The Relationship between Receptive Vocabulary and Word Reading among Head Start Spanish/English Bilingual Children

• In Event: Effect of Vocabulary on Literacy From Pre-K Through Grade 2: Spanish, Cantonese, and Tagalog English Language Learners

Abstract

Objectives. The objectives of this paper were to (1) describe development of Spanish/English bilingual children’s receptive vocabulary, (2) determine the relationship between vocabulary and reading, concurrently and longitudinally, (3) partition the unique and shared variance in reading accounted for by vocabulary and (4) examine possible mediation effect of phonological awareness.
Theoretical Framework. Theories concerning children’s literacy development place special emphasis on lexical and vocabulary knowledge (Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998; Joshi, 2005). Discrepancies between bilingual and monolingual children's reading achievement are often associated with vocabulary development (Carlo et al., 2004). The emergent vocabulary development of Spanish/English children, especially those from low-income families therefore deserves serious research attention.
Methods. One hundred and seventeen 4-5 year old Spanish-English bilingual children enrolled in Head Start programs participated in this study from Fall 2007 to Spring 2008.
Measures. Formal standardized assessments including the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001), Woodcock-Muñoz Prueba de Aprovechimiento (Muñoz-Sandoval, Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2005) and the Phonological Awareness Task – English and Spanish versions were used to test children’s ability on picture vocabulary, letter-word identification and phonological awareness, respectively. Multiple regression and commonality analysis were used to analyze the data.
Results. Paired samples tests showed that the growth of Spanish picture vocabulary from 2007 to 2008 was statistically significant. Both Spanish and English letter word identification scores increased significantly from fall to spring. No statistical differences in growth were seen for English vocabulary. Concurrently, in 2007 both English and Spanish vocabulary predicted reading scores in both languages. In 2008, Spanish vocabulary score only predicted Spanish reading (β = .638, p<0.001). English vocabulary only predicted English reading (β = .389, p <0.01). Hierarchical multiple regression results showed that vocabulary scores in Spanish and English tested 2007 did not add additional variance to reading in Spanish tested in 2008. However, when 2007 vocabulary in Spanish and English were entered after the 2008 vocabulary in Spanish and English, they accounted for an additional 13% of the variance in 2008 English reading. That is, longitudinal prediction existed from Spanish to English but not from English to Spanish. Commonality analyses, which decompose the total variance accounted for in Spanish/English reading, suggested that concurrently in 2007, Spanish vocabulary uniquely predicted Spanish reading while both Spanish and English vocabulary predicted English reading. In 2008, Spanish vocabulary uniquely explained 38.5% of the variance in Spanish reading. For 2008 English reading, 2008 English vocabulary explained 29.9% and 2007 Spanish vocabulary explained 17.2% of the variance. Phonological awareness was not a mediator, which indicated a more direct route from vocabulary to word reading.
Significance. Significance of this study resides in the finding that vocabulary plays an important role in determining bilingual children’s emergent word reading skill. The finding that Spanish vocabulary in addition to English vocabulary predicted the growth of English reading requires teachers and parents to provide adequate support for vocabulary development in both languages, especially Spanish, in school and home.

Authors

• L. Quentin Dixon, Texas A&M University - College Station

• Blanca G. Quiroz, SEDL

• Jing Zhao, Texas A&M University