This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Robert M. Offenberg, Alfredo R. Flores, Anna Uhl Chamot, Adeline Becker, Catherine E. Walsh, Mary Tom Riley, Robert J. Wilson, Norma G. Hernandez, Charlene Rivera, and Viola Florez-Tighe.
(1982). An Assessment of the 50/50 Programme in the English Sector Schools. Student achievement in grades kindergarten through four in the partial immersion program of the Ottawa Roman Catholic Separate School Board was investigated. Achievement in English and French language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science was assessed using instruments referenced to learning objectives. Student and teacher background questionnaires were also developed and used in the study. The results are reported and compared to those of students in unilingual programs. The overall results show that the partial immersion students are performing satisfactorily and comparably to students in other programs. A more detailed analysis of the results reveals ways in which the instructional emphases limit students' learning and performance. Program objectives that emphasize applications to real-life situations are among the least taught in the program. Therefore, performance is weakest in these areas and strongest in the most passive skill areas such as listening. Recommendations are made regarding policies, resource personnel, and followup testing. Evaluation instruments, criteria, questionnaires, and results are appended in a separate volume. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Educational Objectives, Elementary Education
(1984). A Model for Mathematics Teaching Effectiveness for Mexican-American Students. Guided by the assumption that teaching methods found successful with the majority cultural group can be utilized effectively with Mexican American students, except where there is clear, significant research evidence to the contrary, the model suggests an instructional approach to improve mathematics achievement of elementary Mexican American students. The model follows a format of planning, implementation, and assessment of instruction, and is modified relative to the influence of language development, low-income parents, and classroom climate on the academic achievement of Mexican Americans. Planning encompasses identification of cognitive entry levels of performance in language and mathematics, externalization of objectives, and selection of instructional techniques and materials. Implementing instruction requires effective use of allotted instructional time in a class format providing set induction, presentation of new material, supervised practice with feedback, homework, and review. To achieve optimum results, student/teacher interaction during implementation should emphasize correct oral English and Spanish usage, corrective feedback and reinforcement, equal expectations for Mexican American students as for the majority, and teacher indication that students are expected to learn because they are capable of learning. Assessment includes both formative and summative assessments of student achievement made in relation to the stated objectives and assessment of effectiveness of instruction through teacher self-evaluation and colleague observation. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Cultural Influences, Elementary Education
(1985). Rights of Limited English Proficient Students under Federal Law–A Guide for School Administrators. Guidance is provided in question and answer format on the common themes running through court opinions, Federal laws and regulations, State laws and regulations, and interpretations concerning the rights of limited English Proficient (LEP) students. First, the legally acceptable, common procedure for identifying LEP pupils is described as entailing the assessment of parent responses to a Home Language Survey and the subsequent testing of students' oral reading and writing skills. Second, the minimal standards for LEP assistance are detailed, in terms of teachers' qualifications and the time spent with the pupil. Third, while bilingual instruction is not mandatory under Federal legislation, the legally and educationally safe posture is said to be the offering of bilingual instruction. Fourth, the minimal standards of a bilingual program are described as (1) a bilingual teacher, (2) teacher assessment, and (3) provision of material resources. Fifth, the standards for the removal of a student from a program are outlined. Sixth, every district is said to be required to monitor the program and make reasonable adjustments as well as monitor the progress of students while they are in the program and after they have left it. Seventh, it is held that a district may not deny a student services because there are few students in the district who speak his or her language. Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Bilingual Teachers, Compensatory Education, Court Litigation
(1985). Supervision in Special Language Programs. Too little emphasis is placed on instructional supervision in special language programs for limited-English-proficient students. Such supervision can provide a mechanism to promote the growth of instructional staff, improve the instructional program, and lead to curriculum development. Many supervisors are undertrained and unable to provide leadership and supervisory support. Clear and specific competencies, roles, and responsibilities for direct in-class supervision of bilingual or English-as-a-second-language teachers are needed. Among the needed competencies are: sensitivity for diverse linguistic and cultural classroom settings; general knowledge of program development, planning, and evaluation; knowledge of the subject matter necessary for implementation of instructional methods; skill in designing and implementing instructional strategies to help students develop proficiency in the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing); skill in dual language development and assessment; leadership in the program evaluation process; ability to develop a well-organized inservice education program; ability to assist in diagnosing student needs, interpreting assessment instruments, and using results for identification and placement; engaging administrators and program staff to solve problems; skill in materials and equipment evaluation and selection; interaction with individual teachers concerning specific instructional issues; and the ability to promote positive community relations. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Curriculum Development, English (Second Language), Faculty Development
(1984). The Handicapped, Limited English Proficient Student: A School District's Obligation. This paper, in a question and answer format, discusses a school district's obligation to handicapped, limited English Proficient (LEP) students, in relation to the following Federal laws and regulations: (1) the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142), (2) the Administrative Regulations of the Act; (3) Civil Rights Law 504 and the 504 Regulations; (4) Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act; and (6) the Equal Education Act of 1974. First, it is pointed out that Federal law has priority over conflicting or less protective State law. Second, relationships among the above-listed authorities are outlined. Third, the local education agencies' obligation to locate handicapped LEP students is discussed. Fourth, the requirement that tests and evaluations of students for the purpose of placement be conducted in the students' primary language is made clear. Fifth, the emphasis of the law that placement teams should include persons fluent in the child's language and, in addition, that social and cultural background be evaluated is explained. Sixth, steps to be taken at the evaluation and placement stage to address the language of non-English speaking parents are indicated. Seventh, accomodations required for non-English speaking parents at placement meetings are articulated. Finally, it is explained that a program offered to a student must be altered to address the fact that he or she is limited English proficient. Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Compliance (Legal), Court Litigation, Disabilities
(1983). Implications of Structured Immersion for the ESL Elementary Curriculum. Structured immersion, or transfer instruction, is proposed as a bridging program between English as a second language or bilingual programs and the all-English medium classroom. The theoretical background underlying the transfer of knowledge and skills from a child's first language to English is reviewed. Based on the assumption that learners will acquire a second language if they receive comprehensible input in it, curriculum guidelines are suggested for teaching limited English proficient children the functional English they will need for different areas of the curriculum. A model for transfer instruction designed to help children transfer to English the concepts and skills they have acquired in their first language is described. Finally, applications of the transfer instruction curriculum model to content subjects and to the teaching of study skills and learning strategies are discussed, and suggestions for simplification of instructional materials are presented. Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Curriculum Development, Elementary Education, English (Second Language)
(1983). Project PACT: Parents and Children Together. Evaluations of the Third and Fourth Year, 1979-1980 and 1980-1981. The third and fourth years of Project PACT (Parents and Children Together) were evaluated. The program was designed to involve Hispanic parents from an impoverished Philadelphia neighborhood in the education of their children in a bilingual school. The project consisted of two major components: a summer program to introduce parents to the school curriculum, and a school year program serving parents and other community members. Pupil performance on standardized tests, pupil attendance, and interviews with parents were used to assess the effects of parent participation in the programs. Parent participation in the summer program was associated with significant pupil improvements in reading skills, language arts, and attendance. Parents reported that they had learned ways to assist their children with reading and mathematics school work. The school year program in language arts and high school equivalency was well attended, and 35 participants earned diplomas. It was concluded that Project PACT has had a measurable effect on pupil Spanish and English reading skills, assisted Hispanic parents in helping their children with school work, and enhanced the educational attainment of adults in the community. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Attendance, Bilingual Education Programs, Elementary Education
(1983). Utilization of Knowledge Acquired through the First Language in Comprehending a Second Language: Narrative Comprehension by Spanish-English Speakers. Three issues were examined in a study of children's use of first language knowledge in acquiring a second language: (1) understanding of narratives, (2) the degree to which knowledge available in the child's first language is used in understanding second language input, and (3) the relationship between knowledge utilization in two languages as children become bilingual and acquire more literacy skills. Selections from "Aesop's Fables" were used for a series of comprehension studies involving a variety of students in kindergarten through grade 5. The data from the experiment are discussed with reference to two issues: the relationship between comprehension of Spanish language input and English language input by students exposed to both languages, and the relationship between students dealing with both languages as compared with students dealing only with English during elementary school. The three aspects of comprehension tested were story recall, ability to answer why-questions, and ability to generalize or give the moral of the story. The data indicate that once basic skills are acquired in the first language, they are utilized in the second language. A further study is outlined which will deal with skills needed in the passage from narrative to expository text comprehension. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Elementary Education, English (Second Language)
(1980). The Role of the School in the Maintenance and Change of Ethnic Group Affiliations. The public schools play a major role in the Americanization of foreign-born students. This process gives rise to questions regarding the meanings attached to ethnic identity and the effect that the schools have on the formulation and change of these meanings. To examine these issues, 18 Portuguese immigrant students in an urban New England school were studied to determine whether there were differences in manifestations of ethnic identity in various settings. Comparisons were made between 8 "recent" immigrants (in the United States for less than 2 years) and 10 early arrivals (here from 6-16 years). Additionally, both the school's official policy and actual practices (including teacher attitudes) vis-a-vis limited English proficient (LEP) students, were examined. In a general sense, it was found, the 18 students lived in two cultures, one at home and the other at school. Instead of helping them adapt to their bicultural reality, the school tried to negate the students' Portuguese culture while at the same time discouraging acceptance into the American culture, this being demonstrated in the differences between the earlier and more recent arrivals. To survive in the school, the earlier arrivals were forced to negate some of their home attachments and establish an identity apart from the low-status Portuguese. Even so, they were not completely successful: sexism, racism, ethnocentrism, and the school's lack of sensitivity to their needs all stood in the way of their attaining a fully equal education. Descriptors: Acculturation, Bilingual Education, Cultural Differences, Educational Environment
(1982). ALPBP Teacher Training Component. A Sociolinguistic/Ethnographic Approach to Language Proficiency Assessment: Tucson and Berkeley Program Descriptions and Evaluations. Final Report. A description is presented of the teacher training component of the Assessment of Language Proficiency of Bilingual Persons (ALPBP) project that was implemented over a period of 2 years in Tucson (Arizona) and Berkeley (California). The goal of the Tucson section was to provide a forum wherein teachers and administrators could explore the application of ethnographic/sociolinguistic theories and methodologies to language proficiency assessment practices. The Berkeley program consisted of a summer course whose goals were to introduce teachers to theoretical issues involved in educating language minority students. This report is presented in three parts as follows: (1) "A Course on Bilingual Language Proficiency Assessment," by S. Philips; (2) "Ethnographic/Sociolinguistic Issues and the Assessment of Bilingual Students' Language Proficiency," by C. Rivera and C. Simich; and (3) "Berkeley Summer Program for Teachers. A Course on Language Proficiency and Minority Students," by J. Cummins and L. W. Fillmore. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Bilingual Students, English (Second Language), Ethnography
(1980). A Comparison of Bilingual Oral Language and Reading Skills among Limited English-Speaking Students from Spanish-Speaking Backgrounds. Monograph 2. This study investigated whether there were significant differences in the acquisition of oral language and reading skills among limited-English-speaking, Hispanic elementary school students receiving instruction through three different bilingual reading approaches, and what other variables might be important. The three reading approaches were: (1) teaching reading in the native language prior to the formal introduction of English reading; (2) teaching reading in the native language and English concurrently; and (3) teaching reading in English exclusively. Three groups of children were studied: 6 year olds, 8 year olds, and 10 year olds. In oral English, findings indicated statistically significant differences among the 6 and 8 year olds: students receiving English-only instruction performed better than students receiving bilingual instruction. In English reading, the findings indicated statistically significant differences only among 6 year olds: students receiving English-only reading instruction performed better than bilingual program students. In Spanish reading, students who received reading instruction in Spanish and English performed better than those who received reading instruction in English only. As far as the independent variables are concerned, English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and teacher training appeared to be significant predictors of English reading scores among younger children. Oral proficiency in Spanish was significant for all three age groups in Spanish reading, and was a positive predictor of oral English proficiency among 6 year olds and a negative predictor among 10 year olds. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Elementary Education, Limited English Speaking, Native Language Instruction
(1982). The Construction of Meaning in a Second Language: The Polemics of Family and School. Sociocultural and psychological processes are involved in a person's acquisition of meaning. In the case of the Spanish speaking child who is learning English in the United States in a school environment and who lives in a Spanish speaking environment at home, there is a conflict of perspectives on reality. The acquisition of new culture and language has as much potential for bringing psychological stress and destruction of the child's sense of well being as it does for creating a bilingual/bicultural individual. Preliminary data from a study in progress, along with examples, clarify the discussion of the differential effect of home and school on the Puerto Rican child's semantic system in each language and culture. The question is whether, in the case of the Hispanic, the English and Spanish language systems depict a reality which is in coexistence or in conflict with the surrounding world. It seems that, as acquisition progresses, context begins to take precedence over language of presentation. The child will begin to rely on the English language context to derive meaning, and may begin to acquire the dominant culture's opinions of the minority group to which the child belongs. Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Cross Cultural Studies, Culture Conflict
(1982). The Why, What, and How of a Bilingual Approach for Young Children [and] El Porque, el Cual y el Como de un Enfoque Bilingue para Ninos Preescolares. This guide, in parallel English and Spanish volumes, provides information necessary for implementing bilingual/multicultural programs. Section 1 defines and describes the bilingual approach, examining instructional goals, rationale, philosophical justification, legal foundations, and practical considerations. Section 2 discusses attitudinal concerns, implementation problems, self-assessment instruments, and general strategies for attitude improvement. Bilingual requirements, the processes of language development and second language learning, language assessment and variation, testing procedures, and language teaching strategies are presented in Section 3. The importance of culture is emphasized in Section 4 through discussions of values, providing choices, and integrating cultures and contributions of all groups. Section 5 introduces curriculum ideas and strategies for implementing the bilingual approach. Parental involvement is outlined in Section 6. The concluding section discusses additional aids for the monolingual staff. The text is illustrated with many photographs of children, teachers, and parents. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Cultural Awareness, Curriculum Development, Early Childhood Education
(1983). Theoretical and Practical Aspects of Teaching Spanish to Bilingual Students. In an effort to bridge the gap between Spanish foreign language classes for the monolingual English speaker and the needs of the Hispanic bilingual student wishing to have Spanish instruction, a bilingual teacher trainer has designed Spanish courses specifically for the Hispanic bilingual. To give recognition to bilinguals' existing linguistic repertoire, "biloquial" approach is taken, placing value on both the students' existing language and the standard Spanish being taught. The aim is to build on students' substantial Spanish skills rather than trying to eradicate nonstandard usages. Written work is emphasized. Students are graded on progressively higher expectations, and are taught that effective communication rather than perfectionism in composition is valued. [More] Descriptors: Attitude Change, Bilingual Education, College Students, Higher Education
(1982). Construction Trade Course. Bilingual Vocational Instructional Materials. This building trades course, one of a series of bilingual English-Spanish vocational education courses, is designed to introduce the basic skills that a student must know in the construction field. It is geared to teach the student basic manipulative skills, safety judgments, proper work habits, desirable attitudes, and proper behavior for initial employment in the construction field. The course covers an introduction to good shop organization and practices, foundations, floor framing, wall framing, roof framing, special framing, exterior trim, interior trim, painting and decorating, and the construction business, providing handouts and transparency masters with narrative for these topics. The course also contains a detailed sample lesson plan on vocabulary for construction workers as a model for teachers to develop lessons for the course and an extensive English/Spanish vocabulary list. Suggested books and films for teacher or classroom use complete the packet. Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Bilingual Instructional Materials, Building Trades, Construction (Process)