(1990). Family Kindergarten = Kinder para familias. The Family Kindergarten program designed and pilot tested by a bilingual kindergarten teacher at Garretson Elementary School in Corona, California, is described. Based on the premise that parents are the most important and influential educators of children, Family Kindergarten was conceived as an evening class that includes parents and children working together. It is currently offered at five elementary schools in the school district, and positive results include increased volunteerism in the schools and parents who have become advocates for school reform. The program budget is reported, along with information on suppliers, announcements, parent letters, a calendar of events, reminders, and program letterhead. Five sections, which comprise the bulk of this report, are as follows: Session I (Kindergarten Homework); Session II (Reading with Your Child); Session III (Mathematics 1); Session IV (Language Development); and Session V (Mathematics 2 and Evaluation). Each section contains…
(1993). Examining Identification and Instruction Practices for Gifted and Talented Limited English Proficient Students. Underrepresentation of minority students in gifted and talented (G/T) programs is a well established fact. A study examined procedures and criteria used to identify, place, and instruct gifted and talented students with limited English proficiency (GT/LEPs) in Texas, California, Colorado, Florida, Arizona, and New York public schools, to help identify factors contributing to underrepresentation of this population in gifted and talented (GT) educational programs. GT program coordinators (n=268) in a cross-section of schools responded to a survey. Less than 20 percent had established a means for identifying GT/LEPs. Respondents identified characteristic GT student behaviors that might be masked by linguistic and cultural differences, including a variety of language, cognitive, inter-/intrapersonal, academic, and artistic skills. Almost 80 percent acknowledged the need to use different means of assessment than for mainstream students. Most used multiple sources in identifying GT/LEPs…. [PDF]
(1994). Curriculum Extension for the Gifted and Talented Student with Limited English Proficiency. This paper offers suggestions for meeting the special needs of gifted and talented (GT) students of limited English proficiency (LEP) through an extension of the differentiated curriculum. An overview of the differentiated curriculum is offered, and issues that must be addressed in meeting the needs of the GT/LEP student are discussed. Teaching strategies and methods that can be used in GT/LEP instruction, and recommended teacher characteristics, are also outlined. It is concluded that although no specific pre-packaged curriculum can be recommended to meet the needs of GT/LEP students, the criteria discussed here should be used in developing instructional strategies for this population. The curriculum, when extended using the criteria recommended here, is seen as providing the necessary foundation for both cognitive and linguistic development. (Author/MSE)… [PDF]
(1993). Construction of Learning and Interaction of Language Minority Children in Cooperative Learning. Report No. 45. This report analyzes the moment-by-moment construction of interaction by language minority children in a cooperative learning activity. The interaction occurred among students in a Spanish-English bilingual 3rd grade classroom as part of a cooperative learning curriculum known as Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC), which was especially adapted for use in bilingual classrooms by language minority students. The analysis of interaction reveals that under supportive social circumstances, children are very active in probing and questioning their own knowledge and they rely on their shared expertise to attain instructional goals and supplemental goals that are related to their own expertise and concerns. The report supports the importance of promoting learning as a constructive process wherein students actively develop new knowledge through manipulation and questioning of their existing knowledge. (Author)… [PDF]
(1987). Effective Schools Research and Language Instruction Programs. This paper presents a followup of selected studies on effective schools with a population of bilingual and/or limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Over 150 research papers on both effective schools and effective bilingual LEP instruction were reviewed. The literature was divided into three categories: (1) studies with a population including linguistically and culturally different students within a bilingual or monolingual setting; (2) evaluations about the degree of effectiveness of mostly federally-funded bilingual programs; and (3) investigations of effective bilingual instructional practices or features. It is reported that the results of a survey of 97 of the research authors demonstrate the limited extent to which the research literature recognizes LEP students in its sample populations. Implications of these findings for the planning and development of effective instructional programs for LEP students are discussed, and recommendations for future research are offered. A… [PDF]
