TY - JOUR
T1 - The narrative competence of bilingual Jamaican Creole– and English-speaking preschoolers
AU - Washington, Karla N.
AU - Westby, Carol
AU - Fritz, Kristina
AU - Crowe, Kathryn
AU - Karem, Rachel Wright
AU - Basinger, Melanie
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
PY - 2021/1/19
Y1 - 2021/1/19
N2 - Purpose
The purpose of this study is to characterize narrative competence of typically developing
bilingual children using Jamaican Creole (JC) and English.
Method
Story comprehension and fictional storytelling tasks in JC and English were completed
by 104 bilingual preschoolers aged 4–6 years. Story comprehension was analyzed using
inferential story comprehension questions representing Blank's Question Hierarchy.
Fictional storytelling was analyzed using the Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language
framework for narrative macrostructure and microstructure.
Results
Story comprehension was significantly correlated within each language, but only questions
from Level 4 of Blank's Question Hierarchy showed significant correlations between
languages. Fictional storytelling was significantly better in English than in JC for
macrostructure (total score, internal response, plan, consequence) and microstructure
(total score, adverbs, elaborated noun phrases). Story complexity in JC and English
was significantly correlated. In terms of developmental effects, children's macrostructure
and story complexity appear to be better at 4 years than 5 years, with English outperforming
JC. Furthermore, age correlated with story comprehension in JC.
Conclusion
Comparison of narrative competence in bilingual children provides much needed insights
into language development, with examination of JC and English bilinguals representing
an understudied bilingual context.
AB - Purpose
The purpose of this study is to characterize narrative competence of typically developing
bilingual children using Jamaican Creole (JC) and English.
Method
Story comprehension and fictional storytelling tasks in JC and English were completed
by 104 bilingual preschoolers aged 4–6 years. Story comprehension was analyzed using
inferential story comprehension questions representing Blank's Question Hierarchy.
Fictional storytelling was analyzed using the Monitoring Indicators of Scholarly Language
framework for narrative macrostructure and microstructure.
Results
Story comprehension was significantly correlated within each language, but only questions
from Level 4 of Blank's Question Hierarchy showed significant correlations between
languages. Fictional storytelling was significantly better in English than in JC for
macrostructure (total score, internal response, plan, consequence) and microstructure
(total score, adverbs, elaborated noun phrases). Story complexity in JC and English
was significantly correlated. In terms of developmental effects, children's macrostructure
and story complexity appear to be better at 4 years than 5 years, with English outperforming
JC. Furthermore, age correlated with story comprehension in JC.
Conclusion
Comparison of narrative competence in bilingual children provides much needed insights
into language development, with examination of JC and English bilinguals representing
an understudied bilingual context.
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U2 - 10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00013
DO - 10.1044/2020_LSHSS-20-00013
M3 - Article
C2 - 33049149
AN - SCOPUS:85099677705
VL - 52
SP - 317
EP - 334
JO - Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools
JF - Language, Speech and Hearing Services in Schools
SN - 0161-1461
IS - 1
ER -