Can yu rid guat ay rot? A Developmental Investigation of Cross-Linguistic Spelling Errors Among Spanish–English Bilingual Students

Abstract

This study contributes to the literature on cross-linguistic literacy relationships for English language learners, and in particular, the Spanish-influenced spelling patterns of Spanish–English bilinguals. English spelling, reading, and vocabulary assessments were administered to 220 students in four TWI programs over a three-year period, from second grade to fourth grade. Data analysis consisted of t-tests and multiple regression. The incidence of cross-linguistic spelling errors was found to be low at all grade levels and to virtually disappear by fourth grade, indicating that this is a developmental issue that is common among bilingual students and that typically resolves itself without remediation.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This work was supported by Grant No. 5-P01-HD39530 from the Eunice K. Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and from the Institute of Education Sciences of the U.S. Department of Education. However, the content of this article does not necessarily represent the positions or policies of these agencies, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.