(1993). A Study of Item Bias in the Maine Educational Assessment Test. A study used four statistical item bias analysis strategies to determine the French cross-cultural validity of the Maine Educational Assessment, a standardized test administered in six content areas to students in grades 4, 8, and 11. Analysis was performed on eighth grade pupil performance in test year 1988-89, in the areas of the 100 common reading and mathematics items that all pupils take. The four statistical procedures used were: Scheuneman's modified chi-square; Rudner and Convey's TID-45 degree item difficulty p-value; the Rasch one-parameter latent trait model; and the Mantel-Haenszel procedure. Item response comparisons were made with two of Maine's pupil populations: 336 French bilingual/English-fluent speakers and 336 monolingual English-speakers. Findings show that 8 of 50 mathematics items and 9 of 50 reading items indicated differential validity. However, they also indicated differential functioning in not favoring significantly either language group. It is concluded… [PDF]
(1990). Dropout Reduction through Employment, Achievement, and Motivation. (Project Dream). 1989-90 Final Evaluation Report. OREA Report. Project Dropout Reduction through Employment, Achievement, and Motivation (DREAM) provided 445 Spanish-speaking limited-English-proficient students with English-as-a-second-language (ESL), Native Language Arts (NLA), and bilingual content area courses at South Bronx High School (New York) during the 1989-90 school year. Project DREAM met its objectives in the following areas: (1) NLA; (2) attendance; (3) dropout prevention; (4) improving student self-image; (5) guidance counseling; (6) staff development; (7) curriculum development; and (8) parent involvement. The program partially met its objectives for ESL and content area subjects. A lack of statistical data prevented the assessment of the objective for suspension rate. The project's strength lay in providing support services which helped ease the students' transition to life in the United States and fostered pride in themselves and their native cultures. Statistical data are presented in one table. (FMW)… [PDF]
(1983). Teaching Summarization Skills to Bilingual Elementary School Children. A study was undertaken to examine the effects of teaching five writing rules on English summarization and comprehension under two conditions of reading instruction. The five summary writing rules taught included: (1) identifying unimportant statements, (2) identifying repetition of ideas in statements, (3) identifying lists of things or series of actions, (4) finding a topic sentence, and (5) making up a topic sentence if none exists. The subjects were 60 fifth and sixth grade students who had been screened for bilingualism. Subjects were randomly assigned to three treatment groups: instruction in Spanish only, instruction in English only, and control (no summary rule instruction). Pre- and post-tests were administered for English comprehension. Analysis of the results showed that: (1) training in rules of summary writing significantly improved both comprehension and summarization of texts in English, (2) those trained in English and Spanish performed equally well on comprehension…
(1986). Erasmus Hall High School Bilingual Program, 1985-1986. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1985-86, the Bilingual Program at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn, New York, was in the final year of a three-year funding cycle. It served 212 students of limited English proficiency (LEP), including 191 Haitian students, in addition to 14 Hispanic, 6 Asian, and 1 Middle Eastern student. All participants received English as a second language (ESL) instruction. Native language arts instruction was available for the Haitian and Hispanic students, and bilingual classes in mathematics, science, social studies, and typing were available in Haitian Creole/French. A combination of Title VII and tax-levy funds supported administrative staff, instructional services, and paraprofessional assistance. Development activities for staff members included meetings, in-house workshops, and attendance at university courses. Supportive services to participants included counseling and tutoring sessions. In 1985-86, students failed to meet the project's ESL achievement goals, but Haitian students…
(1983). South Bronx High School. Bilingual Basic Skills Program. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1981-1982. To expedite acquisition of English language skills needed for full mainstreaming, the Bilingual Basic Skills Program at South Bronx High School in New York City provided instruction in English as a second language and native language arts, and bilingual mathematics, science, and social studies for 370 Spanish speaking students of limited English proficiency, during 1981-82. Aside from instructional services, program activities included curriculum development, support and counseling services, staff development, and provision of opportunities for parent involvement in the program. The report describes the project context, participants, organization, implementation, and evaluation. Evaluation results indicate that (1) gains in English reading were statistically significant; (2) students achieved more English syntax objectives than the criterion objective; (3) a greater proportion of participants passed teacher-made Spanish language arts tests in the spring than in the fall; (4) passing… [PDF]