(1991). Cognitive and Language Development in an Additive-Bilingual Program: Report after Four Observations. The fourth phase of a longitudinal study focusing on the cognitive and language development of children in a primary-grade Spanish immersion program (SIP) is reported. Subjects were the remaining 13 members of an SIP cohort beginning in 1987, 15 members of a standard program comparison classroom, 18 members of another class in the 1987 SIP cohort, 37 members of a second SIP cohort, and 17 members of a same-grade standard-program comparison group. Classroom observations were made in fall 1987 (first SIP cohort only) and in the spring of 1988, 1989, and 1990. The children were tested individually on three measures, including: a test of nonverbal problem-solving ability, an English vocabulary measure, and a Spanish vocabulary test. Results indicate that while the SIP children demonstrated significant gains in nonverbal problem-solving over comparison classrooms between the first and second observations in grade 2 and maintained their gains at grade 3, the difference had attenuated by…
(1991). Educating Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Preschoolers: Moving the Agenda. Despite growing interest in children's policy and in research regarding childhood bilingualism and language acquisition, the early care and education of linguistically and culturally diverse preschoolers remains a matter of much concern. Relative inattention at the level of policy to the needs and interests of such children is due to several causes, including widely and tenaciously held personal beliefs, political ideologies, misperceptions regarding the lack of a demographic imperative, and disciplinary fragmentation among academics. Four fundamental isssues must be addressed if policy and practice in this domain are to improve. The issues are: (1) socialization, resocialization, and the family/child relationship; (2) modalities of instruction; (3) contextually discontinuous strategies; and (4) sub-system creation versus system reform. Each issue is discussed. Action principles and leadership strategies are presented in hopes of moving an action agenda to ensure that linguistically… [PDF]
(1981). Developmental Characteristic of the Writing of Urban Students at Grades 2, 5, 8, and 11. A study examined (1) developmental differences in the writing of urban students, (2) the syntactic complexity associated with differing modes of written discourse, and (3) the relationship among grade level, mode of discourse, and writing quality. Subjects were approximately 1,200 second, fifth, eighth, and eleventh grade students from large metropolitan schools that had mean scores in total reading below the fiftieth percentile on the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills and were receiving Elementary and Secondary Education Act funding. The subjects each completed descriptive, argumentative, and narrative writing tasks. Writing samples of 20 randomly chosen subjects at each grade level were selected for analysis. Of these students, approximately 17% were Spanish surnamed, 24% Black, 12% Filipino, 20% Asian, 18% White, and 9% other. The writing samples were scored for total number of words, number of t-units, and quality, holistically determined. Results showed that over the four…
(1989). Are Principles of Writing across the Curriculum Applicable to ESL Students in Content Courses? Research Findings. Two research studies conducted at the bilingual Hostos Community College of the City University of New York suggest that the classroom performance of adult, advanced, and post English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) students benefits from the students' participation in tutor-led groups that focus on a particular course's content and employ talk and writing as learning aids. The first study of 60 students found significant differences between the mean grades of students participating in the tutor-led groups and the mean grades of a control set of students. In the second, corroborative study of 164 students, the tutored students received higher average grades and were less likely to fail or drop out of a class. The results of these studies demonstrate the importance of writing and talk in the learning process, and, based on qualitative evaluation of the data, it appears that expressive talk is an equal if not greater contributor to the learning process than is writing. The results also… [PDF]
(1985). Second-Language Learning in Early Childhood: Some Thoughts for Practitioners. There is much that can be done in early childhood education programs to foster second language learning in young children. The research literature on early childhood bilingualism clearly indicates that children can learn two languages simultaneously without apparent effort, without cognitive strain or interference in learning either language adequately. Young children will learn languages best in an environment where the languages are clearly separated by persons. Caregivers can facilitate language learning by talking in an appropriate way to young language learners, as they do intuitively and spontaneously when communicating with a child, and by providing a stimulating and diverse linguistic environment with meaningful social interactions, including those with native-speaking peers. There is considerable evidence from ethnographic research that children from minority cultures learn better when classroom interactional patterns match patterns they are accustomed to, and teachers need…
