(1986). Jamaica High School Computer-Assisted Bilingual/Bicultural Multi-Skills Project 1984-85. O.E.A. Evaluation Report. The Computer-Assisted Bilingual/Bicultural Multi-Skills Project at Jamaica High School completed the first year of a 3-year funding cycle in June 1984. The Project served 101 students of limited English proficiency (LEP). Most were Hispanic or Haitian, but other ethnic groups were also represented. The students tended to be from rural, poor areas of their native countries. As a result, many had limited educational experiences; over 50 percent of the students were overage for their grade placement. The project's goals were improving students' English language proficiency; developing native language arts curricula to enhance native language skills and the students' self-image; mainstreaming students into all-English classes as soon as possible; developing career awareness programs for students; developing staff skills in using microcomputers to teach LEP students; providing meaningful parent workshops and seminars; and designing electronic and print instructional materials to meet…
(1988). A Program for Limited English Speaking Students. Necessity Is the Mother of ESL Programs. The development of a language development program for limited-English-proficient Spanish-speaking students in a New Mexico junior high school are described. Initially, the program was organized in response to sudden heavy enrollment of non-English-speaking students, and was intended to teach them English. In subsequent years, through application of research findings and theory on bilingualism and second language learning, the program has focused on developing literacy in both English and native Spanish. Currently, students spend two years in the beginning-level program and a year at the intermediate level, and some students remain in the junior high school an additional year to take advantage of the program. A beginning student's daily schedule includes: four periods of language arts, including instruction in oral and written English as a second language (ESL), Spanish and English reading, and Spanish for native speakers; math at one of two levels, taught in Spanish; and an activity…
(1984). William H. Taft High School, Project Adelante. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983. [Final Report]. Project Adelante, in its third and final year of funding, provided instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) and Spanish language skills, as well as bilingual instruction in mathematics, science, and social studies, to 230 (fall semester) and 235 (spring semester) limited English proficient Hispanic students at Willaim H. Taft High School, Bronx, New York. The project's goal was to increase the acquisition of English through native- and second-language instruction. Mainstreaming occurred when students' performance on tests and in classes indicated their ability to function within the school's mainstream curriculum. Funding for Project Adelante came from Title VII, Chapter 1, and tax-levy sources. The project developed curricula; provided counseling, career preparation and referral services to participating students; and supported staff development activities. Monthly parent meetings also were held. Quantitative analysis of student evaluation data from 1982-83 indicates that… [PDF]
(1985). Using Computer-Based Artificial Intelligence Technology to Help ESL Students. This paper discusses ways in which artificial intelligence (AI) technologies may be used to aid students for whom English is a second language in the development of language and reading skills, and asserts that the coupling of technology with close adult-teacher contacts within a context of cultural precedents and social rewards is an important element in success. Three major categories of problems that may inhibit the learning of reading and language skills are identified: physical (both aural and visual), environmental experience, and inadequate teaching. To illustrate how AI may help build a sound language base, the paper cites two examples of microcomputer knowledge-based systems: the Reading Computer that reads to children in several languages, thereby helping unilingual English teachers provide necessary background in a child's first language; and experimental systems that can instantly translate a teacher's English language voice into another language (Spanish, French,…
(1986). George Washington High School Biliteracy Skills Development Program 1983-1984. O.E.A. Evaluation Report. The 1983-84 academic year marked the first year of the Biliteracy Skills Development Program at New York City's George Washington High School. Program students were all Hispanic and spoke Spanish exclusively at home. The major program goal was to facilitate the acquisition of English through the development of literacy in the native language, with mainstreaming as the eventual goal. The project transition into the mainstream was to be accomplished by providing concentrated dosages of language, some content-area instruction through the native language, and opportunity to participate in non-academic subject classes taught in English. Parents were encouraged to become involved in their children's education and to take adult education classes in academic and vocational subjects. Achievement data of first year participants indicates that: (1) Overall, students surpassed objectives in English language development. (2) Score gains in Spanish reading for the total population were…
