From the Known to the Unknown: Using Cognates to Teach English to Spanish-Speaking

Literates
Author(s): Timothy A. Rodríguez
Source: The Reading Teacher, Vol. 54, No. 8, Embracing Pluralism Worldwide, Part 2:
Classrooms in the U.S. (May, 2001), pp. 744-746
Published by: International Literacy Association and Wiley
Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/20204987
Accessed: 04-06-2019 21:12 UTC

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 Teaching Ideas
ferred across languages, children should
From the known to the
be taught to read first in their first lan
unknown: Using cognates guage. Ferris and Politzer (1981) stated
that students who received some first
to teach English to Spanish language reading instruction performed
at least as well as their peers who re
speaking literates
ceived only second-language reading in
Timothy A. Rodriguez struction. This is supported by Haddad
(1981), who argued that first-language
literates were more likely to become lit
Goodman (1967) stated that read erate in the second language than their
ing is a "psycholinguistic guess nonliterate counterparts. It seems that
ing game." If this is true, then our role is first-language literates were able to
to teach students how to make good, in transfer literacy skills from the first lan
formed guesses when it comes to read guage to the second language, while
ing. This role is sometimes overlooked
first-language illiterates had a distinct
when many of our Spanish-speaking disadvantage in having to learn to read
students are taught to communicate, in
in a language that was unknown or only
both oral and written form, in English.
partially known.
If we view their first language as a prob
All second-language learners know
lem that needs to be eradicated, perhaps
something about language from know
we make learning English more diffi
ing their first language. For example,
cult. On the other hand, if we view stu
they know that meaning in language is
dents' LI as an asset, we can use what
based on context, that language is influ
they know about language and reading
enced by audience, and that language is
to make learning English a little easier
for them. often represented symbolically through
print. If these same learners are literate,
Studies indicate that second-language
they are aware of audience, conventions
literates transfer procedural knowledge
(knowing how to read and write) and de of print, graphophonic relationships,
syntax, text structures, and purposes for
clarative knowledge (knowing content)
from their first language to the second literacy events.
language readily because they have Krashen (1988) argued that the key
learned this knowledge in the language to learning a second language was the
they understand (Bialystok, 1991; use of language that is interesting and
Collier, 1992; Garcia, 1994; Genesee, relevant. In addition, Krashen stated
1994). Students do not need to learn to that language needs to be comprehensi
read and write again when they learn a ble and slightly beyond the student's
second language. Nor do they have to present level of second language com
relearn all the content they learned in the petence. This is what Vygotsky (1962)
first language. Hakuta and Snow (1986) termed the "zone of proximal develop
stated that because skills can be trans ment."
744 The Reading Teacher Vol. 54, NO. 8 May 2001 ?2OOI International Reading Association (pp. 744-747)
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Hornberger (1989) stated that a con
tinuum exists between languages based
on the similarity, or lack thereof, be
tween them. There are many similarities
between languages. The similarities be
tween any two languages may vary ac
cording to whether or not they are in the
same language family, share the same
alphabet, are tonal languages, and are
represented in print.
Hornberger (1989) also pointed out
that languages that share many linguis
tic relationships may transfer more
readily than those with fewer linguistic
relationships. The similarities between
English and Spanish are many. One of
the most apparent similarities is found
in their use of the Roman alphabet. In
addition, they also share many cog
nates. Richards, Platt, and Platt (1992,
p. 59) defined a cognate as "a word in
one language which is similar in form
and meaning to a word in another lan
guage because both languages are re
lated." These cognates allow us to take
advantage of what the literate Spanish
speaking learner already knows.
It is through reading, especially with
the use of cognates, that we can teach
Spanish-speaking students English.
There are four reasons why reading in a
second language can be the "gateway"
to the other three language skills, listen
ing, speaking, and writing (Rodriguez,
1998):
1. Reading is recursive, while oral
language tends to be linear. During
reading, the reader can look back or
read ahead. There are advantages to
this. For one, if readers are experiencing
a lack of comprehension, they can look
back to negotiate meaning. They may
want to read ahead to help in making the students. There are some exceptions. For
predictions about text, an important fac Steps in reading text example, math Is hard for David and Gloria.
