Nächsten Dënschdeg presentéiert de Cyril Wealer seng Fuerschung zum Lieseléieren am méisproochegen Ëmfeld Lëtzebuerg. Dobäi freet hie sech, wéi gutt eng lëtzebuergesch Virbereedung op d’Liesen an de Spillschoule funktionéiere kann, wann d’Alphabetiséierung am éischte Schouljoer op Däitsch geschitt. Hien analyséiert dofir Daten, déi hien a verschiddenen Aufgabe mat Spillschoulskanner während 12 Wochen gesammelt huet.
Fir méi gewuer ze ginn, kënnt Dir seng englesch Zesummefaassung liesen oder einfach nächst Woch dënschdes op Belval lauschtere kommen (16:00 Auer am MSH 02-15-110).
Learning to Read in a Multilingual Setting: Fostering Pre-literacy Skills in Early Childhood Classrooms in Luxembourg
Purpose: Almost half of Luxembourg’s nine-year-olds lack basic reading proficiency (NSSA, 2012). Research shows that phonological awareness and letter-sound training in a language rich environment is an effective way of preparing children for literacy in alphabetic languages (Rose, 2006). However, the effectiveness of such approaches is not established for children who are introduced to literacy in a second language. In Luxembourg, while preschool instruction is conducted in Luxembourgish, literacy instruction does not begin until Year 1 and is conducted in German, the second language for 98% of the children. Formal literacy instruction including phonics is not part of the official preschool curriculum.
This project aims to evaluate a newly developed, theoretically motivated preschool literacy programme for luxembourgish preschools. It is designed to systematically build up children’s phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, and oral language skills in Luxembourgish. The programme will be administered by teachers and is specifically designed to promote cross-linguistic transfer effects from Luxembourgish (L1) to German (L2 and language of litercay instruction). Its effectiveness and potential transfer effects to German will be tested for Luxembourgish children and in children from linguistic minorities.
Method: Children (N=200) from 25 Luxembourgish preschool classes will be divided into two groups and randomly assigned to either the training programme or the standard curriculum. The intervention will run for 12 weeks in the second year of preschool. Children are followed longitudinally and assessed on various language and cognitive measures (phonological awareness, RAN, letter-sound knowledge, vocabulary, oral language, working memory) on three time points.
Conclusion: This Project aims to address whether cross-linguistic transfer effects for literacy interventions are possible in multilingual classroom settings.