(1982). Expectation States Theory and Classroom Learning. Involving 307 primarily Hispanic children with varying levels of English and Spanish language proficiency and 9 teacher-aide teams from grades 2-4 bilingual classrooms in schools located in 5 districts in the San Jose (California) area, the study examined whether classroom social status affected the frequency of study interaction and whether interaction, in turn, affected the amount of learning in a specific curriculum. Expectation States Theory analyzed the sources of status and their effects on peer interaction at learning centers in an ongoing classroom setting. A path model illustrated how classroom peer interaction can simultaneously have positive and negative effects on learning. The bilingual curriculum, designed to teach thinking skills, used math and science concepts and featured multiple learning centers each with different materials and activities. For one hour per day for 15 weeks, children were required to complete each learning center and to fill out accompanying… [PDF]
(1982). A Report on the Freshman Writing Program. This review of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) Writing Programs was undertaken for several reasons, among them the rapid increase of research in writing, the inconsistency among courses, and the need to reshape and expand the programs. The report begins with a summary of earlier reviews of UCLA's composition program. Following a brief discussion of the nature of the review committees, the report describes administrative changes and proposes a freshman writing program, listing its general principles, curriculum, goals, course descriptions, textbooks, and testing. Recommendations are offered for courses and their requirements and for changes in teaching assignments, orientation, training, committees, courses, and reviews. The report concludes with projections for bilingual and second language students, freshman preparatory programs, and remediation. Appendixes include a history of the review, a list of subcommittee members and their charges, subcommittee reports, an…
(1980). Planning for Student Assessment: Participant's Handbook. Bilingual Evaluation Technical Assistance, Workshop III. This participant's handbook is designed to be used in conjunction with a workshop for planning bilingual student assessment. The following materials are included: (1) simulation materials, including descriptions of simulated programs, tests, test manuals, and printouts; (2) checklists, diagrams, and charts illustrating important points of the discussion in the text; and (3) checklists, diagrams, and charts to be used in completing the workshop exercises. The goals of the workshop are as follows: (1) to identify the assessment needs of a particular bilingual program; (2) to identify and describe the types of measures that are used to meet these assessment needs; (3) to compare and examine some of these instruments for technical adequacy, curricular relevance, and appropriateness for the student population; and (4) to make recommendations regarding the assessment process of the particular bilingual program. This handbook is intended to enhance the workshop presentations because it…
(1982). Instructional Architecture for Teaching Past and Past Participle Verb Forms. Noting that using correct verb forms is a problem for many elementary school students, and especially for those who are speakers of nonstandard English, this paper presents an instructional program for teaching past and past participle verb forms in writing to students in grade 3 through 6. The paper outlines the content of the instructional program and suggests materials for use within it. The bulk of the paper consists of appendixes that contain (1) a list of regular verbs appropriate for use with elementary school students, (2) a similar list of irregular verbs, (3) a chart classifying the irregular verbs according to the structure of their past and past participle forms, (4) a scope and sequence chart for verb instruction, and (5) sample workbook lessons. (FL)… [PDF]
(1982). Language Background Survey of Foreign Born Asian Undergraduates at the University of California, Berkeley. The academic characteristics and language skills of foreign born Asians at the University of California (UC), Berkeley, were studied in 1981. The 694 respondents were polled concerning factors that contributed to their knowledge of English, their current proficiency with English, and whether their ability with English influenced their choice of either a college major or a career. Additionally, attention was directed to students enrolled in English as a Second Language instruction and to a comparison of the foreign born and native undergraduates. Findings include the following: the middle 50 percent of the respondents first learned English between the ages of 4 and 11 and entered the United States between the ages of 7 and 16; a higher percentage of respondents majored in engineering, chemistry, and physical and biological sciences than undergraduates in general, and more are choosing careers in computer science, engineering, and medicine than undergraduates in general; most of the…
