World Congress update: Home language instruction lauded

There are many reasons, both philosophical and cultural, to teach language learners in their home language (L1), said Claude Goldenberg of Stanford University during the Second General Session at IRA’s 22nd World Congress on Reading. The best reason of all, however, may be a practical one—five separate quantitative reviews (meta-analyses) conclude that teaching children to read in L1 promotes their achievement in second language (L2) instruction. “In reading it is a very robust finding,” Goldenberg said, more so than in math.

Goldenberg noted that this finding may seem counter-intuitive to many people who believe it is more logical to expect that immersion in the students’ second language would lead to better L2 acquisition. Why does L1 instruction promote L2 achievement? “Studies suggest positive transfer from L1 reading instruction to L2 achievement,” Goldenberg said. “Learning is easier in the language you know best, and learning academic skills in one language helps you learn those skills in another.”

Instruction using students’ home language offers no instant solution, Goldenberg concluded. However, it is a viable and important tool. “Despite challenges and uncertainties, home language instruction should be part of efforts to extend the educational franchise worldwide,” he said. “Given what we know from research, ignoring L1 instruction as a possible venue to help promote literacy is simply inexcusable.”