Abstract
Purpose: This study examined the relation between African American preschoolers' use of African American English (AAE) and their language and emergent literacy skills in an effort to better understand the perplexing and persistent difficulties many African American children experience learning to read proficiently. Method: African American preschoolers' (n = 63) vocabulary skills were assessed in the fall and their language and emergent literacy skills were assessed in the spring. The relation between students' AAE use and their vocabulary and emergent literacy skills was examined using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), controlling for fall vocabulary and other child, family, and school variables. Children's use of AAE was examined across two contexts - sentence imitation and oral narrative using a wordless storybook prompt. Results: There was a significant U-shaped relation between the frequency with which preschoolers used AAE features and their language and emergent literacy skills. Students who used AAE features with greater or lesser frequency demonstrated stronger sentence imitation, letter-word recognition, and phonological awareness skills than did preschoolers who used AAE features with moderate frequency, controlling for fall vocabulary skills. Fewer preschoolers used AAE features during the sentence imitation task with explicit expectations for Standard American English (SAE) or School English than they did during an oral narrative elicitation task with implicit expectations for SAE. Conclusions: The nonlinear relation between AAE use and language and emergent literacy skills, coupled with systematic differences in AAE use across contexts, indicates that some preschoolers may be dialect switching between AAE and SAE, suggesting emerging pragmatic/metalinguistic awareness.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 771-792 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Aug 1 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- African American English
- Children
- Dialects
- Literacy
- Metalinguistic awareness
- Phonological awareness
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Rehabilitation
- Health Professions(all)
- Linguistics and Language
Cite this
African American preschoolers' language, emergent literacy skills, and use of African American English : A complex relation. / Connor, Carol McDonald; Craig, Holly K.
In: Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, Vol. 49, No. 4, 01.08.2006, p. 771-792.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - African American preschoolers' language, emergent literacy skills, and use of African American English
T2 - A complex relation
AU - Connor, Carol McDonald
AU - Craig, Holly K.
PY - 2006/8/1
Y1 - 2006/8/1
N2 - Purpose: This study examined the relation between African American preschoolers' use of African American English (AAE) and their language and emergent literacy skills in an effort to better understand the perplexing and persistent difficulties many African American children experience learning to read proficiently. Method: African American preschoolers' (n = 63) vocabulary skills were assessed in the fall and their language and emergent literacy skills were assessed in the spring. The relation between students' AAE use and their vocabulary and emergent literacy skills was examined using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), controlling for fall vocabulary and other child, family, and school variables. Children's use of AAE was examined across two contexts - sentence imitation and oral narrative using a wordless storybook prompt. Results: There was a significant U-shaped relation between the frequency with which preschoolers used AAE features and their language and emergent literacy skills. Students who used AAE features with greater or lesser frequency demonstrated stronger sentence imitation, letter-word recognition, and phonological awareness skills than did preschoolers who used AAE features with moderate frequency, controlling for fall vocabulary skills. Fewer preschoolers used AAE features during the sentence imitation task with explicit expectations for Standard American English (SAE) or School English than they did during an oral narrative elicitation task with implicit expectations for SAE. Conclusions: The nonlinear relation between AAE use and language and emergent literacy skills, coupled with systematic differences in AAE use across contexts, indicates that some preschoolers may be dialect switching between AAE and SAE, suggesting emerging pragmatic/metalinguistic awareness.
AB - Purpose: This study examined the relation between African American preschoolers' use of African American English (AAE) and their language and emergent literacy skills in an effort to better understand the perplexing and persistent difficulties many African American children experience learning to read proficiently. Method: African American preschoolers' (n = 63) vocabulary skills were assessed in the fall and their language and emergent literacy skills were assessed in the spring. The relation between students' AAE use and their vocabulary and emergent literacy skills was examined using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), controlling for fall vocabulary and other child, family, and school variables. Children's use of AAE was examined across two contexts - sentence imitation and oral narrative using a wordless storybook prompt. Results: There was a significant U-shaped relation between the frequency with which preschoolers used AAE features and their language and emergent literacy skills. Students who used AAE features with greater or lesser frequency demonstrated stronger sentence imitation, letter-word recognition, and phonological awareness skills than did preschoolers who used AAE features with moderate frequency, controlling for fall vocabulary skills. Fewer preschoolers used AAE features during the sentence imitation task with explicit expectations for Standard American English (SAE) or School English than they did during an oral narrative elicitation task with implicit expectations for SAE. Conclusions: The nonlinear relation between AAE use and language and emergent literacy skills, coupled with systematic differences in AAE use across contexts, indicates that some preschoolers may be dialect switching between AAE and SAE, suggesting emerging pragmatic/metalinguistic awareness.
KW - African American English
KW - Children
KW - Dialects
KW - Literacy
KW - Metalinguistic awareness
KW - Phonological awareness
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34248700614&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34248700614&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1044/1092-4388(2006/055)
DO - 10.1044/1092-4388(2006/055)
M3 - Article
C2 - 16908874
AN - SCOPUS:34248700614
VL - 49
SP - 771
EP - 792
JO - Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
JF - Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research
SN - 1092-4388
IS - 4
ER -