Nicole Patton Terry|Carol McDonald Connor|Yaacov Petscher|Catherine Ross Conlin
Dialect Variation and Reading: Is Change in Nonmainstream American English Use Related to Reading Achievement in First and Second Grades?
Haskins Laboratories|Georgia State University|Google (United States)|Florida State University|Google (United States)|Google (United States)|Florida State University|Google (United States)
study examined whether children spoke nonmainstream american english nmae frequently school beginning 1st grade increased use mainstream american english mae end 2nd grade whether increasing mae use associated b language reading skills school context c greater gains reading skillsa longitudinal design implemented 49 children spoke nmae moderately strongly spoken production nmae forms word reading reading comprehension measured beginning middle end 1st 2nd grades various oral language skills also measured beginning 1st graderesults indicate children increased mae production 1st grade maintained levels 2nd grade increasing mae use predicted childrens expressive vocabulary nonword repetition skills beginning 1st grade finally children increased mae production greater reading gains 1st grade 2nd gradethe findings extend previous reports significant association nmae use specific reading skills among young children implications theory educational practice future research