Student Number : 0006815V - MA research report - School of Human and Community Development - Faculty of Humanities / In South Africa, the majority of children are bilingual and little research exists on the cognitive processes bilingual children use to spell. This has far-reaching and challenging implications for cognitive models of spelling. Specifically, bilingualism exhibits a pervasive influence on children’s literacy development (Bialystok, 2002). The majority of research on children’s spelling has been conducted internationally with monolingual English children. From international literature, cognitive processing (simultaneous processing and sequential processing) has been identified as an important area for consideration in the spelling acquisition process of English children (Kaufman & Kaufman, 1983b). Simultaneous processing is important for whole word spelling, whilst sequential processing is important for decoding letter sound correspondences. Cross-linguistic research demonstrates a bias towards one or the other spelling strategy may be tied to the depth of a language’s orthography, possibly due to the different demands the language orthography places on how children learn to spell (Frost et al., 1987; Wimmer & Hummer, 1990, 1994; Goswami et al., 1998). The present study examined the relationship between simultaneous and sequential processing and spelling in Grade 3 monolingual English-speaking children and bilingual Afrikaans-English speaking children at one point in time. Thirty bilingual Afrikaans-English children (Afrikaans first language, English second language) and were learning to spell in Afrikaans and in English simultaneously, and thirty monolingual (English first language) learning to spell in English. Simultaneous and sequential processing subtests of the Kaufman Assessment Battery (K-ABC) were administered to the monolingual and to the bilingual children. Monolingual Englishspeaking children received the English word and non-word spelling tests, while the bilingual Afrikaans-English children were asked to spell English and Afrikaans words and non-words (Klein, 1993). The results suggest that lexical (logographic or simultaneous) and non-lexical (alphabetic or sequential) routes are available in English and Afrikaans, but orthography did exert an influence on cognitive processing strategies. Sequential processing demonstrates a higher relationship than simultaneous processing with spelling in English and Afrikaans, although sequential processing contributes more to spelling in a shallow orthography, because the reliable relationship between spelling supports easier and faster computation than in an opaque orthography. Additionally, the results demonstrate that in the bilingual Afrikaans-English children spelling in a second language (L2) rely on spelling skills in a first language (L1), even when the same teaching strategies are used for spelling instruction. Orthography as a tool of academic literacy instruction, influences whether the transfer of spelling skills has a positive or negative influence on spelling in English as a second language in bilingual Afrikaans-English children with a transparent L1. A dual-route model that incorporates the influence of orthographic depth is supported (Seymour, Bunce & Evans, 1992). The present research study concludes that (1) simultaneous processing and sequential processing influence and predict the production of spelling in L1 and L2 in both English and Afrikaans alphabetic orthographies that differ in orthographic transparency, (2) orthographic demands of learning to spell in different orthographies varies and influences cognitive processing resources and decoding skills, which may provide an indication of a cumulative or challenging development of L2 spelling skills particularly when the L1 is transparent. The present research has implications for assessment, traditional spelling models and teaching bilingual children learning to spell in a second language, which is orthographically opaque relative to their transparent mother tongue.

The starting point of this research is the question, may reading acquisition be more or less effective depending on the language in which it is perform? Two categories for classifying the languages have been developed. First the notion of linguistic family is employed to describe the languages from a cultural and historical perspective. Secondly, the notion of orthographic depth is used for differentiating the languages according to the correspondence between orthography and phonetic. These categories have been related to the databases PIRLS 2001 and 2006 (international assessments about reading developed by the IEA), the aim being to connect reading achievement to the language in which students answered the test. However, it is clear that the language is not an isolated factor, but part of a complex structure of determinants of reading. Therefore, factors related to students and schools have also been incorporated to this research. Moreover, the multidimensionality of the reading process has been taken into account by distinguishing in the analysis the different aspects that made the process according to PIRLS: informative reading, literary reading, process comprehension of high and low order. To answer to the questions proposed by this research a hierarchical statistical model (multilevel) was developed, it was able to account for the connection between reading achievement, language and other associated factors. As a result, contextual factors (home and school) were more significant than language. Moreover, determinacy may vary if taking into account educational systems.

Le point de départ de cette recherche concerne la question suivante : l’acquisition de la lecture, peut-il être plus ou moins efficace en fonction de la langue dans laquelle il s’effectue? Deux catégories pour classer les langues on été définies dans ce travail. Premièrement, la notion de famille linguistique est à la base d’une description des langues à partir d'une perspective historique et culturelle. Deuxièmement la notion de profondeur orthographique est mobilisée, celle-ci différencie les langues en fonction de la correspondance entre l'orthographe et la phonétique. Ces catégories ont été mises en rapport avec les bases de données PIRLS 2001 et 2006 (étude internationale sur la lecture menée par l'IEA), afin de relier la performance en lecture et la langue dans laquelle les élèves ont répondu au test. Toutefois, il est clair que la langue n'est pas un facteur isolé, car elle fait partie d'un ensemble complexe de déterminants; ainsi, des facteurs liés aux élèves et au milieu scolaire ont également été incorporés dans l'étude. En outre, il a été tenu compte de la multidimensionnalité du processus de lecture, en distinguant dans les analyses les différents domaines mesurés par l’enquête : lecture d'informative, littéraire, et compréhension des processus d'ordre complexe et simple. Pour répondre aux questions de cette recherche nous avons élaboré un modèle statistique hiérarchique capable de rendre compte de la relation entre la compréhension de la lecture, la langue et les facteurs qui y sont associés. En dernière analyse, les facteurs contextuels (individuels et scolaires) se sont révélés être plus importants que la langue elle-même. En outre, les déterminants du niveau en lecture dépendent des systèmes éducatifs observés dans cette enquête. / The starting point of this research is the question, may reading acquisition be more or less effective depending on the language in which it is perform? Two categories for classifying the languages have been developed. First the notion of linguistic family is employed to describe the languages from a cultural and historical perspective. Secondly, the notion of orthographic depth is used for differentiating the languages according to the correspondence between orthography and phonetic. These categories have been related to the databases PIRLS 2001 and 2006 (international assessments about reading developed by the IEA), the aim being to connect reading achievement to the language in which students answered the test. However, it is clear that the language is not an isolated factor, but part of a complex structure of determinants of reading. Therefore, factors related to students and schools have also been incorporated to this research. Moreover, the multidimensionality of the reading process has been taken into account by distinguishing in the analysis the different aspects that made the process according to PIRLS: informative reading, literary reading, process comprehension of high and low order. To answer to the questions proposed by this research a hierarchical statistical model (multilevel) was developed, it was able to account for the connection between reading achievement, language and other associated factors. As a result, contextual factors (home and school) were more significant than language. Moreover, determinacy may vary if taking into account educational systems.

Studiens syfte var att undersöka stavningen i 20 elevtexter skrivna av elever som antingen var i eller utan lässvårigheter när de gick i årskurs 2. Undersökningen fokuserade på stavningens korrekthet och olika typer av stavfel samt jämförde likheter och skillnader mellan texterna skrivna av elever i och utan lässvårigheter. Materialet bestod av elevtexter som skrevs under den fria narrativa skrivuppgiften i det nationella ämnesprovet i svenska i årskurs 3. Tio av elevtexterna var skrivna av elever som var i lässvårigheter i årskurs 2 och tio texter var skrivna av elever utan lässvårigheter i årskurs 2. För att kunna besvara studiens första forskningsfråga skapades frekvenslistor som presenterade antalet korrekt och inkorrekt stavade ord. För att kunna besvara studiens andra forskningsfråga användes analysmetoden Spelling Sensitivity Score (Masterson & Apel, 2010) där varje ord i elevtexterna analyserades med avseende på korrektheten i fonem-grafem-korrespondensen genom poängsättning från 3–0. Ett korrekt stavat fonem fick 3 poäng. Fonologiska stavfel tilldelades 2 poäng, ortografiska stavfel 1 poäng och utelämnade/tillagda grafem 0 poäng. Resultaten visade att eleverna utan lässvårigheter skrev texter med en signifikant större andel korrekt stavade ord än eleverna i lässvårigheter och att eleverna i lässvårigheter skrev texter som innehöll en signifikant större andel fonologiska stavfel än eleverna utan lässvårigheter. Vidare visade resultaten att texterna skrivna av eleverna utan lässvårigheter uppvisade en marginellt större andel ortografiska stavfel och utelämnade eller extra tillagda grafem än texterna skrivna av elever i lässvårigheter. Sammantaget antyder våra resultat att det är viktigt att stärka den fonologiska medvetenheten hos elever i lässvårigheter för att utveckla deras stavningsförmåga.

Many people with dyslexia find second language learning difficult (Gallardo, et al., 2015; Csizér, et al., 2010; DiFino & Lombardino, 2004; Simon, 2000). A language with a deep orthography has little correspondence between the spelling of a word and its pronunciation, and is said to cause a higher degree of faulty decoding by people with dyslexia (Lindgren & Laine, 2011; Rontou, 2012). English is one of the languages with the deepest orthography (Seymour, Aro & Erskine, 2003). In contrast, one study has found that some exceptional dyslectics read with greater ease and correctness in English compared to their mother tongue Swedish (Miller Guron & Lundberg, 2000). The aim of this study is to contribute to knowledge about how young adults with dyslexia have experienced learning English in primary and secondary school. It is a retrospective study with two participants, whose life histories are in focus. The research questions for this study are: -          What themes arise in the participants’ life histories, concerning the connection between dyslexia and second language learning in English? -          What perspectives of special education have pervaded the English teaching that the participants took part in? -          In which ways were the participants included in the English teaching that they took part in, seen from three aspects of inclusion: spatial-, social- and didactic inclusion? Firstly, the results show that despite having very different experiences of dyslexia and learning English in primary and secondary school, certain common themes arise when cross-analysing the participants’ life histories: -          Support at home and in school affects the motivation for learning English -          English is more difficult to learn compared to other school subjects -          Lower self-esteem/self-worth -          The need for repetition and time for learning English Secondly, the results show that it was mainly the compensatory- and critical perspectives that pervaded the teaching of English that the participants took part in. Only to a minor extent was the dilemma perspective noticeable. Finally, the results show that one of the participants mainly experienced two aspects of inclusion, spatial- and social inclusion, throughout primary and secondary school. Although, one specific teacher managed to include the participant according to all three aspects of inclusion. The other participant, on the other hand, did not experience being included according to any of the aspects. The participants of this study have shown that learning English is definitely a possibility for a person with dyslexia. However, it has not been a walk in the park for either of them but has required a lot of hard work and feelings of distress along the way.