Learning French sound/spelling links in English primary school classrooms

Alison Porter

doi:10.21283/2376905x.11.187

Abstract

   Two classes (n = 45) of 9- to 11-year-old children in different English primary schools experienced weekly French phonics instruction as part of a foreign language (FL) learning programme. The underpinning rationale of the phonics instruction was that systematic and explicit FL phonics could contribute to the development of FL phonological decoding, operationalised as reading aloud individual word cards. The study explored progression in learning French sound/spelling links over this period with data from a sub-sample of students (n = 23) from both classes. Additional variables such as FL general proficiency and FL literacy, as well as L1 reading age, spelling age, and teacher assessed literacy levels were collected to explore relationships with the development of French phonological decoding. This study found that French sound/spelling links developed slowly but showed significant gains between mid- and post-test and that learning appeared resistant to attrition evidenced by delayed post-test scores. Successful phonological decoders were likely to be successful FL learners generally and proficient in L1 literacy.  

Highlights

EN Two classes (n = 45) of 9- to 11-year-old children in different English primary schools experienced weekly French phonics instruction as part of a foreign language (FL) learning programme
Sections 3.1.3 and 3.1.4 will use statistical techniques to establish whether any improvements were statistically significant in reading a) familiar word cards and b) unfamiliar word cards. 3.1.1
The children’s progression between mid-‐ and post-‐test was slow but statistically significant with a moderate effect size, likely due to a zero-‐starting point. These findings resonate with prior research in a similar context which found that sound/spelling links, those taught in French developed slowly and that children’s reproductions tended to reflect L1 sound/spelling links (Cable et al, 2010)

Summary

Introduction

The study explored progression in learning French sound/spelling links over this period with data from a sub-sample of students (n = 23) from both classes. Additional variables such as FL general proficiency and FL literacy, as well as L1 reading age, spelling age, and teacher assessed literacy levels were collected to explore relationships with the development of French phonological decoding. L’ipotesi alla base del metodo è che l’istruzione fonetica sistematica ed esplicita in LS contribuisca allo sviluppo della decodificazione fonologica in LS espressa dalla lettura ad alta voce di schede con una singola parola. È risultato che apprendenti abili nella decodificazione fonologica avessero un’alta probabilità di essere apprendenti di LS complessivamente competenti e con un alto livello di alfabetizzazione in L1

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion