African American English and Spelling: How Do Second Graders Spell Dialect-Sensitive Features of Words?. Learning Disability Quarterly

Abstract. This study explored the spelling skills of African American second graders who produced African American English (AAE) features in speech. The children (N = 92), who varied in spo ken AAE use and word reading skills, were asked to spell words that contained phonological and morphological dialect-sensitive (DS) features that can vary between AAE and print-and dialectneutral (DN) orthographic patterns that do not. Analyses indi cated that all children had more difficulty spelling DS than DN features, especially the regular past-tense inflection. Struggling readers had more difficulty spelling both features, after control ling for differences in AAE use. Children in both groups made few AAE-related errors. A significant, though weak, negative correla tion was also found between AAE use and spelling of DS features. The findings indicate that linguistic variation should be consid ered in the differential diagnosis of spelling disorders among African American children

Widening the Lens of Translational Science through Team Science

It can be difficult for both biomedical and behavioral scientists to understand just what translational science is, why it matters to their disciplines, and how to enact it in their own spaces. In this brief, we ask, "What does it mean for a scientist to be engaged in translational science?” and propose a model of eight characteristics that support and facilitate team translational science

The effects of dialect awareness instruction on nonmainstream American English speakers

The achievement gaps between poor and more affluent students are persistent and chronic, as many students living in poverty are also members of more isolated communities where dialects such as African American English and Southern Vernacular English are often spoken. Non-mainstream dialect use is associated with weaker literacy achievement. The principal aims of the two experiments described in this paper were to examine whether second through fourth graders, who use home English in contexts where more formal school English is expected, can be taught to dialect shift between home and school English depending on context; and whether this leads to stronger writing and literacy outcomes. The results of two randomized controlled trials with students within classrooms randomly assigned to DAWS (Dialect Awareness, a program to explicitly teach dialect shifting), editing instruction, or a business as usual group revealed (1) that DAWS was more effective in promoting dialect shifting than instruction that did not explicitly contrast home and school English; and (2) that students in both studies who participated in DAWS were significantly more likely to use school English in contexts where it was expected on proximal and distal outcomes including narrative writing, morphosyntactic awareness, and reading comprehension. Implications for theory and practice are discussed

Building a framework to understand and address vulnerability to reading difficulties among children in schools in the United States

This paper presents a vulnerability framework as a means to contextualize inequities in reading achievement among children who are vulnerable to poor reading outcomes. Models to understand vulnerability have been applied in the social sciences and public health to identify population disparities and design interventions to improve outcomes. Vulnerability is multifaceted and governed by context. Using a vulnerability framework for the science of reading provides an innovative approach for acknowledging multilevel factors contributing to disparities. The ecological considerations of both individual differences in learners and conditions within and outside of schools ensures that scientific advances are realized for learners who are more vulnerable to experiencing reading difficulty in school.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/175133/1/cad20473.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/175133/2/cad20473_am.pd