(1995). Social Capital and the Reproduction of Inequality: Information Networks among Mexican-Origin High School Students. Sociology of Education, v68 n2 p116-35 Apr. Reports on a study of social relationships, parental characteristics, academic achievement, and occupational expectations among 205 secondary-level Mexican-American high school students in California. Suggests that bilingualism may provide special advantages in obtaining the institutional support necessary for school success and social mobility. (CFR)…
(1993). Helpful Opportunities for Pupil Enrichment (Project HOPE). Final Evaluation Report 1992-93. OER Report. This report provides evaluative information concerning Project HOPE (Helpful Opportunities for Public Enrichment) in New York City. This project served 250 Spanish-speaking students and 109 Chinese-speaking students who scored at or below the 40th percentile on the Language Assessment Battery and were thus categorized as being of limited English proficiency. It provided students with instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language arts (NLA), and the content areas. The project also offered career counseling. The project provided development opportunities to teachers of participating students as well as to some mainstream teachers. Teachers of project students team-taught with the project's resource specialists, who acted as facilitators for the project. Parents of participating students had the opportunity to participate in field trips and other activities, including workshops. Data show that the project met its objectives for ESL, Chinese NLA, mathematics,… [PDF]
(1993). Learning English through Automotive Electronics (Project LETAE), Final Evaluation Report, 1992-93. OREA Report. Learning Through Automotive Electronics (Project LETAE) was a federally funded program serving 77 limited-English-proficient (LEP) students and 5 English-proficient students in an automotive computer electronics course in 1992-93, its third year of operation. The program provided instruction in English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL), native language arts (NLA), automotive electronics, mathematics, science, social studies, and music. A broad range of staff and curriculum development activities were also included. The project met its objectives for student attitudes toward school, cultural awareness, support services, dropout prevention, and curriculum development. It did not meet its objectives in NLA, attendance, or staff awareness. Attainment of the objective for ESL could not be measured. Two major recommendations for program improvement include: use of the specified ESL test or revision of the ESL objective; and improved parental involvement, perhaps beginning with a needs assessment… [PDF]
(1987). How Can We Meet All Their Needs? Incorporating Education for the Gifted and Talented into the Multilingual Classroom. This discussion of identification and instructional needs of minority gifted or talented (G/T) children in the multiethnic classroom looks at a variety of issues, including teacher expectations, native or dominant language and its effect on the results of assessment, acculturation and attitudes toward mainstream society, and learning styles. Eight instructional strategies that can be incorporated into the multiethnic classroom by the classroom teacher are described and their advantages are outlined. These strategies consist of: (1) resource/action learning centers; (2) mentorships (tutorial); (3) independent study; (4) special advanced courses; (5) internships; (6) cluster or task grouping; (7) content acceleration; and (8) grade level acceleration. A brief bibliography is included. (MSE)…
(1982). Parent to Parent: Insider's Guide for High School Parents = De Padre a Padre: Guia para Padres con Alumnos en la Escuela Superior. This Spanish/English guide was written by parents for high school parents. The guide's first section deals with how to select the right high school. This is followed by a lengthy section on the high school years, which covers the following topics: how to keep up with what the student is doing; how to connect with the school; requirements for graduation; programs; transcripts; records; students' rights and responsibilities; suspension; attendance; health requirements and entrance screening; sickness or injury at school; holidays, half-days, vacations, and snow days; transportation; lunch and breakfast programs; clothing and supplies; working papers; voter registration; programs and services for handicapped students; bilingual programs; special programs; what to do if the student wants to change schools; and dropping out. The final section is about making decisions about employment or college after high school graduation. (CMG)…
