La Rana or El Rana: Dual Language Learners' Grammatical Variability in Narrative Retells

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Developmental Psychology
• Education

Background:

• Dual language learners (DLLs) in English immersion settings may face challenges in maintaining Spanish grammatical skills.
• Longitudinal data on Spanish article accuracy in DLLs is crucial for understanding language development trajectories.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal trajectory of Spanish article accuracy in Spanish-English DLLs from preschool to first grade.
• To examine the variability in Spanish grammatical skills among DLLs in English immersion classrooms.

Main Methods:

• Language sample analysis of Spanish and English narrative retells from 31 Spanish-English DLLs (ages 45-85 months).
• Growth curve modeling to assess within- and between-individual changes in article accuracy over time.

Main Results:

• Overall Spanish article accuracy remained stable at 76% from preschool to first grade, with no significant group growth.
• Significant individual variability in article accuracy was observed, partly explained by Spanish proficiency.
• Lower Spanish proficiency correlated with lower Spanish article accuracy, while English proficiency did not show a significant effect.

Conclusions:

• Expectations for Spanish grammatical performance in DLLs require adjustment, considering the lack of Spanish support in English immersion settings.
• DLLs in these programs typically do not achieve the article accuracy levels of monolingual Spanish speakers.
• Substantial individual differences in Spanish article accuracy highlight the diverse language skills among DLLs in the U.S.