Second language writing development in childhood: a case study

ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 SECOND LANGUAGE WRITING DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDHOOD: A CASE STUDY* Raquel Se ano Elizabe h R.. Howa d Cen e o Applied Linguis ics Whe eas mos esea ch on child second language acquisi ion has ocused on he o al p oduc ion o child en, s udies a e needed o show hei ini ial w i ing de elopmen in a second language. This pape aims o shed some ligh on his p ocess, ocusing on he English w i ing de elopmen o a na i e Spanish speake en olled in a wo-way imme sion p og am in he Uni ed S a es. Da a o his p esen a ion come om a longi udinal, na ional s udy which in ol es 484 s uden s in 11 p og ams ac oss he coun y. In his pape , we will p esen a case s udy o one o he s uden s in he p ojec , om he beginning o hi d g ade un il he end o i h g ade. The s uden ’s w i ing samples will be discussed using an analy ic ub ic de eloped o he p ojec . This ub ic add esses h ee majo aspec s o w i ing –composi ion, g amma and mechanics– and p o ides a clea amewo k o in es iga ing changes in w i ing abili y o e ime. Key wo ds: second language w i ing, w i ing de elopmen , ESL, Spanish L1, bilingual educa ion, wo-way imme sion. 1. In oduc ion Two-way imme sion (TWI) is an inc easingly popula educa ional app oach in he Uni ed S a es. Two-way imme sion p og ams in eg a e na i e English Es udios de lingüís ica inglesa aplicada 40 R. Se ano & E. Howa d ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 speake s wi h na i e speake s o ano he language, usually Spanish, and each all s uden s h ough bo h languages. Fu he mo e, TWI p og ams a e conside ed addi i e bilingual p og ams o bo h g oups o s uden s because hey a o d all s uden s he oppo uni y o main ain and de elop o al and w i en skills in hei i s language while simul aneously acqui ing o al and w i en skills in a second language (Ch is ian, 1994). Thus, hese p og ams s i e o p omo e bilingualism and bili e acy in addi ion o g ade-le el academic achie emen . Ano he ela ed goal is o p omo e c oss-cul u al unde s anding among he wo main s uden g oups. The ollowing a e he co e cha ac e is ics o TWI p og ams (Ch is ian, 1994; Howa d and Suga man, 2001; Howa d and Ch is ian, 2002): •Language-mino i y (non-English language) and language-majo i y (English) s uden s a e in eg a ed o a leas 50% o he day a all g ade le els. •Con en and li e acy ins uc ion in bo h languages a e p o ided o all s uden s. •Language-mino i y and language-majo i y s uden s a e balanced, wi h each g oup making up one hi d o wo hi ds o he o al popula ion. The e a e wo main models o implemen a ion o TWI p og ams. (Ch is ian, 1994; Howa d and Ch is ian, 2002). The i s is called 90/10, as 90% o ins uc ion in he p ima y g ades is in he mino i y language and 10% is in English. The a ios slowly shi o e ime, un il a balance o 50% o ins uc ion in each language is eached by abou ou h g ade. The o he app oach is called 50/50 since i o e s 50% o ins uc ional ime in he mino i y language and he o he 50% in English a all g ade le els. Rega dless o he p og am model, TWI has been shown o be an e ec i e p og am model o bo h language mino i y s uden s and na i e English speake s (Lindholm-Lea y, 2001; Thomas and Collie , 2003). Bo h g oups de elop bilingualism, bili e acy, and bicul u alism in addi ion o he academic compe ence ha compa able s uden s in mains eam U.S. schools a ain. Second language w i ing de elopmen …. 41 ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 The pu pose o his pape is o illus a e he English w i ing de elopmen o one na i e Spanish speake (NSS) en olled in a 90/10 TWI p og am. We will show his p og ess om he beginning o hi d g ade h ough he end o i h g ade, using an analy ic ub ic de eloped o he s udy. This ub ic add esses h ee majo aspec s o w i ing –composi ion, g amma and mechanics– and p o ides a clea amewo k o in es iga ing changes in w i ing abili y o e ime. By limi ing his analysis o a single subjec , we a e able o ca y ou a deepe , mo e ho ough analysis o English w i ing de elopmen o e ime. This de ailed case s udy can hen se e as a pilo p ojec o la ge-scale analyses in he u u e. In addi ion o he s uden ’s w i ing samples, we ha e ield no es de ailing his beha io s while w i ing. As a esul , we a e able o p o ide a ich desc ip ion o he de elopmen o second language w i ing p ocesses and p oduc s in a pa allel way. 2. Me hods 2.1. Resea ch Ques ion The main ques ion ha guides ou s udy is he ollowing: in wha way does a NSS p og ess in his English w i ing skills in a 90/10 TWI p og am, in e ms o composi ion, g amma and mechanics? 