This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Muriel M. Abbott, Dama Garate, Susan Opper, Carole Berotte Joseph, Pertti Toukomaa, Robin Willner, Baton Rouge. Louisiana State Dept. of Education, Susan Amlung, Dabney Narvaez, and Richard L. Lopez.
(1983). Turn Allocation and Requestives: Two Aspects of Communicative Competence in a Bilingual Early Childhood Classroom. Final Report. This study examines natural language use in the bilingual, early childhood classroom in the context of: (1) functional patterns of requests and turn allocators used by Spanish-speaking children; (2) formal patterns of requests and turn allocators used by Spanish-speaking children; (3) the use of language alternation to make requests and allocate turns; and (4) the influence on requests and turn allocation of the children's speech partner (teacher or child), language dominance of the speech partner (Spanish or English), and the activity in which they are engaged. Results show the intimate relationship between classroom language use and all other factors influencing a child's daily existence. Use of functional and formal language was marked by both general similarity and appropriate variation in context, and suggests that in a classroom where a variety of language functions are encouraged, children's formal language knowledge is stimulated. Findings on language alternation suggest that the skill is a useful resource in conversations, that children use one language more than another for requesting and allocating during each activity, and that the children usually use a language appropriate to their speech partner's language dominance. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Classroom Communication, Code Switching (Language), Communicative Competence (Languages)
(1985). Newton High School Project Capable 1983-84. OEA Evaluation Report. Project Capable, in its second year of a three year funding cycle (1983-84), provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL) and native language arts, and bilingual instruction in science and social studies, to approximately 400 Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese speakers (most recent arrivals to the country) in grades nine through twelve at four sites in the New York City area. Funding for the project comes from Title VII funds, local tax-levy, New York State Chapter 720, the Transitional Program for Refugee Children, and Pupils with Special Educational Needs. The program includes training sessions for staff members and participatory activities for project children's parents. Students were assessed in English language development, mastery of the native language, science and social studies, and career subjects, with the following results: (1) students' post-test means in English were significantly greater than pre-test means; (2) program objectives in native language arts were met overall by students in all language groups; (3) students' overall passing rates in science and social studies exceeded 75% both semesters; (4) overall passing rate for students enrolled in spring vocational courses was 91%. The following recommendations are made to improve the program: (1) make available student data to conduct comparison studies between program and mainstream students; (2) form separate sections of Mandarin Classes for native and foreign language learners to eliminate the frustration experienced by each group as a result of varying needs; (3) implement Cantonese language arts classes; (4) focus the efforts of the bilingual curriculum/resource specialist in the area of Chinese language arts. [More] Descriptors: Asian Americans, Bilingual Education Programs, Cantonese, Chinese Americans
(1986). Project CHAMP, 1984-1985. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1984-1985, the second year of a three-year funding cycle, Project CHAMP provided instruction to 600 primarily Chinese-speaking students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in grades 9-12 at Seward Park, Washington Irving, and Martin Luther King, Jr. High Schools in New York, New York. Seward Park was the primary site of the project and most program staff were based there. Approximately 70 percent of the participating students were born in the People's Republic of China. Other countries of origin included Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, and Korea. The program contained two instructional components. The goals of the basic component are to provide instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), native language arts, science, mathematics, computer mathematics, and social studies. An intensive literacy component was offered at Seward Park to those students who were found to be functionally illiterate in the native languages and who lacked basic academic skills. Seward Park's staff worked well together with continuing support from the project director and school administration. However, the site experienced problems with overage students and overcrowded conditions, and had difficulty in recruiting math and science teachers. The program provided funds for curriculum materials development, staff development, and parent participation activities. Academic objectives were met in ESL, native language reading, content-area courses, and attendance. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Asian Americans, Bilingual Education Programs, English (Second Language)
