Studies have shown that language acquisition is the result of cognitive processes and environmental conditions (Spolsky, 1985; Sivert & Egbert, 1995). Creating an optimum language-learning environment is the responsibility of the Bilingual teacher. The design of the learning activities to ensure that a particular cognitive task can be mastered is important so that the transfer of skills from the primary language to the second language can occur without difficulty. The activities that Cometa Reading Puzzles (CRP) provides are designed based on the research that allows PreK-1 students to have a foundation in basic literacy skills.

These skills include a structural analysis of words, that CRP has, involving the following methodology:

• Synthetic approaches using part to whole with segmentation and blending of letters into words.
• Begin with phonemic awareness, individual sounds and sound letter correspondences i. e., Torres Quintero
• Involve kinesthetic activities i.e., Orthon Gillingham.
• Based on a behavioral analysis of decoding.

In the area of cross language transfer, researchers studied how phonemic awareness development particularly with the Spanish language is similar to the English Language. It was found that knowledge and skills from one language are easily communicated to the second language. Spanish speaking children have less difficulty segmenting phonemes and consonant-vowel-consonant words when the structure of both languages is similar (Gonzalez&Garcia 1995). Cometa Reading Puzzles facilitate, in a game effective manner, the skills needed for Spanish speakers to accommodate the second language learning knowledge base needed while learning literacy skills in their native language. Implementation of this research can be seen by the program contents in Level One of Cometa Reading Puzzles. The program consists of 126 puzzles and 355 structural pieces.

Level1Phonemic Awareness

Words

• Recognition of initial sounds and final vowel placement. The initial sounds are in red for easier identification and the final vowels are in blue. The colors assist in placement.
• The ending consonant assists children distinguishing the usual sounds that are evident in the English language.
• Words that are formed by patterns such as CVCV will enable students to form syllabic patterns in order to identify the sounds by syllables.
• Words formed by three syllables resulting in direct auditory growth and recognition.

This same word pack will be used to develop fluency based on reading application

Native Spanish language students with a strong phonological awareness and recognition ability are strong predictors of English decoding skills.This is interpreted as the Spanish language emerging from the same linguistic structure as with the English language, therefore the result is similar for the languages being acquired (Bialystok,2001).

In current classrooms without the support of these skills children might not be able to master those skills. However, by not creating a context for bilingual language exploration in our classrooms we miss out on one of the most powerful tools that children in such programs have to develop their literacy and awareness of language. In French-English programs and Spanish-English programs, the cognate connections between the languages provide enormous possibilities for linguistic enrichment, but not if the program is set up to ensure that the two languages never meet. (Cummins 1979).

The formation of syllabication in the Spanish language is quite important. It results in the preparation for the decoding skills needed in order to insure making a connection to the written word. In the task of decoding it is imperative that children master these skills. This information will be useful to the child when applying the knowledge of letter sound relationships to begin to decode the print. The basic linguistic knowledge and cognitive processes involved in letter recognition, phonological awareness, letter-sound relationships (phonics), blending sounds to form words and matching print to known words are stored in long term memory (Preschool 2005). This knowledge is appropriately transferred by manipulating the Cometa Reading Puzzles because it is a game type format. The application of these specific skills is included in Level Two and Level Three of CRP.

Level 2 Forming Syllables

Sounds

• Syllabication of three sounds is initiated segmentation of the words in three sounds. They are initiated by the first three sounds similar to the oral English language.
• The degree of difficulty is increased by four sounds.
• The segmentation ends in five sounds with intermediate consonants.

Level 3

Syllables

• Segmentation of words with two syllables
• Segmentation of words with three syllables
• Segmentation of words with four syllables

At the end of the three levels the words from level one will be applied.

CRP is a supportive reading program; it can also be used as an intervention to assist children in the syllabication process in a fun and educational way. This program has ten activities per level and online assistance for teacher consultation.

Bibliography

Bialystok E. (2001). Bilingualisim in development: Langauge. Literacy & cognition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Cummins, J. (1979). Linguistic interdependence and the education al development of bilingual children. Review of Educational Research, 49,222-251.

Jimenez Gonzalez,J. & Haro Garcia, C (1995). Efecys of word linguistic properties on phonological awareness in Spanish children. Journal of Educational Psychology,87(2),193-201

www.edgateway.net. Preschool English Learners. Early Literacy Cross Language Transfer (2005)