The Literacy Skills of English Language Learners in Canada

The purpose of this article is to review published studies of the English literacy of children in Canada who are English language learners (ELLs) with the goal of understanding the read- ing development of ELLs and characteristics of reading disabilities (RD) in this population. Phonological processing, syntactic awareness, and working memory of ELLs with and without RD were compared to that of native English-speaking (L1) students with and without RD. Our reviewfound that ELLswith RDexperienced reading difficulties similar to those of L1 students with RD. On the basis of the evidence, ELLs are not at greater risk for RD than their native English-speaking peers. We propose that...
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The Literacy Skills of English Language Learners in Canada Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(1), 39–49 Copyright C 2005, The Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children The Literacy Skills of English Language Learners in Canada Orly Lipka, Linda S. Siegel, and Rose Vukovic University of British Columbia The purpose of this article is to review published studies of the English literacy of children in Canada who are English language learners (ELLs) with the goal of understanding the read- ing development of ELLs and characteristics of reading disabilities (RD) in this population. Phonological processing, syntactic awareness, and working memory of ELLs with and without RD were compared to that of native English-speaking (L1) students with and without RD. Our review found that ELLs with RD experienced reading difficulties similar to those of L1 students with RD. On the basis of the evidence, ELLs are not at greater risk for RD than their native English-speaking peers. We propose that the diagnosis of a reading disability can be made in a similar manner in both ELL and L1 students. In this article, we summarize Canadian research on read- in 2002 (Schmidley, 2003). Of the 1.8 million immigrants ing and the identification of reading disability (RD) in En- who arrived in Canada during the 1990s, 17 percent were glish language learners (ELLs). Reading ability in English children between 5 and 16 years of age. In the United States, is considered crucial to success in North American society 9.2 percent of foreign-born individuals were under the age of (August & Hakuta, 1997; Snow, Burns, & Griffin, 1998). 18 (Schmidley, 2003). Because literacy skill in English is an important variable in The large number of students that attend Canadian schools predicting academic success, the United States has made the with limited or no English is a challenge to the educational development of the literacy acquisition of ELLs a research system. Given this large number of ELLs, it is important to priority (August & Hakuta, 1997). This issue is a priority know whether their development of literacy skills differs in shared by many Canadian researchers. Canada, like many significant ways from children who are native speakers of other countries, has had a considerable amount of immigra- English. tion over the last 70 years. As Canada has two official lan- The purpose of the present review is to evaluate the re- guages, English and French, children who come from homes search on the development of literacy skills in Canadian chil- in which neither English nor French is spoken receive most dren identified as ELLs. We specifically focus on the develop- of their schooling in English or French, depending on the ment of cognitive skills in three areas for normally achieving area of the country in which they live. Because the major- ELLS and L1 students, as well as students with RD; these ity of provinces in Canada offer educational instruction in areas are phonological processing, syntactic awareness, and English, many immigrant children from non-English- working memory. Finally, we consider the implications of speaking countries are ELLs.1 research findings for the diagnosis of RD in ELLs. Our re- Young ELLs arriving from other countries are placed into view is guided by the following research questions: (1) Do regular classrooms as soon as possible. Heritage language the same cognitive processes that influence reading develop- classes, in which the child receives instruction in the native ment in L1 groups influence ELL reading development; and or home language, are provided as part of a Canadian fed- (2) Do ELLs with RD exhibit similar cognitive profiles to eral multicultural initiative. The grade level at which Her- L1 students with RD, that is, can RD be identified in ELL itage language classes begin differs across school boards, groups, using the same procedures and techniques used with and many cultural groups provide additional Heritage lan- L ...