It has often been suggested that bilingual children might have enhanced metalinguistic awareness, as compared to monolingual children. In this paper, the evidence for such a stance was reviewed. In contrast to most previous thinking, it is suggested here that if metalinguistic awareness were enhanced at all by exposure to a second language, it might be the process of learning a second language that draws children's attention to their knowledge about language. Accordingly, a group of preliterate second-language learners was compared with monolinguals and bilinguals on word and phonological awareness tasks. It was found that, for the most part, there were no significant differences among linguistic groups on the performance of these tasks. However, a trend of low performance by the bilingual children was observed. This suggests that if the learning of a second language enhancer metalinguistic awareness, these tasks might not be the most appropriate measures.

This inquiry explores how eight young francophone scientists within anglophone and francophone postsecondary institutions in Montreal and Paris developed academic literacies in English and French, and constructed identities as members of national, linguistic, academic, and socio-cultural groups. I define literacy development as an individual's development of writing competencies and appropriation of language and social practices in and around written texts within specific socio-cultural, interactional, and discursive contexts. I adopt a socio-cultural, hermeneutic approach to literacy and identity to propose an integrated model of academic biliteracy development and identity construction inspired by Bakhtin, Halliday, Ricoeur, Taylor, and Vygotsky. To understand how the participants engaged in academic literacy practices and constructed identities in their academic writing, I conducted 50 hours of autobiographical and text-based interviews about their writing, life plans and experiences, and sense of self as writers and learners, over three years. I also paid visits to the participants' homes and workplaces, and collected documents such as legal texts, university statutes, and national census data so as to situate the participants' texts and experiences within their autobiographical, institutional, historical, and societal contexts. Through selected excerpts from interviews, documents, and writing samples, I argue that the participants' academic biliteracy development and identity construction was shaped by their individual evaluative responses to social forces. I suggest the shared individual and collective responsibilities of scientists, language specialists, academic gate keepers, universities, and governments for the advancement of academic literacies in more than one language. I draw implications of this inquiry for academic biliteracy, instruction and research in bilingual academic writing, and the theoretization of writers' identiti

In this study, form-to-meaning mapping of the bilingual mental lexicon is investigated. Sixty native speakers of Arabic, divided into intermediate and advanced ESL groups, served as the participants of the study. They performed a semantic relatedness rating task of sixty high frequency semantically related English word pairs on a 6point scale. While thirty word pairs had the same translation (ST) word in Arabic, the other thirty had a different translation (DT) word. Fifteen of the word pairs in each of the two word pair categories were abstract, while the other fifteen were concrete nouns. The vast majority of these word pairs were synonyms. The results showed that there was a significant difference in the word pair ratings between the intermediate and advanced ESL groups. The intermediate group rated all word pairs higher than the advanced learners. Both groups, however, rated the ST word pairs higher than the DT word pairs. Nonetheless, the rating mean difference score between the ST and DT was significantly lower in the advanced group than it was in the intermediate group. In addition, both ESL groups rated the abstract word pairs higher than their concrete counterparts. Overall, the results support the claim that beginning ESL learners map their bilingual lexicon to Ll translation, and as they become advanced move toward mapping form-to-meaning directly. This is particularly evident in the higher rating of ST and the lower rating of DT as well as in the higher rating mean difference score between ST and DT in the intermediate group. / Department of English

The purpose of this study was to show that bilinguals experience reverse interference, interference from a second language (L2) to a first language (L1). This was done by the use of a questionnaire given to fifty-two bilinguals. The results were tabulated with the help of the computer and then analysed according to the major questions which were the following: Do all bilinguals have reverse interference? When does this interference occur? How does the interference manifest itself? Finally, how is the bilingual's daily language use involved?The questionnaire results showed that reverse interference exists. Additionally, it revealed that there are major factors relating to interference which were degree of bilingualism, location of residence, methods of learning L2, and the language of college education.

