This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Bernard Spolsky, Kathryn Crowe, Elana Shohamy, Sharynne McLeod, Wynford Bellin, Rosemary Wildsmith-Cromarty, Aloysius N. Conduah, Pinky Makoe, Sean White, and Hannah M. Dostal.
(2014). A Systematic Review of Cross-Linguistic and Multilingual Speech and Language Outcomes for Children with Hearing Loss, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the factors affecting the language, speech intelligibility, speech production, and lexical tone development of children with hearing loss who use spoken languages other than English. Relevant studies of children with hearing loss published between 2000 and 2011 were reviewed with reference to (1) methodologies used, (2) children's outcomes, (3) factors affecting children's outcomes, and (4) publication quality. The review included 117 studies describing 20 languages. Monolingual children were described in 109, and multilingual children were described in 8. Better performance outcomes were frequently associated with earlier age of hearing loss diagnosis, intervention, amplification, and less severe hearing loss–a finding similar to studies of English-speaking children. Studies frequently did not report or include information about participant characteristics, blinding of researchers, and reliability. Cross-linguistic comparison of children's outcomes across studies was not possible due to differences in the outcomes assessed, assessment and analysis methods, and participant characteristics. There is a need for cross-linguistic comparisons of the speech and language outcomes of children with hearing loss, but there is little scope for this using existing published research. Few studies described the outcomes of multilingual children with hearing loss. [More] Descriptors: Multilingualism, Hearing Impairments, Monolingualism, Children
(2014). Deaf Writers' Application of American Sign Language Knowledge to English, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Language transfer theory elucidates how first language (L1) knowledge and grammatical features are applied in second language (L2) writing. Deaf and hard of hearing (d/hh) students who use or are developing American Sign Language (ASL) as their L1 may demonstrate the use of ASL linguistic features in their writing of English. In this study, we investigated the extent to which 29 d/hh students in Grades 6-8 (mean age=13.2) with diverse ASL exposure incorporated ASL features in their English writing. We also investigated the impact of one year of Strategic and Interactive Writing Instruction (SIWI) to increase students' metalinguistic knowledge and linguistic competence, and subsequently reduce ASL features in writing. Results indicate that ASL transfer is found in the writings of students with varied L1 experiences, and that SIWI can lead to significant reductions of ASL features in writing. The findings suggest that bilingual literacy programs where there is an emphasis on implicit language competence and metalinguistic knowledge can support d/hh students in the development of written English. [More] Descriptors: Deafness, Writing (Composition), American Sign Language, Native Language
(1972). Evaluation Instruments for Bilingual Education. A Revision of Tests in Use in Title VII Bilingual Education Projects. This document contains a listing of tests which can be used in bilingual bicultural education projects. The evaluation instruments are listed alphabetically and are annotated. Included in the description of each test is information about: title, acronym, author, publisher, source, date, pages, price, age, grade, time, language, group or individual, skills, special requirements, and score. The appendixes contain a listing of acronyms, a publishers' directory and index, and a directory and index of projects and educational facilities. A bibliography and subject index is also included. It is noted that neither the inclusion nor the exclusion of any tests in the booklet implies a judgment by the editors about the adequacy, appropriateness or usefulness of the test. For a related article see ED 050 886. [More] Descriptors: Annotated Bibliographies, Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Elementary School Students
(2014). Constructing Identities in a Linguistically Diverse Learning Context, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. This article explores the relationship between language, hegemony and identity in a desegregated school in suburban Johannesburg, South Africa. Drawing on post-structuralist theories of language learning and identity that evaluate cultural models of literacy, ideologies and institutional discourses, this article examines how multilingual learners' identities are discursively constructed during specific classroom activities. I take the perspective that identity construction is inextricably interwoven with ideology. Disavowal of identities that are deemed institutionally less desirable and affirmation of valued identities are thus a function of hegemony and language policies, inasmuch as they are a marker of institutional boundaries and contextual applications of multilingualism. Furthermore, this article is concerned with how access to institutionally valued linguistic resources shapes learners' identities and reifies practices beyond the learning context. Drawing on data collected using a qualitative ethnographic approach, I will argue that identities are continually negotiated and constantly being shifted moment by moment, depending on social and learning imperatives prioritised in a multilingual context. My analysis suggests that subject positions are influenced by how language/literacy resources are situated, thus regulating access to certain resources such as English proficiency. All told, contextual subject positions delimit the scope of nomination in relation to types of identity positions learners could claim. [More] Descriptors: Correlation, Self Concept, Multilingualism, Class Activities
