Carol McDonald Connor|Holly K. Craig
African American Preschoolers' Language, Emergent Literacy Skills, and Use of African American English: A Complex Relation
Florida State University|University of Michigan–Ann Arbor
purpose study examined relation african american preschoolers use african american english aae language emergent literacy skills effort better understand perplexing persistent difficulties many african american children experience learning read proficiently method african american preschoolers n 63 vocabulary skills assessed fall language emergent literacy skills assessed spring relation students aae use vocabulary emergent literacy skills examined using hierarchical linear modeling hlm controlling fall vocabulary child family school variables childrens use aae examined across two contextssentence imitation oral narrative using wordless storybook prompt results significant ushaped relation frequency preschoolers used aae features language emergent literacy skills students used aae features greater lesser frequency demonstrated stronger sentence imitation letterword recognition phonological awareness skills preschoolers used aae features moderate frequency controlling fall vocabulary skills fewer preschoolers used aae features sentence imitation task explicit expectations standard american english sae school english oral narrative elicitation task implicit expectations sae conclusions nonlinear relation aae use language emergent literacy skills coupled systematic differences aae use across contexts indicates preschoolers may dialect switching aae sae suggesting emerging pragmaticmetalinguistic awareness