(1997). Instructional Snapshots (IS) in Mexico: Preservice Bilingual Teachers Take Pictures of Classroom Practices. Bilingual Research Journal, v21 n2-3 p273-83 Spr-Sum. Ten preservice bilingual teachers went to Mexican elementary and junior high schools to gain a better understanding of immigrant students' needs. They gathered data on school structure, classroom interactions and management, and educational strategies. They found that Mexican children achieve despite disadvantaged conditions, immigrant students need a transition period, and bilingual teachers must understand immigrant students' prior educational experiences. (TD)…
(2001). Intensive Intervention in Reading Fluency for At-Risk Beginning Spanish Readers. Bilingual Research Journal, v25 n4 p503-38 Fall. A study assessed an intensive fluency intervention for low-achieving at-risk beginning Spanish readers in grades 1-2. Data from 53 first- and second-graders in bilingual classrooms in southeast Texas indicated that implementing intensive reading fluency interventions in bilingual classrooms is feasible and valuable if conducted with fidelity and if students are highly engaged. (Contains 74 references.) (Author/TD)…
(2001). When Exemplary Gets Blurry: A Descriptive Analysis of Four Exemplary K-3 Spanish Reading Programs in Texas. Bilingual Research Journal, v25 n1-2 p173-201 Win-Spr. A study of four high-performing third-grade Spanish reading programs in Texas found six common features: explicit support for Spanish literacy and biliteracy; high expectations; skills-driven reading instruction beginning in kindergarten; shared understanding of program practices; alignment between Spanish and English programs; and explicit targeting of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. (Contains 52 references.) (Author/TD)…
(1995). ESL: Asian High School Students' Perspectives. A study of 30 Asian high school students (9 males, 21 females), who were in U.S. schools for a variety of reasons, ranging from extended visits to families of relatives to temporary academic or occupational appointments of parents in U.S. universities or corporations investigated student perspectives on English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction and bilingual classrooms. The subjects represented a variety of nationalities and educational backgrounds. The students were interviewed, most individually, and all but one in their native languages. They were encouraged to speak openly about their experience in classrooms, with teachers, and with other students. It was found that ESL classes offer a haven for student to relax and relieve some of the tension of other classes, and also provide students with many more opportunities for active participation. The students were sensitive about being understood. Some negative comments reflect feelings of isolation and lack of incentive to… [PDF]
(1992). Do Students from Bilingual Families Have Higher Achievement Levels than Monolingual Students in High School?. This paper examines the schooling achievement of children from bilingual homes and compares them to comparable samples of children from monolingual homes. Extensive follow-up data were gathered in 1985 on a sample of approximately 4,000 high school seniors who entered kindergarten in 1973 as part of a Kindergarten Reading Follow-up (KRF) program. Data included dominant language spoken in the home. Nearly 500 students were from bilingual families. The primary study instrument used was \The Reading Biographer,\ a booklet designed to measure the schooling history of students from preschool through high school. The major conclusion from the 1985 KRF study was that the student who received initial reading instruction in kindergarten, as compared to those receiving it in first grade, clearly emerged as better readers as high school seniors across all ethnic, social class, and bilingual groups. The current study confirms previous findings and indicates that bilingual students generally are…
(1990). Does Fathertalk or First Language Literacy Predict Academic Success?. This article reports on an ethnographic research project that investigated the relationship between home language use and acquisition of academic English as determined by the Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills (CTBS) scores. The subjects were 33 children ages 10 to 14 from bilingual Spanish-English families. Data on home language use was collected through interviews and taping, with variables including the type of reading and writing in Spanish or English and the language preference for family communication. Results indicated a strong correlation between children's ability to read in Spanish and scores on the CTBS reading and language tests, with no correlation between the amount of Spanish spoken at home and success on the CTBS tests. There was also a correlation between father's educational level and their children's CTBS scores. The findings of this study show that Hispanic children whose parents are monolingual Spanish speakers do better on school measures of academic English if… [PDF]
(1990). Teaching the Discourse of Cooperation. This paper discusses implementation of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) with bilingual 2nd- through 4th-grade students. The CIRC curriculum is intended to help students in the early grades acquire a variety of reading and literacy skills. The curriculum centers around "treasure hunt" units that last 5 or more days each. These units focus on the reading of a narrative that is presented in two successive segments. Student dyads are required to discuss and answer questions developed for each segment. Questions for the first segment end with a prediction question that asks students to predict what will happen next in the story. Analyses indicate the occurrence of three main functions in the interaction of students in dyads (in which the teacher occasionally participated). These functions include: (1) teachers or students giving assistance to a student; (2) students demonstrating competence in offering answers to a question or solutions to a problem; and… [PDF]
(1987). Project CARIBE, 1985-1986. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1985-86, the second year of funding, Project CARIBE proposed to increase career awareness among Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP) through a computer-literacy program. The project operated at two schools in Brooklyn, New York, Eastern District High School and Clara Barton High School, but after the number of Spanish-speaking students at Clara Barton were found to have declined, the project's second site was switched mid-year to Far Rockaway High School. The project provided instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language arts, and content-area subjects taught in Spanish; these classes were supplemented by enrichment experiences related to careers. For these experiences, the project planned to provide a resource/computer center in each of the participating schools, additional guidance and career-planning services for students, and ESL/Americanization classes for students' parents. All of these proposals were not fulfilled at both…