(1985). An Investigation into the Development and Validation of an Assessment Procedure for Identifying Language Disorders in Spanish/English Bilingual Children. Sixty bilingual Mexican American children (20 language disorderd, 20 not qualifying for placement, 20 comparison) between the ages of 7-10 from 2 school districts in southern New Mexico participated in the study to develop and validate an assessment procedure to determine language disorders in Spanish/English bilingual children. An ex post facto approach was used in the validation of the assessment procedure which included subject testing, parent interviews, and teacher checklists. Five experts reviewed the assessment data. The investigation did not produce any recommendations on evaluation measures that appeared to be more viable than others in discriminating differences in the language disordered and non-language disordered bilingual child. The findings demonstrated the complexity of attempting to develop and validate a procedure and the obvious need to establish some validity in the diagnosis of language disorders in Spanish/English bilingual children. The study concluded that it… [PDF]
(1984). A Longitudinal Look at Classroom Instruction and Reading Acquisition by Spanish-English Bilingual Students. A comprehensive six-year longitudinal study of the development of reading skills during the primary grades for a large sample of bilingual (Spanish-English) children and smaller samples of monolingual (English or Spanish) children is outlined at its midpoint. In this natural variation study, approximately 350 children taught by 200 teachers in 20 schools in six districts are tracked through the primary years. Their reading development and mastery of formal language is examined in detail each year through multiple measures, as is their instruction, through an array of indices, including classroom observations made throughout each academic year. In addition, information about the teachers' background, training, and language skills is gathered. Data available at this stage of the study, from a subsample of 63 children in grades 1-3, on several of the components of an interactive reading assessment in English and Spanish are analyzed and presented in detail, including charts of average… [PDF]
(1985). Newton High School Project Capable 1983-84. OEA Evaluation Report. Project Capable, in its second year of a three year funding cycle (1983-84), provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL) and native language arts, and bilingual instruction in science and social studies, to approximately 400 Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese speakers (most recent arrivals to the country) in grades nine through twelve at four sites in the New York City area. Funding for the project comes from Title VII funds, local tax-levy, New York State Chapter 720, the Transitional Program for Refugee Children, and Pupils with Special Educational Needs. The program includes training sessions for staff members and participatory activities for project children's parents. Students were assessed in English language development, mastery of the native language, science and social studies, and career subjects, with the following results: (1) students' post-test means in English were significantly greater than pre-test means; (2) program objectives in native language arts… [PDF]
(1977). Tests of English as a Second Language. Arranged alphabetically by title, the bibliography lists 49 tests, designed for use with students ranging from preschoolers to adults, that are measures of proficiency in English as a second language. Each citation provides title, author, copyright date, age level suitability, publisher, and a brief annotation describing the purpose of the test. Dates of tests range from 1940 to 1975, with the majority being dated from 1965 to 1975. The bibliography includes tests to measure: language dominance; oral proficiency in English and/or Spanish; English oral comprehension; Navajo-English language dominance; knowledge of the structure of English in context; aural comprehension in English, Spanish, French, and Portuguese; sound perception difficulties of Japanese speakers learning English; oral and written English grammar skills; and English vocabulary development. The document contains addresses of the 22 publishers of the cited tests and an additional listing of 33 major U.S. publishers of…
(1980). South Bronx High School Bilingual Basic Skills Program. ESEA Title VII Final Evaluation Report, 1979-1980. This is an evaluation of a Title VII bilingual program that was conducted at South Bronx High School in New York City in 1979-1980 to serve Spanish speaking students. The evaluation provides a demographic analysis of the school's environment, information on student characteristics, and a program description. Instructional components discussed include: (1) placement, programming, and mainstreaming; (2) funding; (3) bilingual classes; and (4) mainstream classes. Non-instructional components covered include: (1) curriculum development; (2) supportive services; (3) staff development and characteristics; (4) parental and community involvement; and (5) affective domain. Tables show students' performance on the Criterion Referenced English Syntax Test. Students' achievement is also shown for English reading, mathematics, social studies, and native language arts. Attendance figures are presented and conclusions and recommendations are offered. (APM)… [PDF]