Cognition and Writing Development in Early Adolescent English Learners

• In Event: Poster Session 1: Literacy Innovations for Emergent Bilingual Students

Abstract

The primary goal of this study is to examine the roles of cognitive components: phonological awareness(PA), oral language development (OLD), and working memory (WM), on writing development in Spanish-speaking children who are English Learners. To achieve this goal, 374 children in Grade 3 to 5 were administered a battery of cognitive measures in both Spanish and English, and a narrative writing task in English. Three important findings emerged. First, the results showed phonological awareness in both languages positively predicted English writing. Second, the results in OLD indicated English oral language had a positive effect on writing, but oral language in Spanish was a negative predictor of writing. Third, working memory in both languages had large positive effects on English writing.

Authors

• Anqi Peng, Arizona State University

• Michael John Orosco, University of Kansas

• Hui Wang, The University of Kansas

• Lee Swanson, The University of New Mexico

• Deborah K. Reed, University of Iowa