(1989). Computer-Assisted Bilingual/Bicultural Multiskills Project, 1987-1988. OREA Report. The Computer-Assisted Bilingual/Bicultural Multiskills Project completed its first year of an extension grant. The program used computerized and non-computerized instruction to help 109 native speakers of Haitian Creole/French and Spanish, most of whom were recent immigrants, develop English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) native language, and content area skills for mainstreaming and continued academic success. Analysis of student achievement data indicate that the program met its objectives in ESL, native language arts, the content areas (biology, social studies, mathematics, American government, and United States history), and attendance. Staff development activities were offered. Parent involvement activities were also offered but received little response. It is recommended that the progam provide transportation and child care for parents who are members of the parent advisory commmittee in order to increase committee participation. (MSE)… [PDF]
(1986). Juneau Indian Studies Elementary Curriculum Guide. Grades K-5. Designed to provide instruction in Tlingit culture as an integral part of the K-5 social studies curriculum, this guide presents teachers with extensive lesson plans and numerous resource materials. The units of study focus on the culture and environment of southeast Alaska and emphasize experiential learning activities. Each grade level–kindergarten through fifth–begins with an overview of the units and the social studies concepts dealt with. A summary of each unit follows with a day-by-day outline of lesson plans and the knowledge and skills taught or reinforced. Next come detailed, sequential lesson plans and illustrated handouts for students. Kindergarten units relate to the social studies concepts of one's self and one's surroundings and introduce students to the subsistence lifestyle of a Tlingit fish camp and the importance of the salmon as a food source. First grade units look more closely at the forest environment surrounding the fish camp. Second graders learn about… [PDF]
(1987). Conservation of Language Resources. Three successful school program models designed to help language minority students conserve the language skills acquired in their homes and continue normal native language development are described. The programs were developed to counteract a trend toward wasting valuable existing language skills and resources. The programs include: (1) an elementary level bilingual immersion program, implemented in four California public schools, in which both native English-speakers and native Spanish-speakers develop academic linguistic and metalinguistic skills in both languages; (2) a secondary level partial bilingual immersion program providing two tracks of formal Spanish instruction, intensive Spanish as a second language and Spanish for native speakers, in addition to traditional Spanish second language instruction; and (3) a program at the University of California at Los Angeles that permits registered Korean American students to enroll in an intensive Korean language program, involving… [PDF]
(1972). The Tolowa Language. A cultural and linguistic textbook on the Tolowa Indians of Northwestern California and Oregon provides a history of the tribe, a Tolowa Unifon chart and pronunciation guide, map of tribal lands with place names in Tolowa and English, stories, prayers, songs, genealogy, commonly-used words grouped topically, explanation in English of cultural activities, a dictionary (the longest section of the book), paradigm charts, and sample sentences. The tribal history describes the evolution of a written Tolowa language and the community effort to collect and preserve a vanishing culture. The map provides locations and names of Tolowa villages in English and Tolowa and accompanying lists provide names of rivers and other geographical entities in both languages. Eight stories, prayers/scriptures, and songs are in Tolowa with literal English translation. A tribal genealogy lists individuals by Tolowa and English names and provides a list of kinship names. Sections for commonly-used words…
(1979). A Selective Preliminary Bibliography of Canadian Reference Materials Pertaining to Education within a Multicultural Context. This bibliography cites journal articles, research and educational reports, and books related to education within a multicultural context in Canada. The entries are classified under six sections which focus on: (1) implications of multiculturalism for Canadian educational policy, programs, and language; (2) immigrant and minority students' background, acculturation, language and education needs and services, and the effect of language and socioeconomic status on school achievement among these groups; (3) cross-cultural education, ethnic/racial attitudes, cultural awareness, ethnic identity, and self-concept; (4) teaching methods and approaches, social and psychological influences, and teacher and parent attitudes concerning second language learning; (5) general issues on and approaches to bilingualism, and descriptions of English-French programs; and (6) education, academic achievement, and cultural background of Canada natives (Indians, Eskimos, and Metis). (MJL)…
