Learning French sound/spelling links in English primary school classrooms

Abstract

Two classes (n = 45) of 9- to 11-year-old children in different English primary schools experienced weekly French phonics instruction as part of a foreign language (FL) learning programme. The underpinning rationale of the phonics instruction was that systematic and explicit FL phonics could contribute to the development of FL phonological decoding, operationalised as reading aloud individual word cards. The study explored progression in learning French sound/spelling links over this period with data from a sub-sample of students (n = 23) from both classes. Additional variables such as FL general proficiency and FL literacy, as well as L1 reading age, spelling age, and teacher assessed literacy levels were collected to explore relationships with the development of French phonological decoding. This study found that French sound/spelling links developed slowly but showed significant gains between mid- and post-test and that learning appeared resistant to attrition evidenced by delayed post-test scores. Successful phonological decoders were likely to be successful FL learners generally and proficient in L1 literacy.