Are learners able to transfer morphological awareness from their first language to aid literacy in additional languages?

Are learners able to transfer morphological awareness from their first language to aid literacy in additional languages?

• A. Yes
• B. No
• C. Sometimes
• D. Not stated

Answer: (A)

Morphological awareness is the ability to understand and analyze the parts of words—roots, prefixes, and suffixes—and what they convey. This skill can transfer across languages, helping learners decode unfamiliar words, infer meanings, and spell correctly in a new language. When students know how morphemes work in their first language, they can apply similar analysis to words in another language, especially when there are shared morphemes or similar word-building patterns. The extent of transfer varies with how closely the languages are related and with explicit instruction that helps learners connect patterns across languages, but the general idea is that this knowledge doesn’t stay locked in one language. So, it’s correct to say that learners are able to transfer morphological awareness to aid literacy in additional languages.

Morphological awareness is the ability to understand and analyze the parts of words—roots, prefixes, and suffixes—and what they convey. This skill can transfer across languages, helping learners decode unfamiliar words, infer meanings, and spell correctly in a new language. When students know how morphemes work in their first language, they can apply similar analysis to words in another language, especially when there are shared morphemes or similar word-building patterns. The extent of transfer varies with how closely the languages are related and with explicit instruction that helps learners connect patterns across languages, but the general idea is that this knowledge doesn’t stay locked in one language. So, it’s correct to say that learners are able to transfer morphological awareness to aid literacy in additional languages.