Nurul T Yussof | Nanyang Technological University (original) (raw)
Papers by Nurul T Yussof
Language and Education, Feb 4, 2020
Abstract Existing studies are inconclusive about if and how children’s stronger language can supp... more Abstract Existing studies are inconclusive about if and how children’s stronger language can support target language instruction. This study analyzed 29 Malay language teachers’ switching practices, reasons for switching, and perceptions of their Malay-English bilingual children’s language preferences and needs, in Singaporean preschool classrooms. 5 teachers’ and 68 children’s actual language practices were video-recorded, transcribed and coded for frequency and reasons for codeswitching. The Computerized Language Analysis (CLAN) software calculated these occurrences, and the combos function was used to examine the impact of teachers’ language on children’s classroom language output. The results revealed mismatches between teachers’ reported and observed language perceptions and practices. Language separation ideology is prevalent in Singapore, yet only one teacher claimed to never use English. All teachers were observed to switch to English at varied frequencies. While most Malay language teachers reported that their English use was because of instructional purposes, they were observed codeswitching mainly due to habitual reasons. These findings reflect the need to address gaps between perceptions and practices in preschool language instruction, and to consider further steps in preparing teachers to address the reality of language needs and practices in their classrooms.
Reading and Writing, Aug 3, 2018
Phonological awareness is critical for early reading acquisition across alphabetic as well as non... more Phonological awareness is critical for early reading acquisition across alphabetic as well as non-alphabetic languages. The grain size of phonological awareness varies with oral language structure and written orthography across languages. Phonological awareness' grain size and contribution to reading for simultaneous biliterate children is currently unknown. In this study, we examine syllable, rime and phoneme level awareness for bilingual children with differences in structure of their known languages in order to investigate any potential cross-language effects of their ethnic language on English reading. For 612 Chinese and English, Malay and English, and Tamil and English speakers in kindergarten, different patterns emerged across the language groups with regard to the grain size of phonological awareness over a 2-year period. The patterns of phonological awareness levels in predicting early English reading skills also differed amongst these bilingual language groups. The role of vocabulary in the relation between phonological awareness and reading was not consistent, showing small moderating and mediating effects only in some instances.
Policy Futures in Education, 2020
Show-and-Tell is one of many activities recommended for encouraging children’s oral language prod... more Show-and-Tell is one of many activities recommended for encouraging children’s oral language production in classrooms across the world, but there is little research on the topic. From existing studies, teacher facilitation is posited as key to shaping children’s oral language production. This paper explores teacher strategies for facilitating children’s oral language production during Show-and-Tell, in the case studies of four Singapore preschool language teachers (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil) sampled from a larger nationwide longitudinal study, with 47 children observed across the four classrooms. Using a coding scheme with high reliability ( d = 0.80), a total of 1192 teacher utterances and 539 children’s utterances were coded to capture teacher strategies and types of children’s responses across the classrooms. Findings showed that the English teacher employed language modelling most frequently, while all other teachers most frequently facilitated through questioning. The p...
Journal of Child Language, 2019
To code-switch or not to code-switch? This is a dilemma for many bilingual language teachers. In ... more To code-switch or not to code-switch? This is a dilemma for many bilingual language teachers. In this study, the influence of teachers’ CS on bilingual children's language and cognitive development is explored within heritage language (HL) classes in Singapore. Specifically, the relationship between children's language output, vocabulary development, and cognitive flexibility to teachers’ classroom CS behavior, is examined within 20 preschool HL classrooms (10 Mandarin, 6 Malay, and 4 Tamil). Teachers’ and children's utterances were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for CS frequency and type (i.e., inter-sentential, intra-sentential). 173 students were assessed with receptive vocabulary and dimensional card sort tasks, and their vocabulary and cognitive switching scores assessed using correlational and mixed effects analyses. Results show that inter-sentential and intra-sentential CS frequency is positively and significantly related to children's intra-sentential C...
