(2002). Three Ways To Achieve a More Equitable Representation of Culturally and Linguistically Different Students in GT Programs. Roeper Review, v24 n2 p82-88 Win. This article posits that increasing minority teachers in gifted and talented (GT) programs will lead to an increase of minority students in GT programs. Ways to recruit and prepare minority teachers are discussed, as are multicultural and bilingual options for GT programs. The need for evaluation data is stressed. (Contains references.) (CR)…
(1992). Language and Education in Africa: A Select Bibliography, 1980-1990. Comparative Education Review, v36 n3 p355-67 Aug. Presents a bibliography of approximately 130 books, journal articles, dissertations, and UNESCO reports (in English and French) about language usage and policies in education in subsaharan Africa. Most items were published in the 1980s. Examines the complexities and politics of language in South Africa, Nigeria, and Tanzania. (SV)…
(1998). Welcoming Place: An Urban Community of Inuit Families. Canadian Children, v23 n1 p5-11 Spr. Describes a visit by an early childhood educator to the Tungasuvvingat Inuit Head Start Program in Ottawa. Explains how this program, funded by Health Canada under the Aboriginal Head Start Initiative, emphasizes retention of the Inuit culture and language in its curriculum activities and materials, special events, daily routines, parent education and resources, and staffing. (TJQ)…
(1992). The Literacy Assessment of Second-Language Learners. The first part of this report reviews the different types of formal assessment measures that have been used to evaluate the language and literacy performance of second-language learners of English in the United States, including language proficiency tests, reading readiness tests, standardized reading tests, basal reading tests, and statewide reading tests. The second part of the report explains informal assessment and describes the various types of classroom activities that teachers can use to evaluate and facilitate the literacy development of second-language students in both bilingual and non-bilingual settings. Activities presented include classroom observation, oral miscue analysis, story retellings, tape recordings of oral reading, reading logs, reading response logs, think-alouds, writing folders, and student-teacher conferences. The report concludes by noting some of the limitations of informal assessment and by pointing out that an informal assessment program can provide… [PDF]
(1983). The Application of Videodisc Technology to the Diagnosis of Math Skills. Briefly presented are the rationale and procedures used to develop and validate an interactive videodisc program to assist in diagnosing difficulties in mathematics in grades 1-3. The mathematics assessment program is described as 408 criterion-referenced items divided into seven strands. Questions are administered until a student makes three consecutive errors; then the student is branched to the next section in a strand. At the teacher's option, the test can be administered in either English or Spanish. Information is also included on equipment configurations possible among videodisc players, microcomputers, touch screens, and printers, and disc capacity is noted. Finally, comments on formative evaluation needs are given. (MNS)… [PDF]
(1983). Evaluation Studies of Bilingual Programs in Canada. A synthesis of two evaluation studies is presented. The first study describes an early immersion school-based program in the province of British Columbia conducted on a longitudinal basis from kindergarten to grade 7, and sponsored by parents to extend their children's school-based bilingual experience. The longitudinal study of the early immersion program examined the effects of the program on children's performance in English language arts and mathematics, French language skills, and attitudes toward French language and culture. Comparisons were made with students in the regular English program and with those in other types of French second language programs. The second study involves a bilingual exchange program for grade 7 early immersion students which had two aspects: a cultural-lecture component on various aspects of French-Canadian culture given during the year, and a 2-week visit to the province of Quebec during which the early immersion students studied with French…
(1990). Eligibility and Programming in Chapter I English as a Second Language (E.S.L.) Programs, 1988-89. OREA Report. Chapter I/Pupils with Compensatory Educational Needs programs in English as a Second Language (ESL) served students at 78 high schools in New York City, supplementing tax-levy-funded ESL classes in those schools serving limited-English-proficient (LEP) students. Chapter I of the Educational Consolidation and Improvement Act funded ESL and bilingual classes, bilingual guidance counselors, and paraprofessionals. Three program models were provided, each for a different type of high school, with specific formulas for allocation of funds at different instructional levels. Evaluation was conducted through interviews, data collection, and observation. Each participating school had diverse problems requiring different Chapter I programs, including native language illiteracy, increases in the number of immigrant students unprepared for the high school curriculum, social and economic difficulties facing new immigrant students, and large classes. In some cases, the constant influx of new… [PDF]
(1990). Creating Parental Involvement: A Manual for School Children and Parents Interacting Program. The Children and Parents Interacting program is a federally funded Title VII project designed to create and promote greater Hispanic parent involvement in the educational system. The program represents a joint effort of Monroe and Dade County Public Schools and Florida International University's Center for Latino Education. The major thrust of the program is to involve Hispanic parents and children in parent-child training sessions, with specific activities designed to improve the students' academic achievement and English language proficiency. This guide for school personnel in the program is comprised of the following sections: (1) program description; (2) definition of parent involvement; (3) history of parent involvement; (4) discussion of the need for parent involvement; (5) factors influencing Hispanic parent involvement; (6) parenting in the Hispanic home; (7) common problems and solutions in interacting with parents; (8) strategies for promoting Hispanic parent involvement,…