2.2. Pa icipan José was classi ied as a “na i e Spanish speake ” bo h acco ding o school eco ds and o in o ma ion we ob ained om he home language and li e acy ques ionnai e ha his pa en s comple ed (as well as he o he pa en s o he s uden s in ou s udy). This pa en ques ionnai e p o ided us wi h some impo an addi ional in o ma ion abou José. Fi s o all, we lea ned ha he was bo n in he U.S.; howe e , Spanish was his i s language, he language o his p e-kinde ga en dayca e and ins uc ion, as well as he language spoken by his babysi e . A he ime o da a collec ion, José spen a week o 42 R. Se ano & E. Howa d ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 less pe yea in a Spanish-speaking coun y. In addi ion, he ques ionnai e sugges ed ha he wa ched mo e English language TV han Spanish language TV, and ha he had a simila numbe o books in bo h languages. Finally, in ou h g ade, he language used mos o en in he home was Spanish, al hough bo h languages we e used. José a ended a 90/10 TWI p og am on he Eas Coas . In his p og am, na i e Spanish speake s and na i e English speake s we e in eg a ed all day o all ins uc ion, and all s uden s ecei ed ini ial li e acy ins uc ion in Spanish only. Fo mal English li e acy ins uc ion was added in a hi d g ade, a he onse o da a collec ion o his s udy. 2.3. Da a Collec ion English and Spanish w i ing samples we e collec ed h ee imes a yea ( all, win e , and sp ing) as he s uden s p og essed h ough g ades 3, 4, and 5, yielding a o al o nine samples pe s uden in each language. Fo hese w i en na a i es, s uden s picked a opic o hei own choice, as long as i was a ue s o y abou hemsel es. Du ing he sco ing p ocess, i became appa en ha many child en had no w i en pe sonal na a i es in a s ic sense, bu a he , had w i en abou hei pe sonal expe iences mo e b oadly de ined, such as desc ip ions o hei amilies, hei schools, hei a o i e spo s, e c. In o de o maximize he numbe o w i ing samples in ou analyses, we decided no o exclude such samples. Only samples ha we e clea ly non-na a i e and/o clea ly un ela ed o pe sonal opics (e.g. poems o exposi o y ex s abou academic opics) we e excluded om he analyses. Be o e s a ing o w i e he na a i es, he s uden s had a p e-w i ing ac i i y (which las ed o abou 10 minu es) whe e he eache , oge he wi h he s uden s, b ains o med abou possible opics o “pe sonal na a i es”. The s uden s we e able o alk wi h one ano he and consul esou ces like dic iona ies and wo d walls du ing he w i ing p ocess, bu he eache s we e asked no o help hem wi h ansla ion o spelling. The w i ing ac i i y las ed app oxima ely one hou . Resea ch assis an s obse ed he s uden s h oughou he w i ing ac i i y and ook ield-no es abou he class oom beha io and he w i ing beha io s o a ge s uden s, such as José. Second language w i ing de elopmen …. 43 ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 3. Da a Analysis 3.1. Rub ic In o de o analyze he s uden s’ p og ess o e ime, we de eloped a ub ic ha examined h ee main a eas o w i ing: composi ion, g amma , and mechanics, each o which included ou sub-componen s, as desc ibed he e. Possible sco es o each sub-componen anged om 0 o 5. 