Cross‐language transfer of orthographic processing skills: a study of French children who learn English at school

Abstract

This study explores the nature of orthographic processing skills among French‐speaking children in Grades 6 and 8 who are learning English at school as a second language (L2). Two aspects of orthographic processing skills are thought to form a convergent construct in monolingual beginning readers: word‐specific knowledge (e.g. rain‐rane) and sensitivity to sub‐lexical regularities (e.g. schoal‐sckoal). The present study examines these components in the first language (L1) reading of older children and charts the cross‐language transfer of orthographic skills during the first 3 years of L2 learning. Word‐specific orthographic knowledge in L2 correlates with L1 reading speed and results reveal direct cross‐language transfer for this component of orthographic processing skill. However, no evidence is found for transfer of sensitivity to sub‐lexical regularities. The concept of cross‐language transfer in relation to these different components of orthographic processing is discussed with reference to L1 and L2 literacy skills in this school acquisition context.