(2014). Issues of Identity and African Unity Surrounding the Introduction of an Exogenous African Language, Swahili, at Tertiary Level in South Africa, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. This paper reports on a study that examines the attitudes of university students and immigrants to the introduction of Swahili at a tertiary institution in South Africa. Data were obtained from a questionnaire survey and interviews with questions that covered the domains in which Swahili could be most useful, who should learn it and the reasons why they should learn it. The data were analysed both quantitatively and qualitatively within a theoretical framework which drew on theories of identity, multilingualism, migration and language ecology. The findings were categorised in terms of the main themes emerging from the analysis, including intercultural communication, African unification and Swahili as a "lingua franca." The attitudes of the immigrant sector were then compared to those of the South African students and the informal sector. Although there was consensus on the viability of Swahili in South Africa, the two groups differed in the emphases they placed on the various themes. The immigrants favoured the learning of Swahili within the South African context, for the promotion of intercultural communication which would facilitate their integration into the community, and for African unification. The South African respondents saw value in learning it for travelling beyond the borders of South Africa. The study concludes with a consideration of the implications of such findings for promoting the learning and teaching of Swahili as an additional language in the South African context. [More] Descriptors: African Languages, Self Concept, College Students, Immigrants
(2014). Fluid Identity Construction in Language Contact Zones: Metacognitive Reflections on "Kasi-Taal" Languaging Practices, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. This study investigated how semi-urban, multi-ethnic and multilingual students in the city of Johannesburg, South Africa, negotiate their new identities through languaging experiences. Metacognitive reflections of their recreated language spaces were collected through 20 written narratives, which were analysed using a universalist reductionist approach. The results of the study revealed highly complex identifying processes that mark fluid, multiple affiliations and mobile and creative negotiation of an identity matrix through a hybrid language form, "Kasi-taal," which breaks boundaries and embeds linguistic systems that were traditionally treated as discrete units. Using a translanguaging framework, I argue that the languaging strategies articulated in the narratives can be valorised to offset the symbolic violence of monoglossic ideologies that are dominant in our classrooms. Recommendations for further studies on identity-building spaces in multilingual language contact zones as well as the logic of hybrid linguistic repertoires are highlighted at the end of the paper. [More] Descriptors: Metacognition, Self Concept, Multilingualism, Foreign Countries
(1999). The Social Context of Welsh-Medium Bilingual Education in Anglicised Areas, Journal of Sociolinguistics. Principal component analysis of indicators from the 1991 Census was used to characterize the social context of school-age Welsh speakers in south east Wales. The growth of Welsh-medium education was responsible for net gains in numbers of younger Welsh/English bilinguals. The interrelationships between figures for Welsh speaking in the Census and other social indicators were examined. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Census Figures, Elementary Secondary Education, Foreign Countries
(1973). Ghosts in the Barrio. Issues in Bilingual-Bicultural Education. The book is a collection of essays on issues in bilingual-bicultural education by Chicano educators. Some of the essays are based on personal experience while others are the result of intense research. Full documentation is given for research. The essays are critical yet analytical. They do not present a single point of view but rather give an educational-political spectrum ranging from left to right. The readings are aimed at individuals (Chicano and non-Chicano) who come in contact with the Chicano students or who are interested in Chicano language, culture, goals, and aspirations. They are divided into 9 sections: (1) Four Critical Observations of the Anglo Establishment by Chicano Educators; (2) Attributes and Qualities of Being a Chicano: Stereotypes and Definitions; (3) Employment Data: Training Considerations for Public Education and the Chicano; (4) Chicanos and the Political Process; (5) Some Conceptual and Theoretical Frameworks from Which to View Problems in Education; (6) Subject Matter and Instructional Concerns; (7) An Approach to Learning: Bilingual and Bicultural Education; (8) Some Views on Training and Retraining of Teachers and Administrators; and (9) Instructional Styles for the Classroom and the Barrio from the Perspective of La Raza. Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Cultural Background, Definitions
