Relationships between second language oral proficiency and reading comprehension of bilingual fifth grade students

Abstract

Abstract A multiple case study was conducted examining the language and reading performance in Spanish and English of six fifth grade, native Spanish-speaking bilingual children. Subjects were chosen who represented three different levels of second language (L2) proficiency in English. All subjects attended the same bilingual education program, four since kindergarten and two since third grade. Data interpretation described relationships between second language oral proficiency and reading comprehension. Results suggested that second language oral proficiency was related positively to reading comprehension ability for these subjects. The lowest English L2 proficiency subjects showed evidence of limited second language proficiency inhibiting independent reading comprehension. Further research is needed to more fully describe characteristics of limited English language proficiency associated with low reading comprehension in the same language. In addition, given that other factors such as background knowledge and text characteristics interact with linguistic proficiency to affect reading comprehension, further research is needed to determine under what reading conditions more or less second language proficiency may be necessary for effective second language reading comprehension.