The interplay between French and English reading skills among Moroccan 9th-grade middle school students: a correlational study

Abstract

This correlational study investigates the association between reading skills in French (L2) and English (L3) among 9th-grade middle school students in Morocco (n = 70). Building on Cummins' Interdependence Hypothesis, the study explores the extent to which L2 French reading proficiency is associated with L3 English reading abilities. Standardized cloze tests were administered to students in Sidi Kacem, Morocco, to assess reading comprehension in both languages. Data analysis using SPSS 21 employed descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient to examine the relationship between L2 and L3 reading skills. The findings revealed a significant positive correlation (R = 0.69, p < .001) between L2 and L3 reading skills, particularly in sub-skills like skimming and scanning. This suggests that strong foundational reading abilities acquired in French (L2) can facilitate the development of reading skills in English (L3). The discussion emphasizes the importance of capitalizing on existing L2 competencies to enhance L3 learning. It proposes a pedagogical approach that acknowledges the interconnectedness of language abilities, fostering a cross-linguistic instructional perspective that leverages students' strengths across their linguistic repertoire. Overall, this study contributes empirical evidence to the field of language acquisition, offering valuable insights into effective language education practices in multilingual contexts like Morocco.

Keywords

• language acquisition, reading skills, L2 modalities, L3 proficiency, bilingualism, cross-linguistic influence, cognitive transfer