Cover not available

Article published In: Cross-linguistic transfer in reading in multilingual contexts – recent research trends
Edited by Elena Zaretsky and Mila Schwartz
[Written Language & Literacy 17:1] 2014
► pp. 40–61

Get fulltext from our e-platform
JBE logo with link
PDF logo with download linkDownload PDF
authorization required

How do previously acquired languages affect acquisition of English as a foreign language

The case of Circassian

 | Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel
 | Edmond J. Safra Brain Reaserch Center for the study of Learning Disabilities University of Haifa, Israel
 | Oranim Academic College of Education, Israel
Published online: 11 April 2014
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/wll.17.1.03kah
The present study aims to examine the linguistic and orthographic proximity hypothesis in new script acquisition by comparing the performance of Circassian L1 speaking children who are emerging quadri-literates with Hebrew L1 speaking children who are emerging biliterates. Tests in decoding and spelling various English target conventions were conducted. Thirty 10 year old Circassian L1 speaking children were compared to 46 Hebrew L1 speaking children. Results show that the group of Circassian L1 speaking children outperformed the group of Hebrew L1 speaking children and showed a significant advantage in decoding and spelling target orthographic conventions. There were no significant differences between the two groups on decoding and spelling the silent 〈e〉, which provided a challenge for both groups. The results provide support for the linguistic and orthographic proximity hypothesis whereby phonemes and orthographic characteristics that exist in a child’s first or additional language system and writing system facilitate acquisition of orthographic conventions in a new language and writing system. Keywords: linguistic and orthographic proximity; decoding; spelling; Circassian; Hebrew; EFL
References (31)
Allaith, Zainab A. & R. Malatesha Joshi (2011). Spelling performance of English consonants among students whose first language is Arabic. Reading and Writing 241: 1089–1110. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Asadi, Ibrahim, Michal Shany, Anat Ben-Simon & Raphiq Ibrahim (2011). Individual diagnostic tests in the assessment of learning disabilities in Arabic: Tests and Manual. Haifa: Haifa University Publications.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bialystok, Ellen (2001). Bilingualism in development. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Bram, Chen (1999). Circassian re-immigration to the Caucasus. In Shalva Weil (ed.), Routes and roots: Emigration in a global perspective, 205–222. Jerusalem: Magnes.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, Jasone & Fred Genesee (1998). Psycholinguistic perspectives on multilingualism and multilingual education. In Jasone Cenoz & Fred Genesee (eds.), Beyond bilingualism: Multilingualism and multilingual education, 16–32. Clevedon: Multilingual Matters.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cenoz, Jasone & Charlotte Hoffmann (2003). Acquiring a third language: What role does bilingualism play? International Journal of Bilingualism 71: 1–8. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cook, Vivian (n.d.). Multi-competence. Retrieved from [URL][URL]
Cummins, Jim (1978). Bilingualism and the development of metalinguistic awareness. Journal of Cross-Cultural Psychology 91: 131–149. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Daniels, Peter T. & William Bright (eds.) (1996). The world’s writing systems. New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Davis, Claire & Peter Bryant (2006). Causal connections in the acquisition of an orthographic rule: A test of Uta Frith’s developmental hypothesis. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry 47(8): 849–856. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Deutsch, Avital (1994). Operating of attention systems in the field of the syntax in children with severe reading disabilities. Unpublished doctoral thesis [In Hebrew]. Jerusalem: The Hebrew University.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Fender, Michael (2008). Spelling knowledge and reading development: Insights from Arab ESL learners. International Online Journal of Issues in Foreign Language Reading and Literacy 201: 19–42.