This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Carolyn Kessler, Wayne Holm, Shari Nedler, Erwin H. Epstein, Bert W. Corcoran, Lily Wong Flood, W. H. Giles, Joseph J. Pizzillo, Anna Uhl Chamot, and Mari-Luci Jaramillo.
(1971). Question Generation by First Graders: A Heuristic Model. This paper describes the design and practical application of a program called "Listening" which has been developed to help young learners of English as a second language gain some strategies for comprehension in their new language. The long-range goal of the program is to develop the learner's active involvement in thinking about the facts he listens to, in applying language and thinking processes which help him comprehend and retain the salient features of a message which often exceed the explicit facts, and then in thinking more about them. Inquiry is the principal device of the program. The children learn to ask relevant, appropriate, and substantial questions, and to value such inquiry by actually engaging in the activity. Question-asking acts as the pivot from second language learning to learning in the second language. A description of the program is provided, with remarks on the objectives and characteristics of the various states of the program. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, Bilingual Education, Children, Cognitive Development
(1970). The Pros and Cons of Individualized Programmed Instruction for Indian Students. A Position Paper…. Based on observations and experiences in a Title III (Elementary and Secondary Education Act) project to individualize instruction in the ungraded Rocky Boy Elementary School (grades 1-6, Rocky Boy Indian Reservation, Box Elder, Montana), this position paper considers the problem of finding a suitable or workable curriculum and classroom climate for teaching reading, writing, and arithmetic in a traditionally designed school. In the paper, the pros of individualized programmed instruction are discussed considering boy vs. girl, development of the self-learner in relation to his culture, peer-tutor relationships, achievement, characteristics of the self-learner in relation to programmed instruction, and contingency management. Cons of individualized programmed instruction are discussed in terms of the non-English-speaking child, the poor teacher, and behavioral objectivity vs. group interaction. It is suggested that individualized programmed instruction for Indian children has merit and needs further study in view of its present short period of utilization. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, Basic Skills, Bilingual Education, Classroom Environment
(1970). A Second Year Program in English as a Second Language Prepared for Para-Professional Teachers in Bi-Lingual Pre-School Home Teaching Programs: Teacher's Manual. This teacher's manual for a preschool second-year program in English as a second language contains daily lesson plans–objectives, activities, exercises, and subject material–for 22 weeks of class. The program is designed for two English instructional periods per day. English should also be used as the medium of instruction in one other subject. The first four weeks are spent in review of the first year's work. The subjectives and subject material for each week's work are listed at the beginning of the weekly plans. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Classroom Techniques, Educational Objectives, English (Second Language)
(1971). Bilingualism in the Six-Year-Old Navajo Child. The amount of English spoken by six-year-old Navaho children as they enter first grade is increasing and will probably continue to increase. Contacts outside the reservation contribute to this increase as do the almost completely monolingual (English) schools. Location of residence is also a factor. Linguistic borrowing of English words is another indication of the increased influence of English. Although the Navaho people remain the largest group of non-English-speaking Indians in the United States, there are signs of a growing diglossia. [More] Descriptors: Acculturation, American Indian Reservations, American Indians, Beginning Reading
(1972). Syntactic Contrasts in Child Bilingualism. A Language-research experiment designed to examine the linguistic competence of bilingual Italian-American children demonstrates that structures shared by Italian and English are acquired in approximately the same order and at the same rate, and that the sequencing of specific structures reflects linguistic complexity. Structures appearing in both languages are believed to have a common underlying base and realized by the same set of transformational rules. The definite sequencing evident in child-language acquisition may have implications for second-language acquisition by adults; instructional materials and programs could be established with this in mind. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Child Language, Children
(1972). Cultural Differences Revealed Through Language. NCRIEEO Tipsheet, Number 8. Biculturalism implies much more than bilingualism. Bilingualism has been defined in a variety of ways, but perhaps the most commonly accepted definition is varying degrees of understanding of two languages. But biculturalism implies knowing and being able to operate successfully in two cultures. This means knowing two modes of behavior, and knowing the beliefs, values, customs, and mores of two different groups of people. The language used at a particular time and place would have the referents in the culture the language represents. Not "all little children are alike": children are different because cultures force all of them to think, react, value, believe, and act in certain modes. It appears that one even learns in very distinct patterns because of cultural differences. Teachers must accept these differences in students and start working to provide equal educational opportunity in the classrooms. One could capitalize on the language children bring to school. The students have already internalized the sound patterns of a language and their written work could be based on these sounds. If these sound patterns are Spanish, the instruction should be in Spanish. Simultaneously, with this instruction, the second language should be introduced systematically. [More] Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Bilingualism
