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What is it about?
This study explored how the language of instruction in early elementary school—either Spanish or English—impacts dual language development in bilingual children. We collected narrative retells from 90 Spanish–English bilingual children from kindergarten through second grade each academic semester. Half of the children were taught primarily in Spanish, and the other half primarily in English. The students in each group were matched by age, sex, maternal level of education, and SES. The Systematic Assessment of Language Transcripts (SALT: Miller & Iglesias, 2018) was used to measure grammar and vocabulary skills in both languages. We found that the language of instruction significantly influenced dual language growth and loss. Children taught primarily in Spanish had stronger Spanish skills and retained those skills better over time. Children taught primarily in English showed stronger English skills overall, but experienced greater loss of Spanish grammar compared to those who received instruction in Spanish.
Why is it important?
Our study showed that both groups of children improved their English grammar and vocabulary skills from kindergarten through second grade, but those in Spanish-instructed programs showed faster growth rates in English during that time period. Spanish-instructed children also maintained higher levels of Spanish grammar and vocabulary throughout the study when compared to those who were English instructed. Of particular note, all study participants showed an overall decline of Spanish grammar skills over time. These results highlight how school language instruction has clinical implications when assessing dual language skills. The findings are especially important for speech-language pathologists and educators. Without understanding the impact of instructional language, there is a risk of misidentifying language loss as a disorder. Supporting Spanish in academic settings can help children maintain their heritage language and supports their long-term dual language development.