Language Programs and Language Proficiency in Bilingual Students With and Without Developmental Language Disorder

• In Event: At the Crossroads of Bilingual Education and Special Education

Abstract

The current study explored the relationship between language programs, bilingual oral language proficiency, and language ability status in typically developing (TD) children and children with developmental language disorder (DLD) in a two-year longitudinal study. 145 TD children and 20 children with DLD who were enrolled in different language programs (i.e., English-only with Spanish support, early-exit, and late-exit bilingual program) completed bilingual oral language assessment. Result showed that English-only program positively predicted English morphosyntax, while late-exit bilingual program positively predicted Spanish morphosyntax. Furthermore, there were significant interaction effects between DLD and bilingual program on English semantics and Spanish morphosyntax. Bilingual programs associated with the changes in oral language proficiency based on language domains and the nature of DLD.

Authors

• Joseph Hin Yan Lam, University of California - Irvine

• Jing Zhang, University of California - Irvine

• Priscilla C. S. Fung, University of California - Irvine

• Lisa Bedore, Temple University

• Elizabeth Pena, University of California - Irvine

• Ronald B Gillam, Utah State University