They spend a lot of time studying the lessons
tor in reading comprehension. While Before students read text, the teacher
the teacher describes. The students discuss the
listening to oral language, however, the should discuss the steps involved. math problems and try to solve the problems.
listeners cannot continue to "rewind" These steps are as follows:
The teacher is very patient and talks to David
the speakers by asking them to repeat 1. Text is read for meaning. Students and Gloria almost daily.
utterances, unless they want to be con either read silently and then discuss the
6. Next, the teacher directs the stu
sidered annoying. Likewise, there is no meaning of text among themselves, or
they read aloud with a partner or in a dents' attention to noncognates. Students
"fast-forward" button on speakers.
can determine their meanings by match
2. Reading allows more time to small group while they discuss the
ing them with cognates. For example, in
process language. Listening to someone meaning of the text. Next, the entire
the sentence "The water from the flood
speak is a process that is taxing, espe class discusses the meaning of the text.
destroyed the hospital," most Spanish
cially if the speaker is talking very Here is an example of text with English
Spanish cognates: speaking students know the words hospi
quickly. Under many circumstances,
tal and destroyed as cognates. The word
reading allows for more time for readers The students are in the classroom. They are
water is an important contextual clue,
to process language. This can make lan studying mathematics. The subject is facile for
the majority of the students. There are some ex and the teacher can supply the meaning
guage more comprehensible and may of the word if the student does not know
ceptions. For example, mathematics is difficult
lower a learner's anxiety level. it. The teacher then asks the student what
for David and Gloria. They devote much time
3. Cognates are more easily recog to studying the lessons the professor describes. flood means. If the student doesn't know,
nized during reading than during listen The students discuss the mathematics prob or answers incorrectly, present the text
ing. For example, the word hospital is lems and try to solve the problems. The pro this way:
spelled exactly the same in English and fessor is very patient and converses with David
and Gloria quasi-daily. The water from the /footfdestroyed the hospital.
Spanish but is pronounced differently.
Flood means (a) inundation (b) tornado (c)
4. Reading, unlike listening, allows 2. The entire class then discusses the lagoon
readers to distinguish word boundaries, vocabulary of the text. The categories
which may facilitate comprehension. can be cognate words or words figured All three possibilities are cognates
The use of cognates is an effective out through context. Students can also that should be recognized by the stu
way to teach English to Spanish discuss strategies or contextual clues dents. If the students choose tornado,
speaking literates. It should be part of a used to figure out meaning. Spelling the teacher should point out that while
language program that uses what the patterns can also be discussed. For ex a tornado can destroy a hospital, it is
students already know but should not be ample, words that end in -tion in usually wind that is the destructive
English end in -ci?n in Spanish (e.g., power of a tornado. If the students
the only approach to teaching English.
In addition, while Latin-based words conversation?conversaci?n). choose lagoon, the teacher should also
3. The class discusses grammatical point out that lagoons don't destroy
that are familiar to Spanish-speaking
students are introduced first, it should differences between English and hospitals unless there is a dramatic in
crease of water. If students still don't
be emphasized that students also need Spanish and makes generalizations
to learn Germanic-based words. about English. For example, students know what flood means, the teacher
may be able to determine that adjectives should ask if an inundation can destroy
Spanish speakers know more English
come before nouns in English, which is a hospital. After determining that it can,
than they realize. In fact, they already the teacher should reread the sentence,
the opposite of Spanish.
know a lot of English words that many 4. The teacher reads the text aloud substituting the word inundation for
English-speaking people don't know or flood. In order to more effectively em
while students follow along. Students
hardly use, such as culpable (guilty), ploy cognates, teachers can point out
listen for pronunciation and to deter
penultimate (next to last), edifice (build the different types of cognates and dis
mine if there are words they recognize
ing), and facile (easy). It is the use of aurally. The purpose of the teacher's cuss their similarities and differences
these cognates that can enable students reading the text aloud is to model pro between English and Spanish.
to learn English through vocabulary that nunciation and to give students the op
is easily recognizable in written form. portunity to both hear and see the
These Latin-based cognates can be used words, some of which may be in their Types of cognates
to introduce Germanic-based equiva listening vocabulary already. 1. Some words are spelled identically
lents that they will need to learn. 5. Students receive a similar text, but in both languages, such as fatal, hotel,
The approach I will describe was with Germanic-based words. The entire actor.
used with 20 middle school students in class then compares the two texts and 2. Some words are spelled nearly the
discusses the vocabulary. Here is an ex
their first year of a transitional bilingual same: contamination?contaminaci?n;
program in south Florida. All of the stu ample of the text as above from Step 1 evidence?evidencia; castigate?castigar.
dents were from Mexico and Central with Germanic-based words: 3. In some words the similarities
America, at or near grade level in The students are in the classroom. They are aren't as apparent: sport?deporte;
Spanish, and in Grades 5 through 8. studying math. The subject is easy for most of perilous?peligroso.

Teaching Ideas 745

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 4. Some words are more of an oral Haddad, F. (1981). First-language illiteracy ?
cognate than a written cognate. In other
words, they sound more similar than
they appear, such as pleasure?placer;
peace?paz.
5. Some words are cognates for one
meaning but not another: letter-letra
(letter of the alphabet); letter-carta (as
in written correspondence). on Education and Labor.
6. Some words can be taught to help Hornberger, N. (1989). Continua of biliteracy.
teach other words: disappear?desaparecer; Review of Educational Research, 59,
appear?aparecer. 271-296.
1. There are false cognates, in which
a Spanish word is similar to an English
word but not related in meaning:
bigote?moustache; embarazada?
pregnant.
By taking advantage of the students'
knowledge and literacy in their first lan
guage, teachers can teach students
English through reading. English is in
troduced from a meaning-based ap
proach, and then the pronunciation of
words is modeled by the teacher. In ad
dition, cognates can be employed to
teach students how to analyze the
English language and make sense of
text. Finally, teachers can use cognates
to scaffold students' learning by focus
ing on what the students already know
about English. Students can make more
educated "guesses" when it comes to
reading English.
Rodriguez is a visiting professor at
Florida Atlantic University (777
Glades Road, PO Box 3091, Boca
Raton, FL 33431-0991, USA).
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Ferris, M., & Politzer, R. (1981). Effects of early
and delayed second language acquisition:
English composition skills of Spanish
speaking junior high school students. TESOL
Quarterly, 15,263-274.
Garc?a, E. (1994). Understanding and meeting
the challenge of student diversity. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin.
Genesee, F. (1994). Learning through two lan
guages: Studies of immersion and bilingual
education. Cambridge, MA: Newbury House.
Goodman, K.S. (1967). Reading: A psycholin
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Specialist, 6,126-135.
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second language reading: A case study. In S.
Hudelson (Ed.), Learning to read in different
languages (pp. 32-44). Washington, DC:
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Hakuta, K., & Snow, C. (1986). The role of re
search in policy decisions about bilingual edu
cation. In Compendium of papers on the topic of
bilingual education (pp. 28^0). Washington,
DC: U.S. House of Representatives Committee
Krashen, S. (1988). Second language acquisition
and second language learning. New York:
Prentice Hall.
Richards, J.C., Platt, J., & Platt, H. (Eds.). (1992).
Longman dictionary of language teaching and
applied linguistics. White Plains, NY:
Longman.
Rodr?guez, T. (1998, May). Using cognates to
teach English. Paper presented at TESOL
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Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Family Stories Night:
Celebrating culture and
community
Paula L. Meoli
When a parent of one of my
Reading Recovery students asked
me, "Are you coming to Family Stories
Night?" I wasn't planning to attend.
The event had been planned by a class
room teacher, and I hadn't even been
invited. But I am glad I said yes. That
night I watched as the parents shared
stories about their families in their na
tive languages. The parent who invited
me cried as she shared a touching story
in Spanish about visiting her native
country, El Salvador. When her child
provided an English translation, she
proudly announced that next year she
would read her story in English. Moved
by the sense of pride I witnessed
among the parents and children, I be
came determined to host my own
Family Stories Night.
I teach in the most culturally, linguis
tically, and economically diverse ele
mentary school in our county in
Virginia, USA. We have approximately
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900 students representing 45 countries
and 32 different languages. Parental in
volvement is especially important for at
risk children because their home culture
is vastly different from the school cul
ture (Liontos, 1992). Relationships with
families need to be developed in order to
allow the home and school cultures to
work together for the good of the child.
By reaching out to families, teachers can
tap into the vast funds of knowledge
family members have. This culture
specific knowledge can be used to en
gage family members in greater
participation in the child's learning as
well as in developing relevant learning
experiences (Moll, Amanti, Neff, &
Gonzalez, 1992). "Many have begun to
discover that they can best reach stu
dents.. .if they try to do so against the
background of their own life stories,
their own narratives" (Dyson & Genishi,
1994, p. 14).
Caine and Caine (1991) explained
principles of brain-based learning.
Because the brain is a physiological or
gan, school and life experiences that af
fect physiological function also affect
our capacity to learn. Learning is also
highly influenced by emotions. The
emotional climate both inside and out
side the classroom affects student learn
ing. The brain-based approach is
especially meaningful to me because
many of my students have life experi
ences that cause them stress both phys
iologically and emotionally. Through
including families in the classroom
community, we incorporate their knowl
edge with our interpretations of the var
ious aspects of children's lives (Taylor,
1993). Therefore, it is important for me
to understand who they are and where
they come from.
To welcome families into the class
room, I teach my students about family
stories and then host a Family Stories
Night. A family story is any story that is
significant to the family. At the fall
parent-teacher conferences, I explain to
the parents that their children will be
learning about family stories. Eventually,
the children will bring homework for the
parents to work on with them. The par
ents write the family story, and the chil
dren illustrate it.
To help children develop the concept
of a family story I share stories from
other students written in previous