Peer Influence on Dual Language Learners’ Language and Literacy Development

• In Event: 1-025 - Supporting Dual Language Learner’s Acquisition of English in Preschool Classrooms

Integrative Statement

Dual language learners (DLLs), defined as children who learn English as their second language and who are continuing to develop their native language, are one of the fast-growing populations nationwide (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, 2017). They are a heterogeneous group of learners varying in English proficiency, cultural, family, and socioeconomic backgrounds (Kim, Lambert, & Burts, 2018). Among these heterogeneous characteristics, oral English proficiency has shown to negatively predict the achievement gaps between DLLs and their English monolingual (EM) peers (Reardon & Galindo, 2009).

While research indicates that peers with whom children interact in the classroom can provide a rich and engaging language context to facilitate children’s language and literacy development (Cooc & Kim, 2017; Justice, Logan, Lin, & Kaderavek, 2014), little is known about how DLLs who entered classrooms with different levels of oral English proficiency are influenced by their classroom peers compared to EMs. The current study explored this issue and focused on two forms of peer influence: classroom peers’ language and literacy skills, friendships with DLL/EM peers.

Participants were 676 (EM) children and 331 DLLs, from 72 classrooms inclusive of EMs and DLLs in 41 public schools located in a school district serving the second largest DLL population in a Midwestern city. Based on the parent report, 227 DLLs spoke English fluently at home (bilinguals) while the others had limited oral English proficiency (n= 104) (emergent bilinguals).

Children’s vocabulary and decoding skills were assessed in the fall and spring of the academic year (Woodcock, McGrew, & Mather, 2001). EMs, bilinguals, and emergent bilinguals differed significantly in both vocabulary and decoding in the fall (Fvocabulary(2, 637) = 122.14, p < .001; Fdecoding(2, 640) = 11.09, p < .001;). A multilevel modeling approach was conducted to predict spring scores by children’s DLL status, classmates’ vocabulary/decoding skills, and the number of best friends with different DLL status, controlling for the fall scores, grade level, and classroom size (see Table 1 and 2).

DLL status remained a significant predictor of children’s growth in vocabulary, after accounting for individuals’ vocabulary in the fall. EMs experienced more growth in vocabulary than bilinguals, who experienced more growth than emergent bilinguals. Changes in decoding did not differ between bilinguals and EMs or between bilinguals and emergent bilinguals, but emergent bilinguals’ decoding was significantly lower than the other groups. Classmates’ vocabulary significant predicted growth in children’s vocabulary. This classroom peer effect was not significant for decoding. In contrast, the total number of EM friends in the classroom consistently predicted growth in decoding but not vocabulary. Neither form of peer influence was moderated by children’s DLL status.

Findings indicate common mechanisms underlying classroom peer contexts for EM and DLL children’s language and literacy development. Both EMs and DLLs, regardless of DLLs’ oral language proficiency, gained more vocabulary in classrooms with peers who generally had higher vocabulary knowledge, supporting the accounts of language exposure and social propagation. All children gained better decoding skills by forming more intimate friendships with their EM peers, supporting the peer emulation account.

Authors

• Tzu-Jung Lin, Ohio State University
  Presenting Author

• Jing Chen, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Laura Justice, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Jessica Logan, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kelly M Purtell, The Ohio State University
  Non-Presenting Author