cross-linguistic analysis of writing: implications for linguistically … · 2014-03-04 ·...
TRANSCRIPT
PROJECT ESTRE2LLA
Cross-Linguistic Analysis of Writing: Implications for Linguistically Responsive
Assessment and Instruction for ELLs
National Association for Bilingual Education
Linda Cavazos and Alba A. Ortiz
The University of Texas at Austin
http://projectestrella.wordpress.com
Establishing Successful, Tiered, Responsive Education for English Language Learners’ Achievement
• Principal Investigators – Sylvia Linán-Thompson, UT Austin – Alba A. Ortiz, UT Austin
• Sponsor
– US Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs
– Model Demonstration Project for English Language Learners (ELLs) with, or At-risk of Having, a Disability
– Grant # H326M110010 – Funding Period: 2012-2015
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Rationale for a Focus on Writing
• Research on dual language written language development is sparse
• An increasing number of students in US schools are developing writing skills in two languages
• Assessments and instruction should foster biliteracy and view languages as resources
• Writing assessments evaluate native language and English separately
• Teachers need training in conducting cross-linguistic analyses of writing
Contrasting Views of Bilingual Language Acquisition
Parallel Bilingualism
• Bilingualism and biliteracy reflect separate cognitive and linguistic processes
• ELLs develop parallel competence in two languages simultaneously. (i.e., “two monolinguals in one person”)
• Performance is compared to that of monolingual speakers of the respective language.
(Grosjean, 1989; Soltero-González, Escamilla, & Hopewell, 2012)
Holistic Bilingualism
• ELLs integrate knowledge of, and from, both languages
– this knowledge is more than the sum of the two languages functioning independently of each other
– rather, he or she has a unique and specific linguistic configuration
• ELLs structure and use the two languages, separately or together, to meet their everyday communicative needs
– assessments should describe these unique and specific linguistic configurations
(Grosjean, 1989)
Holistic Bilingualism and Writing
• ELLs draw on all of their linguistic resources as they learn to write in two languages.
• Language influences are bidirectional.
• Transfer effects may result in unconventional writing, but these reflect approximations of conventional writing.
• Bilingual writing strategies are part of the process of learning to write in two languages.
Cross-linguistic Analysis of ELL Writing
Research Purpose
• This study involved a critical examination of how English Language Learners utilized their linguistic resources in the process of writing in both their native language and in English.
• Of interest was how dual language teachers: – supported ELLs’ writing development in two languages
– assessed writing skills
– perceived the writing skills of ELLs
Setting/Participants
• Data were collected in an elementary school with a English/Spanish dual language program in a large urban district in the southwestern United States.
• Participants included 5 second grade teachers:
– 3 English/Spanish bilingual education teachers
– 2 English as a Second Language teachers
Method
• Student Generated Writing Samples in English and Spanish – Bilingual journals
– Writer’s workshop
– Reading response
– Stanford English/Spanish Language Proficiency Test
• Writing Analysis – Collaborative linguistic analysis of 10 student generated writing
samples by researchers and teachers
– Observational field notes
• Teacher Perceptions of ELL writing – Focus groups
Components of Writing Analysis
• Bilingual writing strategies
• Content
• Mechanics
– Punctuation
– Spelling
(Based on Soltero-González, Escamilla, & Hopewell, 2012; Escamilla, Ruiz-
Figueroa, Hopewell, Butvilofsky, & Sparrow, 2010)
Bilingual Writing Strategies
Type Descriptor Examples
Intra-sentential codeswitching
Occurs within the boundaries of a sentence
No puedo hablar in English.
Inter-sentential codeswitching
Occurs between sentences; Begins in Language 1 and ends in language 2.
Aprendo a hacer la divisíon. It’s easy.
Bidirectional syntax transfer
Structures unique to one language are applied to the other
The dog of my cousin. El verde coche
Bidirectional phonetic transfer
Principles unique to one language are applied to the other
Ji/he Pero/perro
Reverse punctuation Conventions in one language are applied to the other
¿Do you speak English? Hablas inglés?
Literal translation Expressions are translated “ word for word” from one language to the other.
“Tengo diversion” for “I have fun”.
Others
(Soltero et al., 2012)
Student Writing Sample
Student Writing Sample
First the rabbits they were eating flowers and the girl said to the rabbits shoo shoo shoo and the girl put a cage for no eats his flowers she gave them spinach to eat.
Bilingual Writing Strategies
Intra-sentential (within the sentence or clause)
Furst da conejos de wr irin flaurs en da grou set tu das conejos chuchuchu en da grou pura jaula for no its flawrs
Inter-sentential (outside of the sentence or clause- between sentences)
en da grou pura jaula for no its flawrs les dio espinacas para comer.