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Frost, Ram (2005). Orthographic systems and skilled word recognition processes in reading. In Margaret J. Snowling & Charles Hulme (eds.), The science of reading: A handbook, 272–295. Oxford: Blackwell. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Geva, Esther & Linda S. Siegel (2000). Orthographic and cognitive factors in the concurrent development of basic reading skills in two languages. Journal of Reading and Writing 121: 1–30. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Geva, Esther & Lesly A.Wade-Woolley (1998). Component processes in becoming English-Hebrew biliterate. In Aydin Y. Durgunoglu & Ludo T. Verhoeven (eds.), Literacy development in a multilingual context: Cross-cultural perspectives, 85–110. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gottardo, Alexandra, Bernice Yan, Linda S. Siegel & Lesly A. Wade-Woolley (2001). Factors related to English reading performance in children with Chinese as a first language. Journal of Educational Psychology 9(3): 530–542. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Gut, Ulrike (2009). Cross-linguistic influence in L3 phonological acquisition. International Journal of Multilingualism 71: 19–38. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Ibrahim, Raphiq, Zohar Eviatar & Judith Aharon-Peretz (2007). Metalinguistic awareness and reading performance: A cross language comparison. The Journal of Psycholinguistic Research 36(4): 297–317. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Kahn-Horwitz, Janina, Mila Schwartz & David L. Share (2011). Acquiring the complex English orthography: A Tri-Literacy Advantage? Journal of Research in Reading 341: 136–156. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Koda, Keiko (2008). Impacts of prior literacy experience on second-language learning to read. In Keiko Koda & Annette M. Zehler (eds.), Learning to read across languages: Cross-linguistic relationships in first-and second-language literacy development, 68–93. New York: Routledge.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Mamser Batsag, Muhamad C. (2009). “الموسوعة التاريخية للأمة الشركسية “ الأديغة (The historical series of the Circassian nation ‘The Adegh’) 11: 363–402. Amman, Jordon.
Olshtain, Elite & Frieda Nissim-Amitai (2004). Being trilingual or multilingual: Is there a price to pay? In Charlotte Hoffmann & Jehannes Ytsma (eds.), Trilingualism in family, school and community, 30–36. Great Britain: Cromwell Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Perfetti, Charles A., Laurence Rieben & Michel Fayol (1997). Learning to spell: Research, theory, and practice across languages. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Raven, John C., Jean Raven & John H. Court (1976). Raven’s progressive matrices. Oxford: Oxford Psychologists Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Rosner, Jerome (1975). Helping children overcome learning difficulties: A step-by-step guide for parents and teachers. New York: Walker and Company.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Schwartz, Mila, Esther Geva, Mark Leikin & David L. Share (2007). Learning to read in English as L3: The cross-linguistic transfer of phonological processing skills. Written Language and Literacy 10(1): 25–52. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Seymour, Phillip H.K., Mikko Aro & Jane M. Erskine (2003). Foundation literacy acquisition in European orthographies. British Journal of Psychology 941: 143–174. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Shany, Michal, Dorit Lachman, Tzila Shalem, Amira Bahat & Tali Seiger (2003). Reading test: Word recognition fluency (words-per-minute) and accuracy [in Hebrew]. Israel: Nitzan.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Sun-Alperin, M. Kendra & Min Wang (2011). Cross-language transfer of phonological and orthographic processing skills from Spanish L1 to English L2. Journal of Reading and Writing 241: 591–614. Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Venezky, Richard L. (1999). The American way of spelling: The structure and origins of American English orthography. New York: Guilford Press.Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Тхьаркъуахъо, Ю.А. (Yu Tcharkuacho) (2000). АдыгэБуквэмэЯшъэфхэр (The secrets of the Circassian alphabet) Maykop: MGTI(МГТИ).Google Scholar logo with link to Google Scholar
Cited by (20)

