Article published In: Written Language & Literacy
Vol. 27:1 (2024) ► pp.1–30
Bilingualism and early literacy in Dutch Caribbean kindergartners
Published online: 3 June 2025
https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.00081.mer
https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.00081.mer
Abstract
Research in (early) literacy development involving creoles in post-colonial contexts is scarce. Therefore,
Papiamento (L1) and Dutch (L2) early literacy of 296 kindergartners in post-colonial Dutch Caribbean was assessed to determine the
extent to which their L1 and L2 phonological awareness and letter knowledge correlate with each other and are related to L1 and L2
precursors (speech decoding, receptive vocabulary, rapid naming, verbal short-term memory). Higher phonological awareness and
precursor scores were found for Papiamento. In Papiamento, speech decoding, vocabulary and rapid naming predicted phonological
awareness; while phonological awareness along with vocabulary, rapid naming and verbal short-term memory predicted letter
knowledge. In Dutch, speech decoding and vocabulary predicted phonological awareness. There was evidence of transfer from
Papiamento- as the stronger language- to Dutch for both phonological awareness and letter knowledge. Results reveal an important
role for the Papiamento Creole in both L1 and L2 literacy acquisition in a post-colonial language setting.
Keywords: early literacy, precursors, linguistic transfer, creole, postcolonialism
Article outline
- 1.Introduction
- 1.1Early literacy and its precursors
- 1.2Bilingualism and early literacy
- 1.3Early literacy in post-colonial language contexts
- 1.4The present study
- 2.Method
- 2.1Study design
- 2.2Participants
- 2.3Procedure
- 2.4Measures
- 2.4.1Precursor measures
- 2.4.1.1Speech decoding
- 2.4.1.2Receptive vocabulary
- 2.4.1.3Rapid naming
- 2.4.1.4Verbal Short-term memory
- 2.4.2Early literacy measures
- 2.4.2.1Phonological Awareness
- 2.4.2.2Letter knowledge
- 2.4.1Precursor measures
- 2.5Data analyses
- 3.Results
- 3.1Descriptive statistics
- 3.2Prediction of L1 phonological awareness and letter knowledge
- 3.3Prediction of L2 phonological awareness and letter knowledge
- 4.Discussion
- 4.1Early literacy and precursors to this in L1 and L2
- 4.2Prediction of early literacy in L1 and L2
- 4.3Transfer from L1 to L2
- 4.4Study strengths, limitations, and suggestions for future research
- 4.5Implications for educational practice and conclusions
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