1. Composi ion • Topic de elopmen • Sen ence o ma ion • Suppo ing de ails • Desc ip i e language 2. G amma • Ve bs • Ag eemen • Placemen • P eposi ions 3. Mechanics • Spelling • Punc ua ion • Capi aliza ion • Pa ag aph o ma ion 44 R. Se ano & E. Howa d ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 A he end o each yea o da a collec ion, he w i ing samples we e sco ed by expe ienced wo-way imme sion eache s who we e ained by CAL esea che s o use his ub ic. A e a high deg ee o in e - a e eliabili y was achie ed on he aining samples, he eache s began o sco e he pape s indi idually. Because o he high olume o w i ing samples collec ed each yea (app oxima ely 2,500), i was no possible o a e each sample mo e han once. The e o e, a g oup o common pape s was sco ed each day, making i possible o de e mine in e - a e eliabili y. In e - a e eliabili y as de e mined by he in a-class co ela ion was consis en ly high (.83), indica ing ha he w i ing ou come sco es used in his s udy can be conside ed easonably eliable indica o s o s uden s’ w i ing abili y o e ime. In he ollowing sec ion we will desc ibe José’s w i ing samples acco ding o he ub ic. Fo e iciency, we only p esen w i ing samples ha co espond o he beginning o each g ade le el ( hi d, ou h, and i h), plus he inal na a i e, collec ed a he end o i h g ade. 3.2. Analysis 3.2.1. Fall o hi d g ade My Famliy My Name is Jose Ba oso I like o play socc e. My sis e s name is Lidia Ba oso she like o play ba bie. My Moms name is Lidia Ba oso She likes o wo k. My b o he name is B ian ba oso he likes o play socce . My dads name is Jose Ba oso is a i i spo is socce . My amliy liks o sy socce gams in . . My amliy likes o s o es. My Famliy like o sey spo s. José’s i s na a i e pa ially de eloped a s o y abou his amily; bu did no include any in oduc ion, conclusion o opic sen ence. He used e y simple and sho sen ence s uc u es, all o which had he same con igu a ion: Subjec -Ve b-A ibu e (wi h he e b o be): “My Name is Jose Ba oso”, and Subjec -Ve b-Objec (wi h he e b o like): “I like o Second language w i ing de elopmen …. 45 ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 play socc e”, “She likes o wo k”. The na a i e did no ha e many suppo ing de ails o desc ip i e language ha elabo a ed he opic. Rega ding g amma , his na a i e had a limi ed use o e bs and e b cons uc ions, ye , hey we e almos always co ec , excep o a couple o mis akes whe e he s uden omi ed ‘s’ o o m he hi d pe son singula conjuga ion (“she like”, “My Familiy like”). The s uden also used a a ie y o p onouns, all o which we e in ag eemen wi h he noun hey eplaced (“My Mom...She”, “My b o he ...he”). In e ms o placemen , he e a e no mis akes: he possesso was in on o he possessed in ins ances o possessi e case (“sis e s name”, “Moms name”, e c.); he adjec i e, o modi ying wo d appea ed in on o he noun (“ a i i spo ”, “socce gams”). This is impo an o no e, gi en ha Spanish has he opposi e wo d- o de in bo h cases, and o mal English li e acy ins uc ion had jus s a ed a he ime José p oduced his sample. Conce ning p eposi ions, he s uden used a limi ed numbe o hem (“ o”, “in”). As was he case o composi ion, he g amma in his na a i e was e y simple, since i did no include a wide a ie y o e bs o many cons uc ions whe e ag eemen and placemen can be analyzed; s ill, he accu acy le el is high. Wi h ega d o mechanics, he e we e a ew spelling mis akes, some o which showed Spanish in luence (e.g. sy o see), and o he s which showed a limi ed knowledge o English spelling con en ions, such as he ‘silen e’ ule (e.g. gams, liks). In ela ion o punc ua ion, he e seems o be some e idence ha José had a limi ed unde s anding o sen ence bounda ies a his poin , as he only used pe iods when he changed subjec s. Tha is, he w o e wo s a emen s abou himsel using only one pe iod, hen wo s a emen s abou his sis e using a single pe iod as well, and so on. Capi al le e s we e used app op ia ely o he mos pa ; howe e , in a ew occasions he capi alized wo ds ha did no need capi als (“My Family”), o used lowe -case when capi als we e needed (“B ian ba oso”). Finally, he e was no e idence o pa ag aph o ma ion, as all o he w i ing ell wi hin a single, undis inguished pa ag aph. In summa y, his all o hi d g ade w i ing sample om José was ai ly limi ed and simple. The opic de elopmen was no e y o ganized, 46 R. Se ano & E. Howa d ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 sen ences usually had he same s uc u e, and he e we e no many desc ip i e o suppo ing de ails ha elabo a ed on he opic. The use o e bs, ag eemen , placemen and p eposi ions was gene ally co ec bu limi ed, and he e we e a lo o e o s in mechanics. 