Reading Processes of French Immersion Children Reading in French and English
Keywords:
French immersion, reading processes, reading comprehension, bilingual literacyAbstract
Most researchers have postulated that transfer enables children in French immersion programs rapidly to learn to read in English. However, little is known about the nature of such transfer. This study examined the oral reading of French immersion children in first and second grades to compare how they read in English and in French. The sample consisted of 42 first-grade and 34 second-grade students from a French immersion program in which English language arts instruction begins in grade 2. Each student read passages in French and in English to produce a sample of oral reading miscues and unaided retellings. Results revealed considerable similarity in how children read in English and French. The major difference involved integration of text-based and knowledge-based information, which was better with English than French passages.
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