Similarities (and differences) in the learning patterns of single word reading in monolingual and bilingual primary school children: A cross-sectional study

Background/Objectives: With the increasing flux of migration, children speaking a home language different from the language of school literacy is becoming a common phenomenon in education. In this context, monitoring reading development in the target language becomes crucial to inform both educational and clinical centres and ensure equitable service. We contribute by investigating learning patterns across school grades in single-word reading in monolingual and bilingual children learning to read in Italian. Methods: The sample consisted of 565 typically developing monolingual and bilingual primary school children from grades 1-5 (bilinguals = 162). Participants were tested on a computerised Lexical Decision task (LDT) recording accuracy and response times, and on standardised tests of reading and cognition. A parental questionnaire collected socio-demographic and linguistic characteristics of the children. Results: Response bias-corrected accuracy rates in LDT revealed an increase in sensitivity across school years, after correcting for potential confounds (vocabulary, cognition, bilingual variables). No significant effect of bilingualism was observed. A consistent decrease in response times for correct responses was also reported, after correcting for potential confounds. Here, no significant main effect of bilingualism was observed, but an interaction with grade revealed a greater decrease of response times for second-grade bilinguals compared to monolingual peers. Conclusions: Monolingual and bilingual children show comparable sensitivity rates and reading times, suggesting similar achievements in the acquisition of decoding skills. An earlier decrease of response times for bilinguals points to a facilitatory effect in the early stages of bilinguals’ development, consistent with an advantage during skill learning.