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Finding the Keys to Biliteracy: How Young Children Interpret Different Writing Systems
Language and Education, 18 (2): 124--144 (2004)
Аннотация
This paper discusses ways in which young bilingual children understand the principles
underlying different writing systems. Six case studies were conducted, involving
six-year-olds growing up in London who were learning to write in Chinese, Arabic or
Spanish at the same time as English. The children’s formal and informal literacy interactions
were observed at home, community language school and primary school. Peer
teaching sessions were also set up so that children could demonstrate their ideas about
Chinese, Arabic or Spanish to primary school classmates. Findings show that these
young emergent biliterates were able to grasp concepts from different systems, by
producing their own interpretations of the input provided by teachers and family. A
discussion follows as to whether such understandings were heightened by dealing
with more than one writing system, and whether the research points to a more general
propensity amongst young children to look for the principles involved in graphic
representation. Finally, the paper argues that mainstreameducators need to recognise
the cognitive gains for minority-language children who are becoming biliterate and
offer support for this important area of learning.