(1986). Project CHAMP, 1983-1984: OEA Evaluation Report. Project CHAMP provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language arts, and content-area instruction in mathematics, science, and social studies to Chinese students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in three New York City high schools: Seward Park, Washington Irving, and Martin Luther King, Jr. In 1983-84, the first year of a three-year funding cycle, approximately 70 percent of the participating students were born in the People's Republic of China, and 72% spoke Cantonese. The remaining participants were from a variety of other Asian countries. Most participants were recent immigrants. Many were functionally illiterate in their native language and lacked basic study skills, and these students participated in the program's intensive literacy component at Seward Park. In 1983-84 Project CHAMP made notable progress in attaining its stated goals and substantially met its instructional objectives. Overall, students achieved the program objectives in ESL and…
(1986). George Washington High School Biliteracy Skills Development Program 1984-85. O.E.A. Evaluation Report. During the 1984-85 school year, the Biliteracy Skills Development Program at George Washington High School (New York City) served 283 Hispanic students of limited English proficiency (LEP). The aim of the program, which used a mini-school design, was to enable students to develop oral proficiency in English and literacy skills in both Spanish and English through intensive language instruction. In addition, content areas were taught in the native language until students scored in the 20th percentile on a language assessment battery test. Support services for program students included academic and personal guidance, and the program also contained staff development and parent participation components. In 1984-85, the project was affected by several administrative changes, including the hiring of a new principal and the replacement of the project coordinator by a bilingual mathematics teacher. Student achievement and attendance objectives were mostly attained, but native language…
(1986). William H. Taft High School Project HOLA 1984-1985. O.E.A. Evaluation Report. In 1984-85, Project HOLA was in its second year of funding at William H. Taft High School in the Bronx, New York. HOLA serves Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP). Project goals include speedy acquisition of English skills, orientation to life in America, maintenance and improvement of Spanish skills and cultural knowledge, and eventual mainstreaming. Supported by Title VII, tax-levy, and Chapter I funds, Project HOLA includes student support services, staff development, and parent participation activities in addition to its instructional component. An evaluation of 1984-85 focused on progress made since the previous year's report, with special attention paid to policies and programs initiated. The evaluation indicated that Project HOLA is well on its way to meeting both short- and long-term objectives. Instructional and non-instructional services are provided as proposed and are highly valued by the school administration. Analysis of student achievement…
(1984). Evaluation of the Bilingual Kindergarten and Follow-Up Programs, St. Joseph Elementary School, Town of Mount Royal (1983-1984). Submitted to the St. Croix School Commission. Fifth Progress Report. The fifth yearly progress report of a bilingual kindergarten and elementary program offering French-language instruction to native English-speakers is based on test results showing the progress of former program pupils in grades 1-4 during the 1983-84 school year. Progress in grades 1-4 was assessed by classroom observation and individual and group tests in English, French, social studies, and attitudes toward French. These students' results are compared with those of students in a French-language school reception kindergarten, an English-language program, and newcomers to the school in question. The comparisons show group differences in the expected direction, with former reception kindergarten students scoring higher than former bilingual kindergarten students, who in turn scored higher than newcomers and English-language program students. Sex differences in language performance found in earlier years had disappeared. Any long-term impact of the kindergarten program is suspected…
(1984). South Shore High School, Project VIBES. O.E.E. Evalaution Report, 1982-1983. In 1982-83, Project VIBES provided instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) and French language skills, as well as bilingual instruction in science, math, social studies, and hygiene, to approximately 100 limited-English-speaking students in grades 9-12 of South Shore High School in Brooklyn, New York. Seventy percent of the students were recent Haitian immigrants whose language is Haitian-Creole and who were educated in French in Haiti. The rest were Israelis, Asians, and Spanish-dominant Hispanics. The program was transitional and emphasized the acquisition of enough English for mainstreaming. Quantitative analysis of student achievement indicates that (1) the criterion level for English language development was not met; (2) overall passing rates for 75% were reached in native language studies, math, social studies, and business and vocational courses; and (3) the program attendance rate was significantly higher than that of the overall school population. In addition, all… [PDF]