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2018
The current study examines the relationship between bilingual children's dual language experience... more The current study examines the relationship between bilingual children's dual language experience (i.e. language input, language output and vocabulary proficiency), and their social-emotional and behavioral skills. Data were analysed from 805 Singaporean bilingual preschoolers (ages 4; 1-5; 8 years), who are learning English and either Mandarin (n = 551), Malay (n = 105), or Tamil, (n = 149). A parent questionnaire and standardized vocabulary tests were used to assess children's bilingual language environment and vocabulary knowledge. Children's socialemotional and behavioral skills were evaluated by teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A series of variables which might influence social-emotional and behavioral skills (e.g. gender, nonverbal IQ, SES, and emotion recognition) were controlled and mixedeffects models were used to conduct data analysis. Results demonstrated that children who had larger bilingual receptive vocabulary and had frequently spoken both languages for a longer time had better social-emotional and behavioral skills. Gender and emotion recognition ability were also found to be significantly related to children's social-emotional and behavioral skills. Such findings held true for children across different Mother Tongue language backgrounds. This suggests that a good language environment for bilingual children should be promoted not only for the sake of their early language development, but also because of the potential benefits to their socialemotional and behavioral skills.
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Teacher-child interactions are an integral factor influencing the quality of early childhood educ... more Teacher-child interactions are an integral factor influencing the quality of early childhood education, and multilingualism is increasingly prevalent in many contexts. In the multilingual society of Singapore this is particularly relevant because early childhood classrooms follow a bilingual policy and include the teaching and learning of Mother Tongue languages. To evaluate what constitutes quality for preschool language teaching in this multilingual context, the Mother Tongue Adapted Coding Scheme (MACS) was developed to examine teacher-child interactions during blocks of Mother Tongue language lessons. The comprehensive observational rating scheme for language learning included four domains: language input, language output, varied teaching strategies, and English use for teaching Mother Tongue language. This rating scheme was applied to fifty-one classrooms where teachers were videotaped while they conducted Chinese, Malay, or Tamil language lessons. Within the observed classrooms, four hundred and ninety-one children were assessed on their Mother Tongue language learning over three years for receptive vocabulary, reading, and morphological awareness. Overall interrater reliability on the MACS was high across language classrooms (K > 0.72). Correlation and exploratory factor analyses indicated a main factor for the language input and output domains, and separate factors for English language use. Teachers' factor scores were found unrelated to their scores on the CLASS. Higher factor scores on input/output quality were correlated with having more high progress learners (compared to peers) for receptive vocabulary, but less high progress learners for reading. Implications for future applications and adaptations of the MACS are discussed in light of the use of rating tools to examine and better understand the constituents of ECE quality within multilingual contexts.
Language and Education, Feb 4, 2020
Abstract Existing studies are inconclusive about if and how children’s stronger language can supp... more Abstract Existing studies are inconclusive about if and how children’s stronger language can support target language instruction. This study analyzed 29 Malay language teachers’ switching practices, reasons for switching, and perceptions of their Malay-English bilingual children’s language preferences and needs, in Singaporean preschool classrooms. 5 teachers’ and 68 children’s actual language practices were video-recorded, transcribed and coded for frequency and reasons for codeswitching. The Computerized Language Analysis (CLAN) software calculated these occurrences, and the combos function was used to examine the impact of teachers’ language on children’s classroom language output. The results revealed mismatches between teachers’ reported and observed language perceptions and practices. Language separation ideology is prevalent in Singapore, yet only one teacher claimed to never use English. All teachers were observed to switch to English at varied frequencies. While most Malay language teachers reported that their English use was because of instructional purposes, they were observed codeswitching mainly due to habitual reasons. These findings reflect the need to address gaps between perceptions and practices in preschool language instruction, and to consider further steps in preparing teachers to address the reality of language needs and practices in their classrooms.
Reading and Writing, Aug 3, 2018
Phonological awareness is critical for early reading acquisition across alphabetic as well as non... more Phonological awareness is critical for early reading acquisition across alphabetic as well as non-alphabetic languages. The grain size of phonological awareness varies with oral language structure and written orthography across languages. Phonological awareness' grain size and contribution to reading for simultaneous biliterate children is currently unknown. In this study, we examine syllable, rime and phoneme level awareness for bilingual children with differences in structure of their known languages in order to investigate any potential cross-language effects of their ethnic language on English reading. For 612 Chinese and English, Malay and English, and Tamil and English speakers in kindergarten, different patterns emerged across the language groups with regard to the grain size of phonological awareness over a 2-year period. The patterns of phonological awareness levels in predicting early English reading skills also differed amongst these bilingual language groups. The role of vocabulary in the relation between phonological awareness and reading was not consistent, showing small moderating and mediating effects only in some instances.
