’ reading progress in English.

Implications  The results of this action research show that primary language proficiency in a bilingual setting may be a predictor for second language acquisition. However, there are other factors to consider:  Longitudinal study is needed  Larger sample size  Transitional Bilingual Program/ESL Strategies  Other factors

Threats to Internal Validity Threats to External Validity  History  Maturation  Testing – Pretest Sensitization  Instrumentation  Mortality  Statistical Regression  Differential Selection of Subjects  Selection-Maturation Interaction  Ecological Validity  Generalizable Conditions  Pretest  Selection  Specificity of Variables  Multiple Treatments  Treatment Diffusion  Experimenter Effects  Reactive Arrangements/Participants Effects

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