Bilingual Writing Strategies
Phonetic transfer its Eats: substitution of the Spanish /i/ for long /e/ sound in English
tu To: substitution of the Spanish /u/ for long /oo/ sound in English
jes His: understanding that the Spanish letter /j/ and the English letter /h/ make the same sound
Content
Score Descriptor
7 Superior/Excellent Writing: Creativity that reflects children’s literature.
6 Highly competent Writing: Varying sentence patterns
5 Competent writing: Sense of completeness
4 Transitioning intermediate writing: More than 2 ideas, main idea discernable, may be incomplete
3 Beginning writing: Two ideas.
2 Emergent writing: One idea
1 Prewriting: Not discernible or incomplete thought. (Or, written in a language other than the prompt.
0 The student did not prepare a sample.
Escamilla, Ruiz-Figueroa, Hopewell, Butvilofsky, & Sparrow, 2010
Student Writing Sample
Mechanics
Score Punctuation Score Spelling
3 Accurate Punctuation 4 Accurate Spelling
2 Some punctuation errors; Mostly correct
3 Some spelling errors; Mostly correct
1 Many punctuation errors— Meaning not affected, Or minimal punctuation used
2 Many spelling errors; Meaning not affected.
0 No punctuation used 1 Many spelling errors; sometimes affects meaning.
Adapted from Escamilla, Ruiz-Figueroa, Hopewell, Butvilofsky, & Sparrow, 2010
Student Writing Sample
Teacher Support
How do teachers support student utilization of linguistic resources and use of bilingual strategies in the writing process in the dual language bilingual education classroom? Writing Activities – bilingual journals
– reflective journals
Oral Language Use
– conversations around writing
– acceptance of students’ discourse style
• allowing code-switching in oral and written expressive language
Teacher Perceptions
What are teachers’ perceptions of cross-linguistic transfer in emergent bilingual student writing?
– Overall positive perceptions of cross-linguistic transfer
– However, framed by some as an issue or problem (i.e., something to be addressed or corrected by the teacher)
Teacher Perceptions: Bilingualism/Biliteracy
Section Key Words or Phrases Description in Relation to
Bilingualism/Biliteracy
Rosa: Well, mine’s a monolingual,
monolingual English classroom but I
have books in Spanish in my classroom
library and I encourage the kids that,
um, who speak Spanish at home to, to
take books home or any child if they
want to, um, to take them home, and
when I speak to parents, I encourage
them to keep reading with their kids in
Spanish and um, and also sometimes
we’ll have books that we do read-alouds
with the kids that are in both.
books in Spanish encourage take books home keep reading with their kids in Spanish read-alouds with the kids that are in
both (languages)
Positive perception of the concepts of
bilingualism/biliteracy. Respondent
states that although she is a teacher in a
monolingual classroom, she encourages
all students to take books home in
Spanish, and encourages parents to
continue reading in Spanish at home.
Respondent also states that sometimes
she does read-alouds with books that
are in both languages.
Rosa: Yes, and I explicitly talk about
the benefits of retaining their Spanish
with them and so I try to show that as a
value even though we don’t speak as
much Spanish.
explicitly talk benefits of retaining their Spanish I try to show that as a value
Overall positive perception of the
concepts of bilingualism/biliteracy.
Respondent uses the phrase “explicitly
talk about the benefits” to highlight the
fact that she maintains a dialogue with
her students about the benefit and
value of their first language.
Conclusions
• Holistic bilingualism frameworks provide a more fair and accurate assessment of bilingual students’ ability. – They take into consideration features of language that are unique
to each language
• ELLs use multiple bilingual strategies when learning to write in two languages.
• Writing samples provide evidence of student trajectory in the process of becoming biliterate.
• When teachers use a holistic approach, they recognize that languages influence, rather than interfere, with each other. • This helps overcome deficit views of linguistic differences.
(Grosjean, 1989; Soltero-González et al.,2012)
Conclusions
Holistic Writing Assessment: • should reflect what students know and can do
across languages – ELLs may be able to do a task in one language and not
the other – They may be able to do the task in both languages
• should include cross-language comparisons • should consider features of language,
organization, and discourse unique to each language
(Soltero-González et al., 2012)
Implications
• Holistic bilingualism requires the use of assessment tools that differ significantly from the more common parallel measures.
• This type of assessment requires that teachers be bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural.
• It also requires that teachers have deep knowledge of dual language acquisition, the writing process, and linguistic analysis.
Future Research Directions
• Longitudinal analysis of dual language writing development • “Side by side” analyses of students’ Spanish and English
writing products • Feasibility of holistic assessment procedures
– in the context of daily instruction – as additional information to support, or refute, results of
parallel assessments such as those used for accountability purposes
• Relationship between oral language proficiency and writing performance
• Effective instructional strategies to support holistic assessment and instructional approaches
Contact Information
Linda Cavazos
Alba A. Ortiz
Website
projectestrella.wordpress.com
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