Presented by Dr. Gracie Guerrero 13th Annual Academic Success Institute Strategic Use of Language Transfer March 14, 2015 Presented by Dr. Gracie Guerrero

Often, Sometimes, Never Face challenges when teaching concepts in both English and Spanish Have to translate for students to understand content Focus on development of literacy in only one language Find it difficult to teach students to read in their second language Room Check activity Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Bilingual/ESL Teachers Teachers in bilingual/ESL programs: are not simply second-language teachers, nor exclusively literacy teachers are required to develop language skills plus reading, writing and content-area knowledge with language-minority students must apply psycholinguistics theories and principles related to second-language acquisition, along with effective literacy practices. Strategic Use of Language Transfer

ELA/ELD Framework Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Framework Key Themes Meaning Making-Interacting with text Language Development-Learning how English works and using foundational skills Effective Expression-Reciprocal nature of reading, writing, speaking, and listening Content Knowledge-Learning that texts are structured differently Foundational Skills-print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, and fluency Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Group Discussion I find it challenging to teach concepts in both English and Spanish because ______. Translating for students is ________ because _________. Development of literacy in the native language __________. Students have difficulty learning to read in their second language when _________. Use sentence frames to discuss in groups. Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Language Transfer What do I know? What do I want to know? Small group debriefing. Share with whole group. Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Common Definitions Applying knowledge from one language to another language The transfer of linguistic features between languages The transfer of rules and elements from previously learned languages when acquiring a new language Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Transfer of Learning The application of skills, knowledge, and/or processes learned in one context to another learning situation The influence of prior learning on performance in a new situation—we don’t start from scratch in every new situation learning situation Language transfer is a type of transfer of learning in a bilingual/biliterate setting Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Transfer of Learning There is a high level of transfer of skills and strategies from the first (L1) to the second (L2) language in reading The greater the similarity in the writing systems of the two languages, the greater the degree of transfer The time and difficulties involved in learning to read the second language are reduced Studies of bilingual literacy development and cross-linguistic transfer of skills indicate that there is a high level of transfer of skills and strategies from the first to the second language in reading. Researchers conclude that the greater the similarity in the writing systems of the two languages, the greater the degree of transfer, thus reducing the time and difficulties involved in learning to read the second language (Odlin, 1989). Strategic Use of Language Transfer

What Transfers? Automatic skills and processes Rules, principles, patterns, and categories Problem-solving, abstract thinking, and critical thinking skills Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Metalinguistic Awareness Build on students’ established & developing L1 to teach L2 Teach how language works to convey meaning Analysis of concepts and principles, not just phonics or grammar rules Facilitate transfer through direct instruction, integrated teaching, and “teachable moments” Strategic Use of Language Transfer

The Alphabetic Principle Spanish Orthography English Orthography Handout for comparison between both Group activity to delineate examples of each Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Biliteracy in the Classroom Spanish Phonics English Phonics Language is a flow of sounds that represent meaning. The flow of sounds can be broken up into units called words. A word represents a concept or an idea. Words can be segmented into the sounds that make it up and then reconstructed by blending those sounds together again into words. The core sound unit applied in Spanish reading for sounding words is the syllable. Syllables contain at least one and frequently two vowel sounds (diphthongs). There are unstressed and stressed syllables. Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Concepts of Print Concept of a word Concept of a sentence Written words are separated from each other by blank spaces Concept of a sentence Sentences have signals that set them apart when written (capital letters, period, question mark, etc.) Words have parts that function to signal meaning. A change in word endings, signals a change in meaning such as how many. Word families can be created to signal different forms and functions around a concept (pan, panaderia, panadero) Changes in word ending can also indicate size, age, intensity, or feelings toward the person, place, or thing named by the noun (mi munequita) Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Concepts of Print Morphology Syntax Sentences can be analyzed to discover their component parts, which have labels and categories according to their functions. Changes in word order signal changes in meaning. We can change a sentence’s meaning by switching words around and/or adding words to complete the meaning, such as declarative sentences to questions, affirmative sentences to negative. Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Metalinguistic Aspects Cognates Morphological Patterns Use of Punctuation Conventions Capitalization Rules Structural Differences Articles and Gender Use of Accents Group work: Matching examples with metalinguistic aspects of language Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Metalinguistic Aspects Cultural Differences Prefixes and Suffixes Verb Conjugations Syntax and Grammar Noun-Adjective Order/Agreement Word Families and Parts of Speech Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Classroom Practices Based in student needs Part of the daily instructional time Remain in the language of instruction Discuss the linguistic features Bring the two languages together for instructional purposes Use language and talk about language Metalinguistic awareness . . . Strategic Use of Language Transfer

Language Transfer: What Des it Look Like? Metalinguistic awareness . . . Strategic Use of Language Transfer

References Jarvis & Pavlenko, Scott & Aneta (2008). Crosslinguistic Influence in Language and Cognition. Abingdon: Routledge. ISBN 0805838856. Mercuri, S. (2014). Supporting Cross-linguistic Transfer in Dual Language Classrooms. Administrative Session: Houston, TX. Mora, J. K. (2014). Teaching for Transfer in Biliteracy Instruction: A Metalinguistic Approach. NABE Conference: San Diego, CA. Odlin, T. (1989). Language transfer: Cross-linguistic influence in language learning. New York, NY: Cambridge University Press. Weinreich, Uriel (1953). Languages in Contact. The Hague: Mouton. ISBN 90-279-2689-1. Strategic Use of Language Transfer