Highlighting Latinx Bilingual Learners' Academic Achievement Through Project SOAR: Spanish Opportunities That Accelerate Reading

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

Abstract

Bilingual Learners represent a rapidly growing population in U.S. schools. Research that identifies the best methods to educate and aid BLs in reaching academic success is of upmost importance. Project SOAR: Spanish Opportunities that Accelerate Reading investigates the Spanish literacy skills that may influence the development of English literacy skills. Literacy development in bilingual learners is a complex process. Biliteracy is a goal of enrichment models of bilingual education with emphasis of 'breaking the code' and learning to read with appropriate teaching and learning frameworks that emphasize L1 instruction. Project SOAR examines the cross-language associations among Spanish-speaking student’s English and Spanish literacy during kindergarten through 5th grade; and the extent to which Spanish skills accounted for English skill gains.

Authors

• Isela Almaguer, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

• J. Joy Esquierdo, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley