We investigated the dimensionality and relations between L1 and L2 writing skills in narrative and informational genres, and higher order cognitive skills-inference, perspective taking, and comprehension monitoring-for Spanish-English dual language learners in primary grades. Dimensions of written composition and higher order cognitive skills were examined, comparing nine alternative models. Data from 317 dual language learners in Grades 1 and 2 were used in confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. For the dimensionality of written composition, a unidimensional model, where writing was characterized as a single underlying construct across languages (Spanish and English) and genres (narrative & opinion), fit the data best. With regard to the dimensionality of higher order cognitive skills, data supported a bifactor model with (a) a general factor that captures common variance across languages and across inference, perspective taking, and comprehension monitoring skills and (b) specific factors by language (Spanish and English). The higher order cognition general factor was fairly strongly related to writing quality (.59), and the relation remained even after accounting for sex, poverty status, grade level, English learner status, school, and biliterate status. These relations were similar for students in English immersion program and Spanish-English dual immersion programs. These results indicate potential cross-language transfer of higher order cognitive skills, and the roles of higher order cognitions in written composition for Spanish-English dual language learners.

中文翻译：

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高阶认知技能的跨语言迁移及其在英语-西班牙语双语学习者写作中的作用。


我们研究了小学西班牙语-英语双语学习者在叙事和信息类型中的母语和二语写作技能以及高阶认知技能（推理、观点采择和理解监控）之间的维度和关系。检查了书面作文和高阶认知技能的维度，比较了九种替代模型。来自 317 名一年级和二年级双语学习者的数据被用于验证性因素分析和结构方程建模。对于书面作文的维度，一维模型最适合数据，其中写作被描述为跨语言（西班牙语和英语）和流派（叙述和观点）的单一基础结构。关于高阶认知技能的维度，数据支持双因素模型，其中（a）捕获跨语言以及跨推理、观点采择和理解监控技能的共同方差的一般因素，以及（b）按语言划分的特定因素（西班牙语）和英语）。高阶认知一般因素与写作质量有相当强的相关性（0.59），甚至在考虑了性别、贫困状况、年级水平、英语学习者状况、学校和双文状况后，这种关系仍然存在。这些关系对于英语沉浸式课程和西班牙语-英语双沉浸式课程的学生来说是相似的。这些结果表明高阶认知技能的潜在跨语言迁移，以及高阶认知在西班牙语-英语双语学习者的书面写作中的作用。