Infant word recognition is sometimes hindered by variability in the speech input. Previous research has shown that, at 9 months, monolinguals do not generalize wordforms across native- and accented-speakers (Schmale & Seidl, 2009). In the current study however, it was predicted that bilingual infants would be advantaged in accommodating for accented speech due to experience with phonetic variability across their two phonological systems. It was also predicted that this hypothesized ability would be restricted to accommodating for an accent derived from a familiar language (e.g., French-English bilinguals would accommodate for French-accented English but not Mandarin-accented English), since this type of variability would be consistent with the language sounds to which infants were regularly exposed. Study 1 set the experimental stage by identifying native and non-native speakers with similar voices, as perceived by a group of adults. This was done in order to restrict variability across speakers to differences in accent, rather than biological differences in voice (e.g., a higher or lower pitched voice). Following speaker selection, acoustic measurements of vowels and word stress placement were taken to compare native and non-native speakers and confirmed several expected deviations between native and accented speech. Study 2 tested the hypothesis that bilingual infants would be advantaged in accommodating for these deviations when the accent is derived from a familiar phonology. Using a headturn preference procedure (HPP), 9- and 13-month-old English-learning monolinguals and French-English learning bilingual infants were tested on their ability to recognize familiarized English wordforms across a native- and French-accented speaker. Bilinguals in both age groups succeeded in generalizing wordforms across speakers, however monolingual infants failed regardless of age. Study 3 tested whether bilinguals’ success would persist when the accented speaker’s first language was unfamiliar. Infants in this study failed as a group to generalize across native- and Mandarin-accented productions of English wordforms. However, bilinguals who received balanced exposure to their two languages performed better in accommodating for Mandarin accented speech than unbalanced bilinguals. This hints at a general ability to ignore irrelevant phonetic information, perhaps due to an advantage in cognitive control.

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This dissertation examined language and literacy development in English-Hebrew emerging bilinguals. During their senior kindergarten year, one group of children participated in a bilingual English-Hebrew program (“early” group; n = 17) while another participated in an English-language program with minimal Hebrew instruction (“late” group; n = 19). Both groups were merged in Grade 1 and continued to receive a partial Hebrew immersion program. The first part of this dissertation explored longitudinally how an early partial Hebrew immersion program contributes to literacy (word reading, pseudoword reading, reading comprehension), language (vocabulary and morphological awareness (MA)), phonological awareness, and rapid automatized naming in English and Hebrew. Similar improvement from senior kindergarten to Grade 1 was noted for both groups across all measures, however the early group displayed significantly stronger Hebrew vocabulary skills. Literacy and language inter- and cross-linguistic correlation patterns were not significantly different between the two groups. The second part examined the relevance of the Simple View of Reading framework (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986) in Grade 1 (N = 36). The contribution of word reading and language proficiency was examined within and between languages. Two aspects of MA (derivational awareness and inflectional awareness) were considered as additional components of oral language. Word reading, vocabulary and both MA measures were used as predictors. The SVR model significantly explained English reading comprehension based on a combination of word reading and derivational awareness (but not vocabulary), and Hebrew reading comprehension based on word reading and vocabulary. In English, derivational awareness contributed unique variance to reading comprehension above word reading although this was not the case in Hebrew. In addition, English word reading and inflectional awareness predicted Hebrew reading comprehension, thus supporting the SVR model cross-linguistically, although the reverse was not true. Overall, the children attending the Hebrew early immersion programming had an advantage for Hebrew vocabulary skills with no negative repercussions on their English language and literacy skills. The study supports the relevance of the SVR framework for young emerging bilinguals, and underscores the importance of considering aspects of MA as components of oral language proficiency that contribute to reading comprehension in these learners.

This dissertation examined language and literacy development in English-Hebrew emerging bilinguals. During their senior kindergarten year, one group of children participated in a bilingual English-Hebrew program (“early” group; n = 17) while another participated in an English-language program with minimal Hebrew instruction (“late” group; n = 19). Both groups were merged in Grade 1 and continued to receive a partial Hebrew immersion program. The first part of this dissertation explored longitudinally how an early partial Hebrew immersion program contributes to literacy (word reading, pseudoword reading, reading comprehension), language (vocabulary and morphological awareness (MA)), phonological awareness, and rapid automatized naming in English and Hebrew. Similar improvement from senior kindergarten to Grade 1 was noted for both groups across all measures, however the early group displayed significantly stronger Hebrew vocabulary skills. Literacy and language inter- and cross-linguistic correlation patterns were not significantly different between the two groups. The second part examined the relevance of the Simple View of Reading framework (SVR; Gough & Tunmer, 1986) in Grade 1 (N = 36). The contribution of word reading and language proficiency was examined within and between languages. Two aspects of MA (derivational awareness and inflectional awareness) were considered as additional components of oral language. Word reading, vocabulary and both MA measures were used as predictors. The SVR model significantly explained English reading comprehension based on a combination of word reading and derivational awareness (but not vocabulary), and Hebrew reading comprehension based on word reading and vocabulary. In English, derivational awareness contributed unique variance to reading comprehension above word reading although this was not the case in Hebrew. In addition, English word reading and inflectional awareness predicted Hebrew reading comprehension, thus supporting the SVR model cross-linguistically, although the reverse was not true. Overall, the children attending the Hebrew early immersion programming had an advantage for Hebrew vocabulary skills with no negative repercussions on their English language and literacy skills. The study supports the relevance of the SVR framework for young emerging bilinguals, and underscores the importance of considering aspects of MA as components of oral language proficiency that contribute to reading comprehension in these learners.