(1983). William H. Taft High School Project Adelante. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1981-1982. Project Adelante provided instruction in English as a second language (ESL), as well as bilingual instruction in social studies, mathematics, and science to 230 students of limited English proficiency at William H. Taft High Schol, Bronx, New York City. One of the program's major goals was to expedite the acquisition and use of English language skills necessary for entry into mainstream courses. Quantitative analysis of student achievement during the second year of Project Adelante indicates that: (1) on the average, students failed to meet program objectives in ESL and Spanish reading; (2) from 54 to 61 percent of the program students enrolled in mainstream mathematics courses passed teacher made exams; (3) 62 to 67 percent of the students passed the bilingual mathematics courses; (4) a higher percentage of program students passed mainstream science courses than bilingual science courses; (5) in social studies, similar passing rates were noted in the mainstream and the bilingual… [PDF]
(1982). Learning to Spell: The Way Children Make Use of Morphemic Information. Research Report 1/82. A study investigated the way in which children make use of morphemic information when they are learning to spell. Specifically, it examined the use of morphemic information in spelling compound words; the use made of morphemic information when adding suffixes to words, and the way the morphological rule governing the formation of the past tense is acquired. Subjects, 360 7-to-9-year-old children from 30 schools in Melbourne, Australia, were administered spelling tests over a 3-day period. Results showed that many of the children did not appear to be aware of the significance of the morphemic structure of the words they were asked to spell, and knowing how to spell a morpheme in one context did not ensure that it would be spelled correctly in another. The children's spelling of the irregular past tense morpheme indicated that they were attempting to apply a rule, but for many the rule was difficult to acquire. The bilingual children in the sample, as a group, were less competent than…
(1983). Cultural Ambassadors: Monitors in Core-French Classes. Informal Series/48. Beginning core-French students who had contact with part-time French monitors and students who did not were compared in five Canadian provinces in 1979-1980 as part of an evaluation of the Second Language Monitor Program. Twenty-eight schools and 56 classes were studied in Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia, along with 5 schools and 10 classes in Manitoba and Ontario. Half of the sample had monitors for the grades 5 through 9 French classes, which were primarily first or second-year studies. Each student was interviewed for about 30 minutes in both French and English, and a standardized test of French listening comprehension was administered to determine speaking and listening competence, cultural knowledge, quantity and quality of experiences in French class, and attitude toward learning French. Students who had monitor contact reported many more experiences in French class, and their experiences were judged of higher quality than those of control students. While… [PDF]
(1981). Louis D. Brandeis High School Bilingual Program. E.S.E.A. Title VII Final Evaluation Report, 1980-1981. The Louis D. Brandeis High School Bilingual Program provides English and Spanish language instruction, academic courses, and supportive services for Spanish speaking students of limited English proficiency. This report describes the program as it was implemented in 1980-81. The program description includes background and context; student characteristics; organization and funding; faculty relations; the instructional component, consisting of English as a Second Language, native language instruction, mathematics, science, and social studies; curriculum development activities; counseling services; staff development; parent involvement; and evaluation. Evaluation results indicate that: (1) students had positive attitudes toward the program; (2) program attendance rates were higher than the school's attendance rates; (3) several program participants received academic honors; and (4) in general, moderate to highly significant gains were made in English syntax and language fluency, native… [PDF]
(1981). The Success of a Mexican American Immigrant: An Examination of Richard Rodriguez's "Hunger of Memory.". Richard Rodriguez's "Hunger of Memory," which describes his journey from a bilingual, socially disadvantaged child, the son of Mexican immigrant working class parents, to Doctor of English literature, university professor and author, is examined to provide a deeper understanding of what makes the assimilation process happen, what it costs, and why it does not happen for many Mexican Americans. The paper discusses Richard's feelings of culture shock; alienation from the public and family; embarrassment and denial of his past; break from the Mexican culture; hard work as he tries to establish his future; imitation of the cultural values of American middle class; encouragement and acceptance by his new world; feelings of emptiness once he has achieved success; attempt to return to his cultural roots to find a more satisfying meaning to his existence; his discovery of the vast separation that has been created, and will remain irrevocably intact, by the assimilation process….