(1983). Project HAPTT: Haitian Parent and Teacher Training Program. Program Evaluation, 2nd Year. Final Report. Project HAPTT (Haitian Parent-Teacher Training) is a training program for educators and community members in New York City who work with limited-English proficient Haitian students in Haitian Creole/French-English bilingual programs. The project represents a comprehensive effort to attack the problems encountered by Haitian students and parents in the New York public school system. This evaluation of the second year of Project HAPTT's operation at City College of New York was conducted using information gathered from September 1982, to August 1983. The evaluators found that the Project continued to function much as it did during the first year, and complied with the specifications of its grant proposals. The first of the Project's two major divisions, the College Component, assists college students interested in education to get special training towards a bachelors degree in elementary education, with a bilingual (Haitian-Creole) concentration. The achievement levels of the 1982-83 freshmen were found to be well above average, and all the students interviewed praised the help and concern of Project staff. All the courses developed by the Project were found to have been completely institutionalized, ensuring that the degree program will continue to be offered after the grant period. The second major component of the Project, which attempts to provide Haitian parents with the skills they need to meet their responsibilities, consists largely of outreach activities. The evaluators found that the links between this component and the Training Component were continuing to increase, especially as trainees have become more involved in outreach. Under the leadership of HAPTT's Advisory Committee, the Parent Component launched a campaign to focus community attention on the needs of Haitian children, entitled "The Haitian Child: Struggling for a Future." [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Teachers, Haitian Creole, Haitians
(1984). Critical Issues in the Use and Teaching of the Native Language to Asian Limited English Proficient Students. A discussion of the use of native languages in the instruction of limited English proficient Asian students addresses three questions: (1) whether the students' native language should be used as a means of instruction; (2) whether there is a transfer of skills from the native language to the second language; and (3) how the language and culture of the language minority children can effectively assist in the learning of English language skills. The discussion draws on information gathered from a survey of teachers of Asian language minority children, observations presented by teaching personnel representing bilingual, English as a second language, and immersion programs serving these populations throughout Illinois, and a dialogue between practitioners and theorists. It is concluded that teaching in the native language is highly recognized and most recommended for concept development and that the transfer of cognitive and academic proficiency is easier than the transfer of basic communicative skills from the native language to English. It is noted that the native language, vocabulary, phonology, grammar, writing system, syntax, learning styles, and cultural implications are similar in most Asian languages, and that these areas do facilitate progress from the native language to English. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, English (Second Language), Immigrants, Language of Instruction
(1985). Theoretical Considerations in the Measurement of the English-Language Proficiency of Limited-English-Proficient Students. Limited-English-proficient (LEP) students who are not sufficiently proficient in English to participate effectively in an English-speaking instructional environment must be identified for placement in an appropriate educational program. Their progress through an instructional program that is designed to improve their acquisition of English language skills must also be measured both for purposes of exiting from the program and for program evaluation. Both placement and evaluation require a measure that assesses different levels of English-language proficiency. Attention is directed to the concept of language proficiency, how best to measure it with relevance to curriculum, appropriate levels of difficulty, and a meaningful frame of reference for the interpretation of scores for different populations. Attention is also directed to issues concerned with constructing an instrument that can serve both placement and evaluation purposes; that is, an instrument that can differentiate efficiently between English-proficient and LEP students yet, at the same time, provide efficient measurement of the progress of the lower-scoring LEP students. These issues are discussed with reference to the New York City Language Assessment Battery (LAB-1982). Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Elementary Secondary Education, English (Second Language), Language Proficiency
(1985). Acquisition of Literacy under Linguistic Minority Conditions: An Example from Scandinavia. A study of the native language literacy of Finnish immigrant children in Sweden had as subjects the 81 Finnish immigrant pupils in grades 3-6 of a Swedish industrial city. At the time of the study, about 20 percent attended Finnish-medium classes, 34 percent attended Swedish-medium classes, and about 46 percent attended bilingual classes. Native language reading ability and Swedish language skills were measured by reading speed and comprehension tests and a standardized language skills test. Subjects' primary mental abilities were measured by addition, word analogy, visual reasoning, and synonym tests. The teachers' evaluations of the students' Swedish ability were available. The results of comparisons of these factors indicate that the immigrant children generally had poor reading skills in both Finnish and Swedish. In deductive and evaluative reading, the immigrant students did not approach the standard of students in Finland, despite normal results in visual reasoning tests. The relatively best results were in reading speed, suggesting an ability to read quickly without much comprehension. Native language teaching was found to be preferable to bilingual teaching with regard to reading, at least through the third grade. However, parallel second language teaching is recommended, with the formal objective of developing the maximum ability in both languages. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Elementary Education
(1985). The Function of Home and Parents in an Intercultural Society. The CDCC's Project No. 7: "The Education and Cultural Development of Migrants.". The document presents major themes from a three-day symposium of immigrant and Swedish parents, teachers, teacher trainers, cultural workers, researchers, and government civil servants which explored the function of the home and parents in an intercultural society. The first three sections outline the relationship of the symposium to a pilot project coordinated by the Swedish National Parent-School Association which embraces the themes of the Council of Europe Project No. 7, entitled "The Education and Cultural Development of Migrants." Section IV explores the heterogeneous composition of Sweden's population, which increased 45% by immigration from 1944-1976. Section V reviews Sweden's formal and informal immigration policy. Section VI traces the position of immigrants with the National Parent-School Association. The next section addresses parents' questions about bilingualism and multiculturalism. Section VIII summarizes symposium themes into the statement that multiculturalism is an enriching and holistic experience. Section IV considers active bilingualism as an educational objective in Sweden and lists factors challenging the attainment of this goal. Section X describes a videotape, filmed from the perspective of immigrants as they react to linguistic situations. The final section includes the symposium program and list of participants. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Elementary Secondary Education, Family Influence
(1986). The Bilingual Program in Auxiliary Services for High Schools, 1984-1985. OEA Evaluation Report. In 1984-85, the Bilingual Program in Auxiliary Services for High Schools provided instruction in English as a second language (ESL), native language development, and basic education, in addition to a job counseling and placement component, to approximately 1,900 students at 15 sites in New York City. The program served speakers of Spanish, Chinese, Greek, Italian, and Haitian Creole/French, but the largest ethnic group enrolled was the Hispanic group. Many students were recent immigrants whose personal circumstances did not permit a conventional high school education. The objectives of the program were twofold: to enable limited English proficient (LEP) students to develop their English proficiency and content-area skills enough to pass the high school equivalency examination, and to expose students to job opportunities. The program's basic philosophy was to teach analytical skills that would have practical value beyond the scope of the examination. Staffing patterns varied from site to site and reflected both the needs of the local student population and the level of local tax-levy support. Curricular materials were developed and development activities were conducted for staff members. Parents were involved through Advisory Council meetings and other activities. On a program-wide basis, participants made statistically significant gains in three content areas: English, native language, and mathematics. Program evaluations of the bilingual program have found low rates of advancement in ESL levels each year. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education Programs, Career Education, English (Second Language)
(1985). Project ESL-SEDAC, 1983-84. E.S.E.A. Title VII Annual Evaluation Report. During 1983-84, the second of three program cycles of the Title VII English as a Second Language, Special Education Development Approach Curriculum Project (ESL-SEDAC) was fully implemented in the New York City Public Schools. The project provided direct instruction to 260 handicapped limited English proficient students, resource assistance, ongoing individual staff training, staff development, and parent training workshops. All program objectives were fully or partially attained. The proposed criteria for student achievement were met in English-language listening, speaking, reading, and writing, as was the criterion for improvement of the instructional skills of participating classroom teachers. Staff development and parent training workshops were effective and well received, although not as well attended as hoped for. The program curriculum, "Day by Day in English: ESL-SEDAC Daily Living Skills Curriculum Guide," was field tested, revised, and distributed. The following recommendations are offered for continued program effectiveness: (1) continue to provide services to students, parents, and classroom teachers; (2) explore additional ways of documenting pupil achievement; and (3) seek to utilize program, school, and community resources to increase parental participation. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education Programs, Daily Living Skills, Disabilities
(1978). The Cookbook = Manual de Cocina. This bilingual combination cookbook and instructional text is intended for use in training Spanish-speaking individuals for jobs as cooks. The first section is a dictionary of cooking terms consisting of parallel English and Spanish lists of foods, cooking terms, utensils, and common cooking directions and substitutions. The second section deals with cleanliness in the kitchen, general responsibilities of cooks, a listing of typical personnel policies pertaining to cooks, and a list of 10 cardinal rules of good food service. The third section includes 29 recipes, 27 of which are in English and 2 of which are in Spanish. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Instructional Materials, Cooking Instruction, Cooks
(1986). Involving LEP Parents. Four community liaisons for public school programs for limited- English-proficient (LEP) populations discuss briefly aspects of parent involvement. Dama Garate describes the populations served by the Trinity-Arlington Project in the Arlington (Virginia) Public Schools and suggests issues to be considered in parent involvement efforts. Pirun Sen of the Portland (Maine) Public Schools focuses on the kinds of parent involvement and parent contact that have been used there and the problems that have arisen. Hiep Tran Thien and N. D. Duong of the Seattle (Washington) Public Schools look at cross-cultural issues in parent involvement and suggest techniques and strategies to get parents involved. Vilay Chaleunrath outlines major barriers to parent participation and recommends activities for drawing parents into a partnership with the schools. The summary of a response by two specialists is also included. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Elementary Secondary Education, Immigrants, Limited English Speaking
(1984). A Comparison of Verbal and Motor Skills of Monolingual and Bilingual Hispanic Children–a Discriminant Analysis. To ascertain differences in cognitive ability, 50 monolingual and 50 bilingual Hispanic children enrolled in the same remedial education program for preschool four-year-old children in a large, urban school district in Arizona were administered the Cooperative Preschool Inventory in English. Subjects were matched on the basis of total scores to ensure that possible confouding variables of cultural differences, age, socioeconomic status, and total ability were controlled. Six motor response subscales comprised of 35 items were formulated: (1) knowledge of body parts, (2) the ability to follow simple or complex instructions, (3) following complex directions, (4) general knowledge, (5) quantitative knowledge, and (6) perceptual-motor coordination. A discriminant analysis followed by univariate F tests indicated monolinguals were superior to bilinguals in knowledge of body parts, whereas bilinguals were superior to monolinguals in the ability to follow complex directions and in perceptual-motor coordination. Although the latter conclusion provides supportive evidence for the beneficial effects of bilingualism, further study is needed. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Cognitive Ability, Cognitive Measurement
(1985). Fort Hamilton High School Project SPEED: Special Education to Eliminate Dropouts, 1983-1984. O.E.A. Evaluation Section Report. Project SPEED, which is housed at Fort Hamilton High School in Brooklyn, New York, provides instruction in English as a second language (ESL) and in the student's native language, as well as bilingual instruction in social studies, computers, and typing to 366 students of limited English proficiency (LEP) in Grades 9-12. In 1983-84, all of the program's students were born outside the United States. Almost half of them were Hispanics, and the remainder were Asian and Middle Eastern in origin. To achieve the program's central goal of dropout prevention, its bilingual instructional approach was transitional in nature. Individualized programs were planned for each student and classes were taught by both mainstream and resource teachers to heterogeneous groupings. In addition to instructional services, the program activities included student support services, curriculum development, staff development, parent involvement, and an advisory committee which addressed areas of program improvement. Student achievement data indicates that most students progressed in all subjects except mathematics at rates which matched the program's proposed criteria, and the attendance rate of program students was significantly greater than the schoolwide rate. Moreover, the program's dropout rate was significantly lower than the schoolwide rate. To improve the program's overall effectiveness, it is recommended that the program: (1) introduce more individualized approaches, such as grouping, to instruction in certain areas; (2) continue curriculum development and, if possible, bind materials rather than distribute them singly or in packets; (3) hold more formal staff meetings and planning sessions; and (4) strengthen the program's counseling component in the area of preventive group counseling. [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Attendance, Bilingual Education Programs, Curriculum Development
(1985). Ten Years of Neglect: The Failure to Serve Language-Minority Students in the New York City Public Schools. Despite extensive legislation on the subject, more than 44,000 (40%) of the limited-English proficient (LEP) students in New York City are not receiving the legally required language instruction due to them, and only 30% of entitled students receive the full bilingual instructional program that is prescribed by law. Entitled LEP students constitute 14% of all district students and 10% of all high school students. Seventy-two percent of entitled students speak Spanish, while five other language groups make up another 20%. Funding for LEP programs in New York City schools was more than $62 million in 1985 from non-city sources alone, with the growth in funding increasing 14-fold since 1974; however, fund allocation does not reflect this financial input. Only approximately 4% of the licensed teaching staff is bilingual and is expected to serve 12% of all students who are bilingual. LEP services are limited and in many instances in flagrant violation of existing mandates. Recommendations for improving this situation include the creation of a plan with the following precepts: (1) expand the number of magnet bilingual programs in the districts so that there is one for each major language group at each level per district; (2) expand the number of high schools offering full bilingual programs; (3) enforce compliance with the requirement that every entitled student receive ESL instruction; (4) recruit adequate numbers of bilingual teachers and provide training for out-of-license teachers; and (5) track expenditures to insure that all funds meant for LEP services are used for that purpose in a manner consistent with their governing regulations. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Bilingual Teachers, Categorical Aid, Compliance (Legal)