developing biliteracy
Well-developed literacy skills are an educational goal shared by teachers, parents and students. Research clearly illustrates how developing literacy skills in more than one language are beneficial for students (Baker, 2011; Buckwalter & Lo, 2002; Creese & Blackledge, 2010; Cummins, 2014; Cummins, 2000). Biliteracy is an intended outcome of the French Immersion program (Baker, 2011). “The central and well-supported finding is that the continued development of bilingual students’ two languages during elementary school entails the potential of positive academic, linguistic and cognitive consequences.” (Cummins, 2000, p. 38). Educators are able to capitalize on the linguistic resources present in multilingual classrooms to raise student’s awareness of languages and their social functions (Cummins, 2014). In a French Immersion context, bilingual usage is a reality to be embraced with purpose.
Baker (2011) discusses the research around reading proficiency. A child’s reading proficiency in their native language is a strong predictor of reading success in their L2. Research suggests literacy skills and strategies transfer to a child’s second language when biliteracy skills are encouraged (Baker, 2011). Bilingual children were found to develop an understanding that words are symbols that correspond to specific meanings more quickly than their monolingual counterparts (Bialystok, 1997, 2001a, 2001c, as cited in Baker, 2011). In the immersion context, students either learn to read and write in French before they learn to read in their L1 or will learn to read and write simultaneously in both languages. Either way, successful biliteracy is achieved (Baker, 2011).
Baker (2011) discusses the research around reading proficiency. A child’s reading proficiency in their native language is a strong predictor of reading success in their L2. Research suggests literacy skills and strategies transfer to a child’s second language when biliteracy skills are encouraged (Baker, 2011). Bilingual children were found to develop an understanding that words are symbols that correspond to specific meanings more quickly than their monolingual counterparts (Bialystok, 1997, 2001a, 2001c, as cited in Baker, 2011). In the immersion context, students either learn to read and write in French before they learn to read in their L1 or will learn to read and write simultaneously in both languages. Either way, successful biliteracy is achieved (Baker, 2011).