(2014). Bilingual and Biliteracy Skills in Young Spanish-Speaking Low-SES Children: Impact of Instructional Language and Primary Language Proficiency, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. The purpose of this research was to better understand the bilingual and biliteracy skills of Spanish-speaking low-socio-economic status (low-SES) children who attended an English or a bilingual programme during preschool and kindergarten/first grade, and to determine whether their outcomes varied according to instructional language and primary language proficiency. Subjects included 254 kindergarten through second grade (ages 4-7 years) Hispanic students who were low-SES, spoke Spanish as their primary language, and who had parents with low levels of formal education. Results showed that these children entered preschool with very low levels of language and literacy skills in Spanish and English, but made excellent gains regardless of the language instructional programme they attended. Children in English vs. bilingual instruction had significantly higher scores in Spanish and English language and literacy skills at preschool entry than children entering bilingual programmes, but these differences disappeared by first or second grade entry, and children instructed in English showed deteriorating Spanish language scores. Finally, among children instructed bilingually in the early years, those who were Mostly Proficient in Spanish at entry scored significantly higher on the English language proficiency test than those who were Mostly Limited in Spanish. Results provide evidence for the advantage of bilingual instruction at preschool through first grade levels for low-SES language minority children. [More] Descriptors: Bilingualism, Low Income, Spanish Speaking, Literacy
(1971). Rationale for Early Childhood Bilingual-Bicultural Education. The document presents a rationale favoring early childhood bilingual-bicultural education. In a review of the literature, the author points out the need for a bilingual approach to education in an effort to help non-English-speaking citizens lead more productive lives in our society. It is noted that there is opposition to this approach from the many investigators who claim that there is evidence linking native bilingualism with retardation and underachievement in schools. The author cites the more recent studies which show that this handicap results from the way communities and schools have dealt with children who speak another language and not from the children's bilingualism; thus, he feels it is desirable to erase the reigning Anglo stereotype and to recognize the Mexican American in developing curricula and educational programs. Included in the document are discussions of types of bilingual programs and thought processes involved, along with conclusions and recommendations for continuing bilingual-bicultural educational programs and corresponding teacher education programs. [More] Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Cultural Awareness, Early Childhood Education
(2014). The Long-Term Effects of Bilingualism on Children of Immigration: Student Bilingualism and Future Earnings, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. In this study, we examine the largely neglected long-term effects of bilingualism for students with roots in immigration. Our central research question is whether students' bilingual proficiencies have an impact on their future earnings in the USA. For this purpose, we used two different data-sets, i.e. the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS) and the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study (CILS). Based on Latent Class Analysis, we distinguish between three linguistic minority groups: limited bilinguals, balanced bilinguals and English-dominant group. For both CILS and NELS, the results of regression analyses show that balanced bilingual students earn significantly more as adults at the beginning of their career than those linguistic minorities who were dominantly proficient in English only. Even after controlling for cognitive ability, educational attainment and parental socio-economic status, the additional cost of complete linguistic assimilation is estimated at $2100-$3300 annually. The NELS-data also suggest that balanced bilingualism has an additional indirect effect through academic attainment. Policy implications of these results are discussed. [More] Descriptors: Bilingualism, Immigrants, Immigration, Income
(2014). Institutional, Material and Economic Constraints in Languages Education: Unequal Provision of Linguistic Resources in Early Childhood and Primary Settings in Australia, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. In Australia, languages education in early childhood and primary education includes three main approaches: transitional, enrichment and full bilingual programmes. This article proposes that transitional and enrichment programmes in Australia are constituted and shaped by competing and contested institutional, material, discursive and economic conditions limiting their capacity to deliver quality languages education and home/community language support programmes. Ultimately, this undermines the capacity of community languages programmes and schools to be recognised as valid and legitimate institutions. Such lack of support impedes children's interest in speaking and learning their home language. Drawing on Bourdieu's theory of conversion, specifically, his concepts of the linguistic market and legitimacy, the data presented demonstrate how the unequal distribution of linguistic resources in Australia where home languages or community languages are offered inhibits effective implementation and provision of languages education in early childhood and primary education. [More] Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Social Capital, Transitional Programs, Bilingual Education Programs
(2014). Immersion Education in the Early Years: A Special Issue, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Early years' immersion education programmes can be either monolingual or bilingual, and their objectives can range from language maintenance and/or enrichment to early second language learning, depending on the context of implementation. Here we examine some of the key issues and policy concerns relating to immersion education in the early years. Among these are difficulties associated with the term itself in certain political contexts, due to historical negative experience. Another issue discussed concerns the differing outcomes noted by studies comparing monolingual and bilingual programmes for minority language children. The importance of training in immersion methodology for early years' educators is discussed, and the need to adapt preschool pedagogical practices to the immersion context, in order to provide optimal input for young language learners. Consideration must also be given to differentiated provision in early years' immersion programmes, with adaptation to the needs of L1 speakers as well as L2 learners, and to children with language impairment. The article explores some of the challenges currently facing this sector, particularly focusing on pre-service and in-service training and professional development for practitioners, and the availability of appropriate materials in less widely used languages. Evidence of the benefits for children and their families of attending a high quality immersion preschool points to the need to review the recognition and resources accorded to this sector by parents, primary years educators and educational planners. [More] Descriptors: Immersion Programs, Second Language Instruction, Second Language Learning, Early Childhood Education
(1999). The Languages of Israel: Policy, Ideology and Practice. Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 17. This book focuses on the practice and ideology of the languages of Israel, examining the extent to which the present linguistic pattern may be attributed to explicit language-planning activities. The chapters give balanced analyses of the history and current status of the revitalized national language, Hebrew; of the other official language, Arabic; of the all-pervasive international language, English; of the large number of immigrant languages; and of the fate of many Jewish languages. It considers the major impact on the country's multilingualism of the nearly one million Russian speakers. This is all tied together with an account of the new language education policy, noting the likelihood that the long hegemony of Hebrew is giving way to an evolving acceptance of linguistic diversity. The chapters are: (1) "Language Practice and Policy in Israel"; (2) "Language Policy"; (3) "Hebrew as a Mother Tongue"; (4) "Hebrew Language Acquisition and Diffusion Policies"; (5) "Arabic: The Language of the 'Minorities'"; (6) "Teaching Arabic as a Second Language"; (7) "English: Everybody's Second Language"; (8) "The Other Languages of the Immigrants"; (9) "The Loss and Maintenance of Jewish Languages"; (10) "Languages of Recent Immigrants"; and (11) "Change or Continuity?" (Contains approximately 400 references.) Descriptors: Arabic, Elementary Secondary Education, English (Second Language), Foreign Countries
(2014). Dual Language Programs as a Strand within a Secondary School: Dilemmas of School Organization and the TWI Mission, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Dual language (DL) programs aim to create additive bilingual learning environments where the dominant language and the minority language are given equal status at the program, curricular, and instructional level. While several studies have documented the effectiveness of DL programs and classroom-based practices, few have considered how the organizational context affects the implementation of effective DL practices when the program is only a strand within the school. The purpose of this study was to consider this question in the context of a middle school two-way immersion (TWI) program through the analysis of teacher interviews, triangulated with student survey and focus group data. Our analysis suggests a basic conflict between effective TWI practices and the middle school structure. We conclude that integrated, interdisciplinary approaches that are systemically supported within the school are necessary to support TWI goals and pluralist discourses. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Immersion Programs, Second Language Learning, Focus Groups