Dear Fikert Erdeniz,

Thank you for the interesting question. Generally speaking, the cross-linguistic transfer from L1 to L2 language learning enjoys a rich body of supportive literature. The evidential basis concerning the carry-over of L1 reading to L2 reading can be substantiated based on Cummin's (1980) notion of language proficiency (LP). He assumes that LP consists mainly of two different but complementary domains; namely, CALP (cognitive/academic language proficiency)n and BICS (basic interpersonal communication skills). As such, progress in CALP can facilitate and foster improvement in BICS. As a consequence, as you have rightly observed, L1 language skills are transferable to L2 contexts. However, the response to the question of transferability has not been uniform. Those supporting the issue mostly agree that lower-level skills are more likely to transfer cross linguistically. These include pre-reading skills such as word order,  ability to differentiate between  shapes and sounds, and knowledge that graphemic symbols correspond to sounds and can be decoded in order and direction. For more information, I refer you to the following links, which hopefully satisfy the question.

Best regards,

R. Biria

https://www.edtechpolicy.org/ArchivedWebsites/transf13.htm

https://nflrc.hawaii.edu/rfl/April2004/yamashita/yamashita.html

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1107150.pdf

https://journals.uvic.ca/index.php/WPLC/article/viewFile/5164/2136

You can move the student up but add the support exercises thru the help of the parents or peers to help the student catch up.

Debra

Dear Fikret Erdeniz

This is an interesting question that has been taken up by a number of  scholars. Generally the experience of most scholars has pointed to several points: 1) If the learner has reading skill in their L1, then they are likely to be able to acquire reading skills in the target language with some ease. This may be due to the fact that they already understand the character / word correspondence to the spoken word. I am wording it in this way because this appears to apply whether the target language uses characters such as Arabic Script, Chinese / Japanese type character writing or the ABC. It also applies when the learner's L1 uses ABC or some other form of writing.

2) The second issue is whether the learner has a 'reading habit' or not. Indeed, we all read to some extent pretty much all the time in the modern literate world, as was pointed out by McNaughton, a New Zealand writer. What has been found by many researchers, and is also the experience of many school teachers, is that once the learner starts to read extensively and intensively on their own, then language transfer picks up, and the individual begins to develop greater language competence.

Always ensure that the reading done in class is appropriate to the student's level. One strategy that has been used with some success, has been to ask students to read a book (or chapter) a week. This is not as onerous as it may sound. The students are told to choose their own reading level (a picture book if that is what they can manage). The point is that they are reading. They need to prepare a report on their reading for the next class. These reports need to be kept simple and need not be marked, but they do need to be counted for the term score (credit for having done it). In this, there may be a tendency by some teachers and students to emphasise academic reading, however, whatever is the choice and ability level of the student is the best starting point (children's literature, popular novels, whatever).

 Another strategy that works better for higher level students, is the assigning of an open question related to what was discussed in class. This may, like the other strategy, appear onerous, but again, a better student could be encouraged to do more, while weaker students can still do  what they can. The point is that the student needs to reflect on what was done in class. They need to consider an approach to the question, do research online, prepare some kind of response. This means that they have to 'enter a dialogue' with the task and what was done in class.

These strategies all have one common denominator, in that they encourage learners to think about what they are learning and the language. It allows reading which brings the learner with a wide range of writers and sources, all of which use language in their own way, also, the learner is obliged to reflect on the language used, look up unknown meanings and then prepare a response. Again, you can use your own discretion as to whether to mark their work or not. You can give credit for doing it or mark it, it is up to you, but you need to respond in some way.

My personal experience, is that both techniques bring students with little or no communicative competence to some communicative response within a couple of months. The level depends on the student's individual position in the beginning.

One thing to avoid is frightening the students with grammar. They already know their grammar is a problem, they do not need to have it rubbed in. 'Grammaring' them by selecting common mistakes and dealing with them is class, without making personal issues is a better approach.

I hope that this is of some help to you. Writers such as Rost and also Susan Gass have written some useful texts on this subject. You may also find some of my own research articles on the subject on this site.

It depends also on the group of languages L1 and L2 belongs to. The same or different...

What you are really addressing is the problem of students who are not academically prepared for the level at which they are learning.  

If a student has substandard native language reading skills, should that student really be in university?  If they cannot read with critical thinking in their native language, they are not likely to be successful at reading a second language.

Thank you very much for your time and detailed answers. They are very helpful to understand this interesting process of skill transfer from L1 to L2.