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Literacy acquisition in multilingual educational contexts: Evidence from Coastal Kenya
Kaja K Jasińska1, Sharon Wolf2, Matthew C H Jukes3
1College of Health Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware.
Developmental Science
|March 19, 2019
Summary
Early literacy skills like phonological awareness and receptive language are crucial for academic success in multilingual sub-Saharan Africa. Their importance varies by language and evolves with development.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Linguistics
Background:
- Literacy is vital for socioeconomic advancement, particularly in developing regions.
- Sub-Saharan African education systems often involve multilingual learning environments.
- Research on early literacy acquisition in these diverse contexts remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the predictive role of early literacy skills in multilingual African settings.
- To examine how these skills relate to literacy in both African and European languages.
- To understand the influence of linguistic distance on literacy development.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 1,100 schoolchildren in coastal Kenya.
- Assessment of phonological awareness and receptive language skills.
- Analysis of literacy acquisition in Kiswahili and English.
Main Results:
- Phonological awareness and receptive language differentially predict Kiswahili and English literacy.
- Cross-linguistic features between home and school languages moderate these relationships.
- The influence of these skills changes as children develop.
Conclusions:
- Early literacy interventions should consider the linguistic landscape of learners.
- Understanding cross-linguistic influences is key for effective literacy instruction in multilingual contexts.
- Tailored approaches are needed to support literacy development in diverse African educational settings.
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