(1978). Bilingual, Bicultural, and Bidialectal Studies Related to Reading and Communication Skills: Abstracts of Doctoral Dissertations Published in \Dissertation Abstracts International,\ January through April 1978 (Vol. 38 Nos. 7 through 10). This collection of abstracts is part of a continuing series providing information on recent doctoral dissertations. The 12 titles deal with the following topics: the acquisition of bilingualism by infants and young children; psycholinguistic abilities of American Indian children; effects of creative dramatics on oral language abilities and self esteem of blacks, Chicanos, and Anglos; factors that affect Chicano and Anglo children's acquisition of knowledge from connected discourse; the relation between reading achievement and bidialectal oral language performance of black children; use of the language experience approach in summer schools for bilingual migrant children; reading problems of black children as assessed through the concept of syntactic distractibility; the relationship between teachers' attitudes toward black vernacular English and self concept formation in black children; the effect of folk legends told in the Chicano Spanish dialect on Chicano children's attitudes and…
(1977). Supplement to the Final Report on the Edgewood School Plan. Volume II. Prepared to assist professional educators and researchers who want greater detail on certain aspects of the evaluation of the five-year Experimental Schools Program conducted by the Edgewood Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, this supplement to the Final Report on the Edgewood School Plan is composed of abstracts that give the basic design and instrumentation of the research, the findings from that particular investigation, and the conclusions that were drawn. The abstracts, which are arranged chronologically by submission date, describe historical background of the Edgewood District; self-concept studies of Mexican American students; first and second interim reports on the program; a comparative analysis of English and Spanish reading performance of Mexican American students; an instrumentation study of the Purdue Social Attitude Scales for Primary Children; social attitudes of South Texas primary students; locus of control and achievement of Mexican American…
(1978). Basic Skills Learning Centers Project. Annual Report for the Period October 1, 1978 – September 30, 1979. Program implementation is stressed in this final report of a three-year Basic Skills Learning Centers (BSLC) Project designed (1) to improve basic skills in reading, math, and reasoning and (2) to serve a target population of Spanish-speaking children from nonurban schools in five southwestern states. Section I is the annual report for 1978-79 and summarizes the year's activities, with emphasis on field services, staff training, and communication with participating schools. Covering the entire period from 1976-1979, Section II includes an overview of the project, its goals and target audience; a description of the programs and materials and their method of implementation; and a summary of the major strategies used to help the schools implement the programs. Numbers of students participating and student characteristics are included in this section. Use of bilingual instructional staff is discussed, and some problems with student record keeping procedures and delivery of services to… [PDF]
(1976). Basic Skills Learning Centers Evaluation. Final Report 1 October 1976 – 30 September 1979. Detailed program descriptions and discussion of research methodology are included in this independent evaluation of the Basic Skills Learning Centers (BSLC) Projects implemented by Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) and Southwest Regional Laboratory (SWRL) and designed to improve basic reading and math instruction in nonurban elementary schools. Following an introductory statement of the scope and purpose of the evaluation, Chapter II describes the SEDL and SWRL-BSLC programs including materials, staff training and technical assistance components, and target populations (monolingual English-speaking students for SEDL, Spanish-speaking students for SWRL). Chapter III covers initial planning and development of the evaluation format, rationales for design decisions, and explanations of the methodological approach. Chapter IV contains extensive tabular and narrative analyses of test and survey data gathered during the evaluation. Program implementation and student test…
(1978). Cross-Cultural Contact: Correlates and Consequences. Research Bulletin No. 455. The purpose of this study was to examine some correlates and consequences of a four-day trip to a French-speaking community by 153 grade eight English Canadian students. The major findings are that: (1) Parents of the participants in the excursion differ from those of the 183 non-participants not in terms of socioeconomic status or educational level, but in attitudes concerning the value to their children of having contact with French Canadians, learning French and becoming bilingual; (2) Parental sociocultural attitudes, attitudes toward French television exposure and toward French as a school subject are significantly related to their child's language-related attitudes and motivation, but not to the child's French proficiency; and (3) Students who have more interaction with French Canadians, as assessed by either self report or peer judgments, return from bicultural excursions with more favorable attitudes toward the community and the language, less anxiety when using the… [PDF]