Moving Cross-Language Transfer from Hypothesis to Causal Evidence: Effects of First-Language reading Skills on Second-Language reading Development in Ghana.
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| Title: | Moving Cross-Language Transfer from Hypothesis to Causal Evidence: Effects of First-Language reading Skills on Second-Language reading Development in Ghana. |
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| Authors: | Moussa, Wael1 (AUTHOR), Lee, Jeongmin2 (AUTHOR) jlee77@worldbank.org |
| Source: | American Educational Research Journal. Jun2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p544-574. 31p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Language transfer (Language learning), *Reading, *Second language acquisition, *Language policy, *Bilingual education, *Fluency (Language learning), Ghanaians, Instrumental variables (Statistics) |
| Geographic Terms: | Ghana |
| Abstract: | In multilingual countries, debates about language policy in education persist. Many countries adopt a transitional bilingual approach in which children are taught to read in their first language (L1) as a subject before instruction shifts to an official language (L2) such as English. This model rests on the premise that L1 mastery aids L2 learning. Yet, most supporting evidence is correlational. We used an instrumental variable design to examine the causal effects of children's L1 reading proficiency on L2 reading development with data from 4,352 children aged 5–13 years in Ghana. Results showed that L1 reading proficiency positively impacts basic L2 skills such as letter–sound recognition, but the effect diminishes for decoding pseudowords and becomes nonsignificant for reading fluency, suggesting inconsistent cross-language transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of American Educational Research Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 193525638 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Moving Cross-Language Transfer from Hypothesis to Causal Evidence: Effects of First-Language reading Skills on Second-Language reading Development in Ghana. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Moussa%2C+Wael%22">Moussa, Wael</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lee%2C+Jeongmin%22">Lee, Jeongmin</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> jlee77@worldbank.org</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22American+Educational+Research+Journal%22">American Educational Research Journal</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 63 Issue 3, p544-574. 31p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+transfer+%28Language+learning%29%22">Language transfer (Language learning)</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading%22">Reading</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Second+language+acquisition%22">Second language acquisition</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+policy%22">Language policy</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bilingual+education%22">Bilingual education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fluency+%28Language+learning%29%22">Fluency (Language learning)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ghanaians%22">Ghanaians</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instrumental+variables+%28Statistics%29%22">Instrumental variables (Statistics)</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ghana%22">Ghana</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: In multilingual countries, debates about language policy in education persist. Many countries adopt a transitional bilingual approach in which children are taught to read in their first language (L1) as a subject before instruction shifts to an official language (L2) such as English. This model rests on the premise that L1 mastery aids L2 learning. Yet, most supporting evidence is correlational. We used an instrumental variable design to examine the causal effects of children's L1 reading proficiency on L2 reading development with data from 4,352 children aged 5–13 years in Ghana. Results showed that L1 reading proficiency positively impacts basic L2 skills such as letter–sound recognition, but the effect diminishes for decoding pseudowords and becomes nonsignificant for reading fluency, suggesting inconsistent cross-language transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of American Educational Research Journal is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=193525638 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.3102/00028312261416515 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 31 StartPage: 544 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Language transfer (Language learning) Type: general – SubjectFull: Reading Type: general – SubjectFull: Second language acquisition Type: general – SubjectFull: Language policy Type: general – SubjectFull: Bilingual education Type: general – SubjectFull: Fluency (Language learning) Type: general – SubjectFull: Ghanaians Type: general – SubjectFull: Instrumental variables (Statistics) Type: general – SubjectFull: Ghana Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Moving Cross-Language Transfer from Hypothesis to Causal Evidence: Effects of First-Language reading Skills on Second-Language reading Development in Ghana. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Moussa, Wael – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lee, Jeongmin IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 06 Text: Jun2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00028312 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 63 – Type: issue Value: 3 Titles: – TitleFull: American Educational Research Journal Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
