About this session

Friday, 1:20 PM - 2:50 PM

How do early experiences shape literacy growth in bilingual and DLL populations?

This symposium brings together three longitudinal studies to explore various developmental and educational factors influencing the literacy development of bilingual and dual language learners (DLLs). Understanding factors that contribute to the literacy development of bilingual students throughout elementary school is crucial, as this growing population often faces unique linguistic and educational challenges that can impact their academic trajectories. Paper one evaluates the foundational role of pre-kindergarten emergent literacy skills in supporting bilingual children’s oral language and decoding abilities by kindergarten, and ultimately, their reading comprehension skills in late elementary school. This work highlights the importance of early literacy intervention as a predictor of long-term success. Paper two examines the predictive power of socioemotional and early literacy skills among DLLs from immigrant families. By exploring the longitudinal connections between socioemotional regulation, vocabulary development, and early English reading comprehension, this study underscores the multi-dimensional nature of literacy acquisition in DLLs, grounded in the Active View of Reading (Duke & Cartwright, 2021). Paper three compares fifth-grade academic outcomes for Spanish-speaking English learners enrolled in different language support programs (DLI, SEI, and ESL) and explores whether third-grade literacy skills mediate this association. The study provides critical insights into the effectiveness of various instructional models for English learners, particularly as they relate to third-grade literacy. Together, these studies shed light on key factors influencing bilingual students' literacy development, offering valuable insights that can inform instructional practices and interventions to support their long-term success.

Paper #1
Title	Longitudinal prediction of late elementary reading comprehension skills among Spanish-English bilingual children
Presenting author	J. Marc Goodrich, Texas A&M University, United States

Paper #2
Title	Predicting DLLs’ reading comprehension: The role of socioemotional skills and early literacy
Presenting author	Maria Belen Buttiler, University of California, Davis, United States

Paper #3
Title	Fifth-grade academic outcomes of English learners in bilingual programs: The mediating effect of third-grade literacy
Presenting author	Dr. Natalie Lynn Bohlmann, Ph.D., Interactions Matter, LLC, United States

View all paper details

Session chair
Natalia Palacios, Ph.D., University of Virginia, United States

Discussant
Maria Soledad Carlo, Ph.D., University of South Florida, United States

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