Policy Futures in Education, 2020
Show-and-Tell is one of many activities recommended for encouraging children’s oral language prod... more Show-and-Tell is one of many activities recommended for encouraging children’s oral language production in classrooms across the world, but there is little research on the topic. From existing studies, teacher facilitation is posited as key to shaping children’s oral language production. This paper explores teacher strategies for facilitating children’s oral language production during Show-and-Tell, in the case studies of four Singapore preschool language teachers (English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil) sampled from a larger nationwide longitudinal study, with 47 children observed across the four classrooms. Using a coding scheme with high reliability ( d = 0.80), a total of 1192 teacher utterances and 539 children’s utterances were coded to capture teacher strategies and types of children’s responses across the classrooms. Findings showed that the English teacher employed language modelling most frequently, while all other teachers most frequently facilitated through questioning. The p...
Journal of Child Language, 2019
To code-switch or not to code-switch? This is a dilemma for many bilingual language teachers. In ... more To code-switch or not to code-switch? This is a dilemma for many bilingual language teachers. In this study, the influence of teachers’ CS on bilingual children's language and cognitive development is explored within heritage language (HL) classes in Singapore. Specifically, the relationship between children's language output, vocabulary development, and cognitive flexibility to teachers’ classroom CS behavior, is examined within 20 preschool HL classrooms (10 Mandarin, 6 Malay, and 4 Tamil). Teachers’ and children's utterances were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed for CS frequency and type (i.e., inter-sentential, intra-sentential). 173 students were assessed with receptive vocabulary and dimensional card sort tasks, and their vocabulary and cognitive switching scores assessed using correlational and mixed effects analyses. Results show that inter-sentential and intra-sentential CS frequency is positively and significantly related to children's intra-sentential C...
International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2018
The current study examines the relationship between bilingual children's dual language experience... more The current study examines the relationship between bilingual children's dual language experience (i.e. language input, language output and vocabulary proficiency), and their social-emotional and behavioral skills. Data were analysed from 805 Singaporean bilingual preschoolers (ages 4; 1-5; 8 years), who are learning English and either Mandarin (n = 551), Malay (n = 105), or Tamil, (n = 149). A parent questionnaire and standardized vocabulary tests were used to assess children's bilingual language environment and vocabulary knowledge. Children's socialemotional and behavioral skills were evaluated by teachers using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A series of variables which might influence social-emotional and behavioral skills (e.g. gender, nonverbal IQ, SES, and emotion recognition) were controlled and mixedeffects models were used to conduct data analysis. Results demonstrated that children who had larger bilingual receptive vocabulary and had frequently spoken both languages for a longer time had better social-emotional and behavioral skills. Gender and emotion recognition ability were also found to be significantly related to children's social-emotional and behavioral skills. Such findings held true for children across different Mother Tongue language backgrounds. This suggests that a good language environment for bilingual children should be promoted not only for the sake of their early language development, but also because of the potential benefits to their socialemotional and behavioral skills.
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Teacher-child interactions are an integral factor influencing the quality of early childhood educ... more Teacher-child interactions are an integral factor influencing the quality of early childhood education, and multilingualism is increasingly prevalent in many contexts. In the multilingual society of Singapore this is particularly relevant because early childhood classrooms follow a bilingual policy and include the teaching and learning of Mother Tongue languages. To evaluate what constitutes quality for preschool language teaching in this multilingual context, the Mother Tongue Adapted Coding Scheme (MACS) was developed to examine teacher-child interactions during blocks of Mother Tongue language lessons. The comprehensive observational rating scheme for language learning included four domains: language input, language output, varied teaching strategies, and English use for teaching Mother Tongue language. This rating scheme was applied to fifty-one classrooms where teachers were videotaped while they conducted Chinese, Malay, or Tamil language lessons. Within the observed classrooms, four hundred and ninety-one children were assessed on their Mother Tongue language learning over three years for receptive vocabulary, reading, and morphological awareness. Overall interrater reliability on the MACS was high across language classrooms (K > 0.72). Correlation and exploratory factor analyses indicated a main factor for the language input and output domains, and separate factors for English language use. Teachers' factor scores were found unrelated to their scores on the CLASS. Higher factor scores on input/output quality were correlated with having more high progress learners (compared to peers) for receptive vocabulary, but less high progress learners for reading. Implications for future applications and adaptations of the MACS are discussed in light of the use of rating tools to examine and better understand the constituents of ECE quality within multilingual contexts.