Participatory reading research: Development and application of the bilingual reading intervention targeting tool

Area of Science:

• Education
• Linguistics
• Psychology

Background:

• Proficient reading is crucial for educational success, yet research often overlooks bilingual learners.
• Historically, reading research has been monolingual and Anglocentric, leading to inadequate support for diverse student populations.
• Bilingualism is sometimes wrongly perceived as a deficit, hindering access to appropriate biliteracy assessment and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To challenge traditional research methods by embedding early reading assessment and intervention within school language learning contexts.
• To explore culturally and linguistically relevant questions through participatory action research in collaboration with educators.
• To propose a decision-making tool for linking reading assessment to intervention for early bilingual learners.

Main Methods:

• Reviewing the history of bilingual learner marginalization in U.S. schools.
• Synthesizing literacy and biliteracy research from various academic fields.
• Developing a conceptual framework and a practical decision-making tool for educators.

Main Results:

• Identified historical marginalization of bilingual learners in educational research.
• Reviewed interdisciplinary research on literacy and biliteracy.
• Proposed a novel decision-making tool for biliteracy assessment and intervention.

Conclusions:

• The proposed tool and participatory action research approach can improve biliteracy outcomes for bilingual learners.
• Centering bilingual learners and involving educators in research can overcome limitations of traditional studies.
• Facilitating access to biliteracy research and evidence-based practices is essential for educational equity.