(1986). Walton High School: Project BLAST, 1985-1986. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1985-86, Project BLAST (Bilingual Language Arts Survival Training), in its third and final year of funding at Walton High School (Bronx, New York), achieved an attendance rate of 95 percent. Project BLAST provided 200 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) with instruction in: (1) English as a second language (ESL) and native language arts; and (2) bilingual instruction in social studies, mathematics, and science. Special features of the program were its career exploration, survival skills, and citizenship training components. The project also developed two new instructional components in 1985-86: a computer lab and an advanced placement native language arts class. Project BLAST's success was attributed to the high quality of teaching, the dedication of the project's staff, the small size of the program, and the effective use of the project's paraprofessionals and the bilingual family associate. Much time was also spent in counseling individual students. This assessment…
(1986). Cultural and Vocational Attitudes: Hispanic Girls in South Chicago. Twenty-five freshman Hispanic girls at Bowen High School in Chicago were motivated and encouraged to continue their education and explore various career goals. Methodology involved a highly personal interaction with the program worker. Three groups were formed–two were conducted in English and one was conducted in Spanish. Project goals were to educate the students about vocational possibilities, available training resources, sexuality, and drugs and their effects; explore and challenge their attitudes and fears regarding vocation, sex, culture, and independence; clarify and increase commitment to educational goals; involve parents in their children's vocational goals; and provide expert, appropriate referral to adolescents experiencing serious problems. A holistic, replicable approach to vocational education and motivation for inner-city, bicultural teenage girls was to be developed. Research data on "positive significant changes" were inconclusive over the seven-month… [PDF]
(1986). DeWitt Clinton High School Project BISECT 1984-1985. OEA Evaluation Report. Project Bilingual Spanish-to-English Career Training (BISECT), in its third and least year of funding, offered bilingual instruction, career awareness development, and supportive services to 301 Hispanic students of limited English proficiency at DeWitt Clinton High School. While all students spoke Spanish at home, their Spanish language ability and proficiency in English varied, as did their overall academic preparedness. The ultimate goal was to improve students' English language skills and to assist them in identifying career interest areas. The instructional approach was bilingual: social studies classes were taught by English-speaking teachers assisted by bilingual paraprofessionals. Supportive services included vocational guidance and academic counseling, home visits, career awareness activities, visits to educational and cultural sites, and a program newsletter. The following evaluation findings are presented for the 1984-85 academic year: (1) English as a second language…
(1986). Project COPE 1984-1985. OEA Evaluation Report. Project COPE, in its second year of funding, offered basic skills instruction, career development, and pre-occupational training to 343 students of limited English proficiency in grades 9 through 12 at three sites in New York City. The students varied in native language skills, proficiency in English, and overall academic preparedness. The project's main goal was to provide supportive services to limited English proficient students who were also limited in their ability to read and write in their native languages. The evaluation findings for the 1984-85 academic year include the results of student performance on standardized and teacher-made tests, an examination of program materials and records, site visits, and interviews with program personnel. Objectives were met in English language development and student attendance. Data on native language development arts were not provided and the objective could not be assessed. Staff turnover and conflicts with other duties, and lack of…
(1986). The Multilingual Preschool Parent Participation Project of the Sacramento City Unified School District. Summary of the Final Evaluation Report. This paper summarizes the five year period (1980-1985) of the Sacramento City Unified School District Parent Participation Preschool and Children's Centers. The program provided multilingual education to preschool children and their limited-English-speaking parents. Children were enrolled in existing Head Start and State Preschool programs, and they received extra services. Parents were give home teaching kits for reinforcement of classroom lessons and for dissemination of information about community resources. The first phase of the program served speakers of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Spanish; the second phase added Hmong and Laotian services. Evaluation of the program by parents and teachers was very favorable. Recommendations for continuation of the program include the following: (1) more clearly articulated goals and objectives; (2) a longitudinal evaluation plan; (3) replicability of the model; (4) alternative funding sources from within and outside of the district; and (5)…
(1986). The Relationship between the Learning of English and the Learning of a 'Second Language' in Pre-Schoolers. Are young children able to become competent in two languages simultaneously? In an attempt to answer this question, Singaporean Chinese, Malay, and Indian children of 3.5 through 6 years of age who attended six different types of preschool centers were grouped into age bands separated by an interval of 6 months and were given four English tests and two "second language" tests of Chinese (Mandarin), Malay, or Tamil. Language-related abilities assessed were auditory discrimination, concept of print, word knowledge, verbal fluency in English, and word knowledge and verbal fluency in the three second languages. Results are discussed in three sections comparing age and interval data, two contrasting types of preschool centers, and children in the three ethnic groups. Findings indicated that the younger preschoolers had difficulties in simultaneously learning English and a second language. Analysis of data from both private and nonprivate centers showed that the level of…
(1983). Intersentential Codeswitching: An Educationally Justifiable Strategy. The language separation approach to bilingual teaching is compared to three kinds of language alternation approaches, \flipflopping,\\concurrent translation,\ and the \New Concurrent Approach\ (NCA). The approaches are categorized as conventional, unstructured, and structured, respectively. The effectiveness of the NCA is compared favorably to the other approaches in terms of San Antonio's Title VII demonstration project in bilingual methodology. Five NCA class segments are analyzed with special emphasis on description of corpus, teacher talk, and student talk. Transcriptions of teacher-student dialogs are included. The discussion stresses that through sufficiently long speech samples in each language the child develops the languages simultaneously. This is demonstrated by the grammaticality of almost all child responses. Furthermore, children have developed interlinguistic flexibility as they alternate between languages with ease. It is concluded that the reservations held by many…