The purpose of this study is to examine the links between family background and home language factors on English reading achievement among bi/multilingual students. To explore the potential predictors of English reading achievement among bi/multilinguals, the study included literacy related resource, family socio-economic status (SES), and immigration status as constructs for family background; while for home language factors, the study looked at the orthography of home language, language preference, and multilingualism. Additionally, the study assessed the roles of school level factors (i.e., low SES students and English language learners in school) on school reading performance. The International Association for Evaluation of Educational Achievement’s Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (IEA – PIRLS, 2006) data of Singaporean fourth grade students were used. The data were potentially nested, therefore, the models formulated in this study had multilevel structures, student- and school-levels. The results indicated that number of children’s books at home was the strongest predictor among other family background variables including parental education. However, having children’s books in English had a very small influence on English reading scores of the bi/multilingual students. More interestingly, the study found that parental immigration status did not influence students’ English reading scores. Looking at home language factors, the study found that the orthography of home language linked to English reading. Importantly, the study found that Malay language, which shares the same orthography with English (i.e., alphabetic), showed the strongest link to the students’ English reading achievement. Other variables of home language did not significantly predict English reading after controlling for parental education.

The research for this dissertation is focused on the following two issues: (1) Can bilingual child language development be considered as 'two monolinguals in one', and (2) Can bilingual child language contribute uniquely to our understanding of the acquisition process in all children? Three studies examining functional categories in the grammatical development of bilingual and second language children were conducted in order to address these questions. / Study 1 investigates potential interference between the developing grammars of three French-English bilingual children. Naturalistic production data were collected from the children at six month intervals between approximately 2;0 and 3;0 years of age. The data were examined for the children's acquisition of INFL and these results were compared with extant findings for monolingual French and English speaking children. The results indicate that these bilingual children showed no evidence of transfer, acceleration. or delay in acquisition and support the hypothesis that their grammars are acquired autonomously and like those of monolinguals. / The principle focus of Study 2 is an investigation of the continuity debate on functional category acquisition through an analysis of bilingual language development. In this study, the acquisition of INFL and DET by two French-English bilingual children was examined. These children were at an earlier stage of syntactic development than those in Study 1. Naturalistic production data were collected at two month intervals from the children, between approximately 2;0 to 3;0 years of age. The analyses indicate that INFL appeared at different times in the children's languages; whereas, DET appeared at the same time. The results are discussed with respect to the maturation and continuity views on the acquisition of functional categories. Because of the between-language discrepancy in the emergence of INFL, it is argued that these findings support a continuity perspective. It is also argued that bilingual first language acquisition provides unique evidence bearing on the continuity debate. / The principal focus of Study 3 is also the continuity debate on functional category acquisition, but in contrast to Study 2, the children in this study were second language learners. In this study, the acquisition of features within INFL, agreement and tense, were examined separately to determine if they are acquired in sequence. Fifteen English-speaking learners of French and five monolingual francophone grade-mates. participated in the study. A structured oral interview was given annually to each of the children from grade one to grade three, and the transcripts were analysed for the use of tense and agreement. The results revealed that items encoding agreement emerged before items encoding tense in the second language learners' speech, suggesting that these features emerge in sequence in their grammars. The findings are interpreted with respect to three prevailing views on continuity in the acquisition of functional phrase structure in second language acquisition. It is argued that a weak continuity position is best supported by the data.