(1984). A Cross-Cultural Study of Children's Metaphoric Capacity. In order to gain a better understanding of metaphor comprehension in different cultural contexts, this study compared the performances of two groups of children from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds but with common schooling experiences on two tests of metaphor: the Metaphor Triads Task (MTT) and the Proverbs Test. The Ravens Colored Progressive Matrices Test (CPMT) was also administered to examine how performance on a standardized nonverbal intelligence test compared with performance on the metaphor tests. Subjects were 30 Canadian-born Greek-speaking children of Greek-born parents, aged 8 and 11 years, and 30 same-aged Canadian-born children of Canadian-born parents. All tests were administered in English. Results for both cultural groups showed significant differences between 8- and 11-year-olds' performances on the two metaphor tests. Raw scores on the Ravens CPMT correlated significantly with correctness and correct abstract scores but not with correct literal…
(1988). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Writing on the Comprehension and Retention of Content Reading in Bilingual Students. Two studies of integrated language instruction for students of English as a second language (ESL) are reported. The first had two objectives: to (1) investigate the effects of writing activities on the comprehension and retention of content area reading and (2) examine the relationship between the students' ability to select the main idea and their comprehension and retention scores. The subjects, 36 bilingual middle and secondary school students, read brief social studies texts, with one group writing summaries of the passages. Analysis of the subjects' comprehension, retention, and identification of the main ideas suggests that merely incorporating the summary-writing exercise did not improve comprehension or retention, but those students who could identify main ideas and incorporate them into the summaries performed better on the comprehension and retention measures. The second study examined the effects of brainstorming and clustering on reading comprehension. The subjects, 36…
(1984). South Bronx High School, Project CASS. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983. Project CASS (Career Awareness/Survival Skills) in its first year of a two-year funding cycle provided English as a second language (ESL) and native language instruction, as well as bilingual instruction in mathematics, science, history and economics, to 250 low income, Spanish speaking students at South Bronx High School. The program's primary goal was to prepare students both linguistically and academically for the occupational world in the shortest time possible. To this end, students were provided with language instruction and with opportunities to develop those survival skills necessary for obtaining employment and being financially self-supporting. Program activities and services (provided with Title VII, Chapter 1, tax-levy, and Module 5B funds) included curriculum materials development, peer tutoring, personal and vocational guidance, and staff development efforts. Parent involvement in Project CASS was limited. Quantitative analysis of student achievement indicated that in… [PDF]
(1984). Clara Barton High School Bilingual Program. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983. In 1982-83, the program evaluated here provided tutorial and supportive services to approximately 50 Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in grades 9-12 at Clara Barton High School, Brooklyn, New York. The program's main objective was to enable LEP students to function successfully in terms of language achievement and content courses, acculturation, and motivation to remain in school. Students were not scheduled for tutorial sessions but came in when they needed help and specified areas in which they most needed help. Supportive services offered by the project included services from the school's grade advisors and guidance counselors and more informal advice and encouragement from program staff. Quantitative analysis of student achievement indicates that (1) students did not meet the program's criterion for English language development, but high pretest scores limited the possible growth in this area; (2) passing rates for program students in Spring social… [PDF]
(1984). New Utrecht High School Project IMPACT. O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983. Project IMPACT, a magnet program in its third and final year of funding, provided instruction in ESL and Italian language skills, as well as bilingual instruction in mathematics, social studies and typing to approximately 200 students of limited English proficiency in a Brooklyn, New York, high school. Nearly all program students were born in Italy; they varied in English language proficiency, native language ability, and overall academic preparedness. Transitional in nature, Project IMPACT aimed to expedite the acquisition of English language skills necessary for full mainstreaming within one or two years of entering the program. Title VII funds supported administrative and support services staff. In addition to the student services provided, the program focused on curriculum development, staff development, and parent participation. Students were assessed in English language development, growth in mastery of Italian, and in mathematics, science, social studies, and attendance…. [PDF]
(1984). John Jay High School Project "RESCATE." O.E.E. Evaluation Report, 1982-1983. [Final Report.]. Project RESCATE, in its third and final year of funding, provided instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL) and native language skills, as well as bilingual instruction in science, mathematics, and social studies, to 185 Spanish-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP) at John Jay High School in Brooklyn, New York. In addition, ESL instruction was provided to 20 Haitian, 20 East Asian, 3 Middle Eastern and 2 Italian LEP students. The overall program goal was dropout prevention. To this end, staff worked with students and their parents, offering a variety of supportive services including individual and group guidance, career orientation, home visits to reduce truancy, tutoring, and an alternative school for students unable to function in the mainstream. The program was supported by a combination of Title VII, Chapter 1, and tax-levy funds. Students were assessed in English language development, native language mastery, and in mathematics, social studies,… [PDF]
(1975). Developmental Psycholinguistics: Theory and Applications. Georgetown University Round Table on Languages and Linguistics (Washington, D.C., 1975). The proceedings of this Georgetown University Round Table on developmental psycholinguistics are divided into four sections: (1) "Children's Language Acquisition: Linguistic and Psycholinguistic Theory"; (2) "Children's Language Acquisition and Communicative Disorders"; (3) "Developmental Psycholinguistics and Second Language Learning"; and (4) "Developmental Psycholinguistics and Education." The papers in the first section deal with sound patterns, speech, psychologically real grammar, and the acquisition of meaning. The second panel deals with the acquisition of transformations, children's language problems, and postsemantic processes in delayed child language related to first and second language learning. The panel on developmental psycholinguistics and second language learning treats cerebral dominance and language learning, second language learning, approaches to discovering universal strategies of child second language acquisition, and…