(1985). 12 Secrets of Smart Food Buying. Keep Foods Safe. Guide to Refrigerator Storage. This package consists of various bilingual instructional materials for use in helping Indochinese refugees learn basic food purchasing and food storage skills. Included in the package are a Vietnamese/English bilingual booklet explaining 12 secrets of wise food buying and translations of guidelines for keeping foods safe (English, Vietnamese, Lao) and storing foods in a refrigerator (English, Lao, Cambodian). (MN)…
(1988). Title VII Evaluation, 1987-88. Title VII federal funds have been used in the Austin (Texas) Independent School District (AISD) since 1985-86 to enhance the regular secondary bilingual and English-as-a-second-language programs for Hispanic limited English proficient (LEP) students. The four secondary campuses involved were those with the highest concentrations of Hispanic LEP students–Martin Junior High and Travis, Anderson, and Johnston High Schools. Title VII provided staff training, student tutoring, curriculum development, and parent/family training. In 1987-1988, a total of 233 LEP students were enrolled in these schools, while over the 3 years of the project, 33 Title VII teachers took one or more courses leading to ESL-endorsement certification. In addition, between 1986 and 1988, 16 workshops were held for parents/families of LEP students. Title VII in combination with other AISD programs appeared to have a positive impact over 3 years as English proficiency improved steadily across time and students… [PDF]
(1983). Mathematics Achievement: Interactive Effects of Language of Instruction and Teacher Use of New Curriculum Materials. This study examined the mathematics achievement of grade three English-speaking pupils enrolled in French immersion or in an English program as a function of language of instruction and the extent to which their teachers used a locally developed mathematics curriculum document. The sample consisted of eight English program classes and four French immersion classes. French and English versions of an objectives-based mathematics test were administered in October, 1981, and equivalent forms plus a nonverbal aptitude test were given to the same pupils in May, 1982. All participating teachers completed a teacher survey. The English program pupils made significantly greater mathematics gains than their French immersion peers, although the latter had higher initial average scores. Regardless of program, pupils whose teachers reported greater use of the new curriculum document made more mathematics progress than did pupils whose teachers reported less use of the document. The combined…
(1983). Factors Influencing the Implementation of Language Assistance Programs. A study of the existing local needs, resources, and services for limited English speaking residents of the United States was undertaken to clarify local, state, and federal responsibility for the provision of services. For a small but representative sample consisting of eight school districts serving minority language students, the study provides answers to five questions: (1) What services are being delivered? (2) How do the patterns of service vary by district type? (3) What specific deficiencies in language assistance services are perceived by beneficiary groups and educators? (4) What is the apparent cause of these deficiencies? and (5) Do local beneficiary groups and educators see any need for federal regulation, and if so, what should the rules encompass? Key findings include these: (1) services to language minority students vary enormously among school districts; (2) language assistance services are seldom available in secondary schools despite the growing need; (3) few… [PDF]
(1978). Training in Identifying Oral Reading Departures from Text Which Can Be Explained As Spanish-English Phonological Differences. Two studies were undertaken to investigate the effect of a tutoring practicum module. This module was designed to improve the performance of education undergraduates using the informal inventory (IRI) in making auditory discriminations during oral reading between departures from text that either could or could not be explained as phonological between Spanish and English. In the first study, 31 IRI-trained undergraduates in elementary reading instruction were divided into experimental and control groups with module-trained students in each. In the second study, 35 IRI-inexperienced undergraduate students in an introductory class in elementary reading methods were divided into experimental and control groups. A pretest-treatment-posttestdesign was used with control groups, and intergroup-intragroup mean scores of pretests and posttests were compared by t-test. Subjects with IRI and module training had a significant increase in correct responses and a nonsignificant decrease in…
(1977). Evaluation Methodology for a French Language Immersion Program. The Plattsburgh French Language Immersion Program (FLIP) is designed to enrich the education of majority-group children. In discussing evaluation methodology for FLIP, the general problems of evaluating a program are discussed, as well as reactions to details of the design developed by the research group for FLIP. Evaluation is distinguished from research as the determination of how well a particular program is working and what processes account for its effectiveness. The research design for FLIP is criticized in terms of the number of measures called for, the small size of the experimental and control groups which possibly influences results, the form in which hypotheses are stated, the way in which academic achievement is measured, and the fact that a number of variables are not controlled for. Questions raised concern which theory of child development will be the basis for research, how FLIP fits into such a scheme and the kinds of questions that need to be answered about FLIP,…
(1977). A Descriptive Review of Commercial Bilingual Materials. This review of commercial bilingual materials lists materials produced by sixty-six publishing houses and other educational suppliers. The materials are listed in order of the company that produces them, and are designed to be used with Spanish-speaking children. Materials listed include books, films, records, cassettes, and kits, and are printed in Spanish, English, or in both languages. (CLK)…
(1981). The Microethnographic Study of Bilingual Schooling. This paper discusses several interrelated features of microethnography that are relevant and useful for the study of bilingual schooling. It is argued that an interactional approach provides a powerful way to study systematically the organization of bilingual learning environment, identify areas of difficulty, and suggest concrete interventions for beneficial change. A recent study conducted in a bilingual school is used to illustrate the following key aspects of microethnography: (1) the use of videotape as a data collection tool, (2) the participation of teachers as co-researchers, (3) the study of context as an interactional notion, (4) the use of communicative activities as unit of analysis, and (5) a focus on the role of the adult in the construction of learning environments. It is shown that microethnographic studies provide valuable insights into how learning is mediated by the adults in the classroom and how concrete activities of communication shape the way children cope…