Cited by 20 other publications

Park, Hae In
2025. Perceived Benefits of Foreign Language Learning and Bilingualism: Results from a Survey among Korean University Students. Modern English Education 26:0 ► pp. 150 ff. DOI logo
Sammour-Shehadeh, Rana, Anat Prior & Janina Kahn-Horwitz
2025. Spelling challenges in English as a foreign language: vowels, digraphs, and novel phonemes. Reading and Writing DOI logo
Bermúdez-Margaretto, Beatriz, Andriy Myachykov, Yang Fu, Grigory Kopytin & Yury Shtyrov
2024. Neural correlates of cross-alphabetic interference and integration in the biliterate brain. Bilingualism: Language and Cognition 27:4 ► pp. 628 ff. DOI logo
Hasanah, Shofiyatul, Hanan . & Parahita Pradipta
2024. The Diglossic-Bilingual of English-Arabic Second-Language Eventualities in Madurese-Scholar's Society. KnE Social Sciences DOI logo
Degani, Tamar, Orr Yagev Bar-David & Lior Levy Adam
2023. Does brief exposure to a written text affect spelling performance in a second language?. Reading and Writing 36:7 ► pp. 1901 ff. DOI logo
Fuchs, Stephanie, Tami Katzir & Janina Kahn-Horwitz
2023. EFL literacy instruction as reflected in elementary school textbooks in Israel. Reading and Writing 36:1 ► pp. 29 ff. DOI logo
KRENCA, Klaudia, Eliane SEGERS, Ludo VERHOEVEN, Jeffrey STEELE, Sharry SHAKORY & Xi CHEN
2023. Lexical restructuring stimulates phonological awareness among emerging English–French bilingual children’s literacy. Journal of Child Language 50:3 ► pp. 685 ff. DOI logo
Sammour-Shehadeh, Rana, Janina Kahn-Horwitz & Anat Prior
2023. Spelling English as a foreign language: a narrative review of cross-language influences due to distance in writing system, orthography and phonology. Reading and Writing 36:8 ► pp. 2147 ff. DOI logo
Bermúdez-Margaretto, Beatriz, Grigory Kopytin, Andriy Myachykov, Yang Fu, Mikhail Pokhoday & Yury Shtyrov
2022. Biliteracy and acquisition of novel written words: the impact of phonological conflict between L1 and L2 scripts. Psychological Research 86:3 ► pp. 871 ff. DOI logo
Borragan, Maria, Angela de Bruin, Viktoria Havas, Ruth de Diego-Balaguer, Mila Dimitrova Vulchanova, Valentin Vulchanov & Jon Andoni Duñabeitia
2021. Differences in word learning in children: Bilingualism or linguistic experience?. Applied Psycholinguistics 42:2 ► pp. 345 ff. DOI logo
KARANFİL, Ferhat & Serkan DEMİR
2021. Multilingual identity development in a trilingual setting: A case study of refugee identity and language use. Dil ve Dilbilimi Çalışmaları Dergisi 17:2 ► pp. 866 ff. DOI logo
Russak, Susie
2020. The contribution of cognitive and linguistic skills in L1 and EFL to English spelling among native speakers of Arabic and Hebrew. Cognitive Development 55 ► pp. 100924 ff. DOI logo
Russak, Susie
2021. A study of literacy acquisition in English as a foreign language amongst native Hebrew and Arabic speaking pupils. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 24:9 ► pp. 1373 ff. DOI logo
Russak, Susie
2022. How can a fine-grained analysis of spelling errors inform our understanding of the development of spelling in EFL?. Written Language & Literacy 25:1 ► pp. 67 ff. DOI logo
Calafato, Raees
2019. The non-native speaker teacher as proficient multilingual: A critical review of research from 2009–2018. Lingua 227 ► pp. 102700 ff. DOI logo
Chung, Sheila Cira, Xi Chen & Esther Geva
2019. Deconstructing and reconstructing cross-language transfer in bilingual reading development: An interactive framework. Journal of Neurolinguistics 50 ► pp. 149 ff. DOI logo
Hirosh, Zoya & Tamar Degani
2018. Direct and indirect effects of multilingualism on novel language learning: An integrative review. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 25:3 ► pp. 892 ff. DOI logo
Kahn-Horwitz, Janina & Mona Saba
2018. Weak English foreign language readers: the cross-linguistic impact of morphological awareness. Reading and Writing 31:8 ► pp. 1843 ff. DOI logo
Kahn-Horwitz, Janina
2016. Providing English foreign language teachers with content knowledge to facilitate decoding and spelling acquisition: a longitudinal perspective. Annals of Dyslexia 66:1 ► pp. 147 ff. DOI logo
Saiegh-Haddad, Elinor & Ayman Jayusy
2016. Metalinguistic awareness in reading Hebrew L2. In Acquisition and Development of Hebrew [Trends in Language Acquisition Research, 19], ► pp. 353 ff. DOI logo

This list is based on CrossRef data as of 24 november 2025. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers. Any errors therein should be reported to them.

Mobile Menu Logo with link to supplementary files background Layer 1 prag Twitter_Logo_Blue