3.2.2. Fall o ou h g ade My Fa o i e spo s I am going o ell you abou my wo a o i e spo s. My wo a o i e spo s a e socce and baske ball. I am going o s a alking abou baske ball and hen socce . Baske ball is one o my a o i e spo s because I am a good ebounde . and, and a li le bi a shoo ing. I like playing baske ball wi h my einds, bu no by my sel . I am a good ebaunde because I jump when I ha e o no jump be o he ball comes down. Socce is my a o i e spo because I am a good kicke . I like o play owo d because I like o make gools. I am a good pleye because I pass he ball and i by acciden I d op someone I help him up. A he beginning o ou h g ade, José de eloped an o ganized s o y, wi h a clea in oduc ion and a ele an i le; howe e , he e was no conclusion. The e was clea ly imp o emen om he hi d g ade sample in e ms o o ganiza ion and ex ension. Addi ionally, José w o e longe sen ences in ou h g ade, wi h a ying sen ence s uc u es. This sample did no include many suppo ing de ails o much desc ip i e language. G amma ically, José included a a ie y o e bs and e b cons uc ions. These e bs all ag eed wi h hei subjec s, as did he p onouns wi h hei e e en s (“I am going”, “someone...him”). Addi ionally, adjec i es and p onouns we e placed co ec ly, al hough he e we e no oo many ins ances o hese cons uc ions (“ wo a o i e spo s”, “bu no by my sel ”). Finally, José used a numbe o di e en p eposi ions accu a ely in his sample (“one o my a o i e spo s”, “playing baske ball wi h my einds”). Second language w i ing de elopmen …. 47 ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 Wi h ega d o mechanics, he spelling in his na a i e was gene ally accu a e, wi h a ew e o s, some o which s ill may indica e in luence om Spanish (e.g. pleye , acciden). José clea ly showed imp o emen in his knowledge o sen ence bounda ies, as pe iods and capi al le e s we e gene ally used co ec ly. Finally, his sample was accu a ely segmen ed in o di e en pa ag aphs. José used he i s pa ag aph as an in oduc ion, and used he ollowing wo pa ag aphs o ocus on one spo each. In summa y, José’s ou h g ade all na a i e was o ganized and clea , wi h a lo o imp o emen om he w i ing sample p oduced a yea ea lie . This sample was mo e ex ended, and included a wide a ie y o sen ence s uc u es. The g amma was also mo e sophis ica ed, as he e we e a b oade ange o cons uc ions, and hey we e qui e accu a e. The clea es and mos d ama ic imp o emen could be seen in he a ea o mechanics, especially in he a eas o pa ag aph o ma ion and sen ence segmen a ion. 3.2.3. Fall o i h g ade My Family My mom is eally nice because when I ask he i I can go ou side she usually le s me go ou side. I I ask he o go o a eind’s house she sayes yes. I lo e wha she cooks all he ime. She wo ks in he nigh in a pa ime. My dad lo e o play spo s especially socce and baske ball. His a o i e eam in socce is B azil. In baske ball his a o i e eam is Los Angeles Lake s. In oo ball he lo es Jackson ille Jagua s and San F ancisco 49e s. He wo ks in he day and comes back a 4:00 pm. When he comes back om wo k we go play socce . My dad lo es o play socce . He is on 2 socce eam. He playes de ence like I do. My sis e lo es o play Ba bies. She lo es school. She in M s. Ve mudes and Ms. Yones’s class. She lo es he wo excellen eache . He a o i e ood is pupusa and pizza. She dosn’ like spo s o Pokémon. My b o he lo es spo s and Pokémon. His a o i e pokemon is Cha iza d ha his a liza d pokemon. He lo es o play Ba bies. He lo es o play wi h my cosins. He has 15 pokemon ca ds. 54 R. Se ano & E. Howa d ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54 Re e ences Ch is ian, D. 1994. Two-Way Bilingual Educa ion: S uden s Lea ning h ough Two Languages (Educa ional P ac ice Rep. No. 12). 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Cle edon: Mul ilingual Ma e s. Thomas, W. and Collie , V. 2003. A na ional s udy o school e ec i eness o language mino i y s uden s’ long e m academic achie emen . Resea ch Repo . San a C uz, CA and Washing on, DC: Cen e o Resea ch on Educa ion, Di e si y and Excellence and Cen e o Applied Linguis ics. Second language w i ing de elopmen …. 55 ELIA 5, 2004, pp. 39-54