(1981). Sharing Social Meaning in the Bilingual Classroom: A Study of Requests. This paper describes how two four-year-old children who are becoming bilingual (Spanish and English) make requests in the classroom. Emerging patterns include: (1) a tendency to rely more heavily on requests for action and attention then requests for information and permission, (2) a tendency to make requests of peers more frequently than of teachers, (3) overall competence in making requests of most types in both languages with one language favored depending upon playmates and activities, (4) discourse patterns for the children were different in each language, and (5) a high level of success by both children in making requests in both languages with teachers and peers. Judging from the children's strong reliance on certain request types more than others, it appears that for children becoming bilingual, certain requests may be more useful or needed in carrying on classroom conversation. In addition, the results suggest that very young second language speakers quickly learn to make…
(1981). English for Driving–Student Workbook. Intended for use in conjunction with an accompanying teacher's guide and set of visuals, this workbook is in large part a picture dictionary of driving vocabulary with practice exercises to help prepare non-native speakers of English for driver training class. Topics covered in the workbook are automobiles, directions in an automobile, signals, parts of a car, roads, driving maneuvers, giving directions, equipment inside the car, using the controls, checking traffic, starting the car, going forward, backing up, turns, turning around, stopping and parking, following, changing lanes, passing, parking, merging, hazards, traffic controls, safe driving, accidents, breaking the law, service stations, tools for the car, and driver license application forms. Among those types of exercises provided are substitution, spelling, oral practice, matching, writing, paraphrase, and fill-in-the-blank exercises. (The related teacher's guide and visuals are available separately–see note.) (MN)…
(1981). Testing Instruments for Reading Skills: English and Korean (Grades One to Three). MORE (Minimal Objectives for Reading Essentials) in English and Korean is organized by levels for the purpose of diagnostic testing and instruction for limited English proficient Korean students in bilingual and/or English as a second language classrooms. This program suggests that the development of English reading skills by limited English proficient students should be based on children's first language in terms of transferability of reading skills in the areas of auditory/visual discimination, phoneme/grapheme correspondence, structural analysis, vocabulary, and literal and interpretive comprehension. The Inventory at each level has 15 objectives (17 for grade 1 and 16 for grade 2 in Korean). Each objective has five test items. Administration and scoring of the Inventory is the responsibility of the classroom teachers. It is also the teacher's responsibility to maintain the individual and class Profile Sheets. The results of this diagnostic Inventory should be used for… [PDF]
(1978). Spanish Bilingual Program Curriculum Guide (Elementary Schools). Level I. Second Revision. This volume of the curriculum guide provides the content of the curriculum, the performance objectives for each unit, and suggests learning experiences to achieve the desired outcomes for Level I. The first section on scope and sequence of the program is arranged in a chart format and outlines the content for each unit in the following categories: (1) culture and cross-cultural contrasts; (2) vocabulary; (3) pronunciation and listening skills; and (4) morphology, syntax and usage. Another series of charts presents the lexical content of each unit. The final section of the book provides detailed weekly lesson plans for each of the ten units. (AMH)…
(1978). Spanish Bilingual Program Curriculum Guide (Elementary Schools). Level II. Second Revision. This volume of the curriculum guide provides the content of the curriculum, the performance objectives for each unit, and suggests learning experiences to achieve the desired outcomes for Level 2. The first section on scope and sequence of the program is arranged in a chart format and outlines the content for each unit in the following categories: (1) culture and cross-cultural contrasts; (2) vocabulary; (3) pronunciation and listening skills; and (4) morphology, syntax, and usage. Another series of charts presents the lexical content of each unit. The final section of the book provides detailed weekly lesson plans for each of the ten units. (AMH)…
(1981). An Analysis of the Reading and Cognitive Development of Italian-American Bilingual and Monolingual Students. This is a comparative study of the cognitive, reading, and achievement levels of Italian Americans in bilingual programs and of their monolingual Italian and American peers. Three groups of students age 10 to 13 were matched within and across groups, according to schools, grade level, dialect, and socioeconomic status. Group I was subdivided into Italian Americans born in the United States and in southern Italy. Group II consisted of Italian students who emigrated from southern to northern Italy. Group III was composed of American students. Factors including number of years in the United States, sex, age, grade, environment, teacher estimate, and report card grades were analyzed. To examine cognitive and reading levels, a nonverbal intelligence measure and reading tests were administered. Achievement was determined by combining teacher estimates and report card grades. The data were then analyzed in order to: (1) indicate which of the variables (cognitive, reading, and achievement…
(1978). Dos Amigos… (Two Friends…). Intended for supplementary reading material for Spanish speaking children in elementary grades, this illustrated Spanish text was developed by students in the Bilingual Teacher Aide Program at Mesa Community College. Both language and content have been controlled to provide linguistically and culturally sensitive material relevant to the experience of the Chicano child of the Southwest. The story centers around Teresita Tortilla who one day encounters a strange newcomer on the kitchen table. He is square and white with corners the color of coffee and he calls himself Pablo Pan. Teresita and Pablo become better acquainted and learn all about each other. They discuss the grain families they come from and find they are related. They discover what each is used for and compare their similarities. Once strangers, Teresita Tortilla and Pablo Pan become good friends. (DS)…