ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses specifically on Spanish and French, two languages which can be placed at two extremes on a continuum of orthographic systems ranging from shallow (Spanish) to deep (French). These two languages provide a natural window into understanding how orthographic systems facilitate or impede early literacy. The chapter discusses the differences between Spanish and French orthographic systems and how they influence initial periods of acquiring literacy. Very young Spanish-speaking children are able to decode and transcribe unfamiliar words and pseudowords. Young French-speaking children are able to read and spell regular and frequent words, but irregular words and grammatical morphology remain a challenge throughout education. These differences would be reflected in the challenges for literacy instruction and accomplishment that each country faces; and yet the challenges are similar in spite of the described differences.
