Read-aloud stories can improve reading comprehension through exposure to literature beyond one's current reading level, leading to increased independent reading among users. In an era of online learning, online platforms offer opportunities for learners to engage with authentic language materials and provide interactive learning experiences.…

Because both spelling and reading abilities tap orthographic knowledge, improvements in one ability may lead to improvements in the other. Here, we test whether spelling performance in a second-language (L2) can be improved by a short L2 reading task, as brief exposure to an L2 can increase the activation of L2 representations, making orthographic…

Background/purpose: This investigation centres on the effectiveness of the Buddy Reading approach in promoting vocabulary progression among fifth-grade EFL students in Jordan. Recognizing vocabulary as fundamental to linguistic aptitude, the research addresses the ongoing challenge instructors face in selecting fruitful instructional tactics.…

Previous research has demonstrated that immediate effects of language interventions tend to fade, but has also suggested that differentiating language skill types may be essential for understanding fade-out processes. This paper examines the longer-term effects of participating in a shared-reading intervention. Method The study included 464…

Initiating conversations and responding to initiations of others via gestural and verbal means are prerequisites for participating in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) interactions. However, research to date has not addressed the multimodal initiations and responses of young second language learners (SLLs) in natural ECEC settings. This…

This article examines findings from an umbrella review of 95 systematic reviews and meta-analyses on effective reading instruction. The analysis highlights that reading is a multifaceted process, requiring the integration of key components such as decoding, comprehension, fluency, and motivation. The review underscores the importance of early…

This study examined the within- and cross-language relationships between intrinsic language learning motivation, home literacy environment (shared book reading, parental literacy involvement, and parent perceived child literacy interest), and receptive vocabulary in 185 bilingual preschoolers and 233 primary school children in Singapore. Age…

This teaching tip describes a translanguaging read-aloud protocol. In a translanguaging read-aloud, teachers and students interact with a text (either a bilingual text or a monolingual one) in multiple languages. Teachers plan explanations, questions, and other interactions in multiple languages to amplify and clarify the text. Teachers can adapt…

The current study examined the effects of a shared reading instructional package on the receptive identification of English sight vocabulary in multilingual learner students with extensive support needs. Two participants received the intervention, one in a face-to-face format and one in a videoconferencing format (due to the COVID-19 pandemic). To…

Early childhood is a critical time for oral language development. Reading aloud is one of the most common instructional activities aimed at fostering oral language skills. It plays a vital role in supporting multilingual or emergent bilingual learners' oral language learning development. Through this article, the authors wish to inform teachers of…

It is well attested that high socio-economic status (SES) is associated with larger vocabulary size estimates in young children. This has led to growing interest in identifying associations and mechanisms that may contribute to this relationship. In this study, parent-child reading behaviors were investigated in relation to vocabulary size in a…

The shift to online instruction brought about by the novel coronavirus exacerbated language teaching and learning constraints already highlighted by foreign language (FL) research. However, it is important that FL courses keep preparing learners for global careers and interactions with native speakers--whether courses take place in-person,…

Reading acquisition involves connections between the spoken language and the writing system. The English-language writing system holds an inconsistent alphabetic system, thus encouraging readers to develop representations between the grapheme and the word. Reading in English as a Foreign language supposes a challenge, especially when the reader's…

The present study investigated whether parent--child interactions during shared reading in a diverse sample of 91 three- to five-year-old dual language learners (DLLs) in Norway supported the development of the children's first (L1) and second language (L2) vocabulary skills. The dyads spoke 11 different L1s (i.e., Arabic, Polish, Somali, and…

We explored (a) emergent bilingual students' talk-turns during read-alouds, (b) how earlier talk-turns were related to later talk-turns, and (c) how talk-turns varied across more versus less culturally relevant books. One teacher and her four students' read-alouds across two sessions each were video-recorded and transcribed. Emergent coding was…