(1986). Samuel Gompers High School Bilingual Mini-School 1984-1985. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1984-85, the Bilingual Mini-School was in its second year of a 3-year funding cycle at Samuel Gompers High School (Bronx, New York). The program provided instruction in English as a second language (ESL) and native language arts, in addition to bilingual instruction in mathematics, science, and social studies, to 84 Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP). In addition, program students were enrolled in several specialized vocational courses in the mainstream. The program proposed to meet students' academic and vocational/technical needs by minimizing the linguistic barriers that prevented them from participating in a mainstream instructional setting. The program also aimed at helping students meet the academic requirements for a high school diploma. Title VII funds supported all program staff positions. Development activities for staff included monthly meetings, attendance at workshops, and university courses. Efforts to involve parents of participating…
(1986). Evander Childs High School Cooperative Work-Study Program for Bilingual Students 1983-1984. OEA Evaluation Report. In its final year of a 2-year funding cycle, the Cooperative Work-Study Program for Bilingual Students offered bilingual instruction, career exploration programs, and supportive services to approximately 220 students in grades 9 through 12 at a high school in Bronx, New York. Almost all students were Hispanic and most were non-native born and of limited English proficiency. The program goal was to develop students' proficiency in English and to increase their career awareness, while preserving students' native language and culture. In English language development, students surpassed the proposed objectives. Posttest means in reading and writing were significantly greater than the pretest means; in mathematics, posttest scores were significantly greater than pretest scores. When compared with mainstream students, program students had a significantly higher pass rate in English courses, in global history, and in spring semester mathematics courses. A higher proportion of program…
(1983). Performance of Grade 10 Core French Students. Results of Testing the Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking Skills of Students in the Schools of the Ottawa and Carleton Boards of Education. Part II. Tenth Annual Report, December 1983. Grade 10 core French students in the Ottawa and Carleton schools were tested for French language skills to assess the skill level acquired by students at this stage of the French second language program and to investigate the suitability of existing tests. The study involves students at three levels: in general, advanced, and enriched courses, in the 11th year of a program beginning in kindergarten and providing the maximum French language exposure specified in Ontario guidelines. Four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) were tested at each course level, and information about student French language background was also collected. Results showed a distinct difference in the performance levels of students at the three course levels, with higher scores often related to longer program participation. Very few sex differences were found except in enriched courses, where a disproportionately small number of boys achieved higher mean scores on some measures. Results…
(1984). \So What Do You Do in There Anyway?\. There is a widespread lack of understanding of what bilingual and English-as-a-second-language (ESL) instruction consist of, and the day-to-day classroom operations are not easy to explain. Both bilingual and ESL instruction have seen rapid expansion in recent years, and the instructional and curricular approaches have been refined. It has been found that rather than emphasizing only discrete language skills, ESL teachers need to provide learning strategies that will apply to the acquisition of language skills beyond the specialized bilingual or ESL program. Sources are suggested for learning strategies in oral language, reading, and writing, as well as for articulation of the specialized program with mainstream instruction. Bilingual and ESL instructors have three basic responsibilities at all levels, to: (1) know fully the methodologies and curricula of the respective fields; (2) know and teach strategies in the essential skill areas of listening, speaking, reading, and writing;…
(1985). Theoretical Considerations in the Measurement of the English-Language Proficiency of Limited-English-Proficient Students. Limited-English-proficient (LEP) students who are not sufficiently proficient in English to participate effectively in an English-speaking instructional environment must be identified for placement in an appropriate educational program. Their progress through an instructional program that is designed to improve their acquisition of English language skills must also be measured both for purposes of exiting from the program and for program evaluation. Both placement and evaluation require a measure that assesses different levels of English-language proficiency. Attention is directed to the concept of language proficiency, how best to measure it with relevance to curriculum, appropriate levels of difficulty, and a meaningful frame of reference for the interpretation of scores for different populations. Attention is also directed to issues concerned with constructing an instrument that can serve both placement and evaluation purposes; that is, an instrument that can differentiate…