Project: Phonics Learning and Cultural Differences
Lead Institution: Global Phonics & Literacy Research Centre (GPLRC)

Executive Summary

The Cross-Linguistic Transfer of Phonics Skills in Multilingual Learners project investigates how phonological awareness and decoding abilities acquired in one language influence literacy development in another. This research addresses a central question in multilingual education: How can we systematically harness the transfer of phonics skills across languages to accelerate literacy acquisition?

Led by GPLRC, the project brings together applied linguistics, cognitive psychology, and classroom-based experimentation to develop evidence-based strategies that enable teachers to leverage students’ first-language (L1) skills when teaching additional languages (L2, L3). By identifying patterns of transfer—both positive and negative—the initiative aims to create scalable teaching frameworks, digital tools, and teacher training programmes for multilingual literacy development.

Background & Rationale

Multilingual learners often have overlapping and diverging phonological inventories, orthographic systems, and phoneme–grapheme correspondence rules. While research shows that phonological awareness can transfer across languages, the efficiency and direction of transfer vary depending on factors such as:

• Degree of phonological similarity between languages.
• Orthographic depth (transparent vs. opaque writing systems).
• Age of acquisition for each language.
• Learners’ metalinguistic awareness and educational background.

Current classroom practices rarely exploit these relationships systematically. This project aims to fill that gap by creating practical models for deliberate, structured cross-linguistic phonics instruction.

Project Objectives

1. Identify key patterns and conditions under which phonics skills transfer across languages.
2. Develop instructional strategies that maximise positive transfer and minimise interference.
3. Design multilingual phonics assessment tools to measure transfer effects.
4. Pilot interventions in multilingual classrooms and assess their impact on literacy outcomes.
5. Train educators in the application of cross-linguistic phonics strategies.

Research Design & Methodology

4.1 Research Sites & Participants

• Asia: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Shenyang (China)
• Europe: Cambridge, London, Oxford, Edinburgh (UK); Madrid (Spain)
• Southeast Asia: Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia); Bangkok (Thailand)
• Australia: Wollongong

Participants include:

• Primary and secondary multilingual learners aged 6–15.
• Teachers with experience in bilingual or multilingual instruction.

4.2 Research Phases

• Phase 1: Baseline Data Collection
  • Phonological awareness tests in L1 and L2/L3.
  • Analysis of phoneme–grapheme correspondences in target language pairs.
• Phase 2: Intervention Design
  • Development of cross-linguistic phonics lesson plans.
  • Creation of phoneme comparison maps for participating languages.
• Phase 3: Classroom Trials
  • Controlled implementation of instructional strategies.
  • Observation, audio-recording, and real-time phonics tracking.
• Phase 4: Impact Assessment
  • Comparative analysis of literacy outcomes pre- and post-intervention.
  • Teacher and student feedback sessions.

Key Deliverables

• Cross-Linguistic Phonics Framework – Pedagogical guidelines for integrating transfer principles into daily instruction.
• Multilingual Phonics Assessment Toolkit – Instruments for evaluating phonics skills across languages.
• Digital Phoneme Mapping Tool – Interactive resource for visualising language sound systems and overlaps.
• Teacher Training Modules – Professional development programmes on applying cross-linguistic transfer principles.

Teacher Training Focus

• Understanding the phonological relationship between learners’ languages.
• Identifying and addressing negative transfer (interference).
• Creating bridging activities to link literacy skills across languages.
• Using digital tools for multilingual phonics monitoring.

Expected Outcomes & Impact

• Enhanced literacy development speed in additional languages.
• Increased teacher capacity to manage multilingual phonics instruction.
• Evidence-based models adaptable for diverse linguistic contexts.
• Policy recommendations for curriculum integration of cross-linguistic phonics approaches.

Sustainability & Future Directions

Following the research phase, GPLRC will:

• Publish a comprehensive guide on cross-linguistic phonics transfer.
• Integrate findings into Smart Rudder’s teacher training curriculum.
• Expand research to additional language pairs and orthographic systems.
• Develop AI-powered multilingual literacy platforms for classroom use.

Call for Collaboration

GPLRC invites research institutions, multilingual schools, education policymakers, and edtech developers to partner in advancing this field. Together, we can transform linguistic diversity into a powerful driver of literacy success.