Individual Differences in Leveraging Regularity in Emergent L2 Readers in Rural Côte d’Ivoire

ABSTRACT

Purpose

Statistical learning (SL) approaches to reading maintain that proficient reading requires assimilation of the rich statistical regularities in the writing system. Reading skills in developing first- and second-language readers in English have been shown to be predicted by individual differences in sensitivity to regularities in mappings from orthography to phonology (O-P) and semantics (O-S), with good readers relying more on O-P consistency, and less on O-S associations. However, SL and its relation to reading has been primarily studied in English readers in high-income Western countries.

Method

We examine individual differences in sensitivity to regularities in emergent French readers in rural agricultural communities in Côte d’Ivoire (N = 134).

Results

We show that, in contrast to previous studies, in this cohort better readers are leveraging semantic associations more strongly, while individual differences in sensitivity to orthographic consistency did not predict reading skill. Relatively little variance in reading skill was explained by sensitivity to regularities, and we discuss these findings in terms of literacy acquisition in low-literacy and low-exposure contexts. This showcases the importance of cross-linguistic and cross-cultural research to back up universal theories of literacy, and suggests that current SL accounts of reading must be updated to account for this variance in reading skills.

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Jacobs Foundation Early Career Award 2015118455 (Jasińska, PI), Jacobs Foundation grant for science capacity building in Côte d’Ivoire TRECC 2015-1184 (Jasińska, PI), Jacobs Foundation research grant for Allô Alphabet (Ogan and Jasińska, PIs), and Society for Research in Child Development Grant (Obradović, Ogan, Jasińska, PIs). We are exceptionally grateful to the families and children who participated in this study, and extend a special thanks to the village chiefs and elders, school principals and teachers, member of the Comité de Gestion des Établissements Scolaires (COGES), and members of the Ministry of Education Comité de Pilotage for their support of this research. Lastly, we would like to thank the “Transforming Education in Cocoa Communities” (TRECC) team, particularly Sabina Vigani, for their support.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Jacobs Foundation [2015-1184].