(1971). Assumptions for Bilingual Instruction in the Primary Grades of Navajo Schools. A review of some assumptions made in the development and implementation of a bilingual-bicultural curriculum for Navajo students in the early primary grades is presented. The curriculum set out to develop and expand the students' abilities for learning, teaching them how to learn, so they could cope with change. It set out to sensitize them to the two cultures, so that they could cope with both; it also set out to structure what the teachers taught and to generalize how they taught, so that the students could cope with the school situation. The basic heuristic of the curriculum is to find the inherent and make them pervasive like growing veins in the organism. It is what the curriculum considers inherent and what the curriculum has done with the inherent that will characterize the assumptions reviewed in this paper. These assumptions include: (1) Randomization of pupil participation assures individual attention for all members of the class; (2) Teaching technique affects learning ability; and (3) Teacher-student ratio affect learning progress. [More] Descriptors: Ability, Academic Achievement, American Indians, Bilingual Education
(1972). Patterns of Difficulty in English in Bilingual Mexican-American Children. The purpose of this study is to examine the English-language performance of bilingual children so that patterns of difficulty may be ascertained and intelligent decisions can be made in designing language training for these students. The document first provides a review of relevant literature defining bilingualism, inherent characteristics of bilingualism, academic and psychological problems created by bilingualism, and essentials of language proficiency, and discusses specific patterns of difficulty to be expected in English-language performance. The author then describes an experiment conducted among 15 bilingual and 15 monolingual children to determine patterns of difficulty. The details and results are reported along with a discussion of implications. Findings confirm the investigations and statements of linguists as to areas of difficulty for bilingual speakers; however, the similarity of performance by their monolingual English-speaking peers indicates that other dynamics influence the language development of children in both groups. These factors must also be investigated. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Children, Comparative Analysis
(1970). A Kindergarten Curriculum Guide for Indian Children: A Bilingual-Bicultural Approach. A bilingual, bicultural approach, the Kindergarten Curriculum Guide is intended for all persons involved in teaching American Indian children in either public or Bureau of Indian Affairs Schools. The objective is to establish a broad base of sound principles and philosophy of education for young Indian children with some ideas, experiences, materials, and resources for implementation, from which each school can select appropriate directions, relevant to the particular child, his family and community. The purpose of the guide is to serve as a reference to schools developing their own curriculum. The guide suggests that the teaching method to be employed should stress learning through play and through identification with the teacher rather than through instruction. The 5 areas discussed include (1) early childhood education, such as the articulation of early childhood experiences; (2) creating an environment for learning, such as the planning of use of kindergarten space, the arrangement of equipment and supplies, both indoors and outdoors; (3) curriculum experiences, such as language and concept development, the development of social science, mathematical, and natural and physical science concepts; and experience with music and art materials; (4) supporting services, such as parent involvement in the kindergarten program and bilingual, social service, and health programs; and (5) bibliographical materials, such as books, pamphlets, and films. [More] Descriptors: American Indians, Bilingual Education, Cultural Interrelationships, Curriculum Guides
(1969). Annotations on Selected Aspects of the Culture of Puerto Rico and Its People. Intended for teachers who are currently working with Puerto Rican children, this manuscript provides an orientation to the cultural and historical background of Puerto Rico. The primary purpose of this survey is to depict significant contributions that occurred in Puerto Rico. Contents include information and materials obtained from national archives, official documents, and cultural institute reports, and offer a collection of selected notes relevant to Puerto Rico's history, music, everyday life and culture, horticulture, architecture and current trends. A series of descriptions about famous Puerto Ricans is also included, tracing the culture from 1580 to 1968. An alphabetical listing of information sources by author is presented from which educators may secure information about Puerto Rico. [More] Descriptors: Area Studies, Bilingual Education, Cross Cultural Studies, Cultural Awareness
(1971). Bilingual Learning for the Spanish Speaking Preschool Child. It is easier for non-English-speaking preschool children to learn new concepts if they are introduced in their own language. Once the child has mastered the concept, it can be introduced in the second language. The program described in this report is designed for Mexican-American preschool children. Content of the program is selected to relate meaningfully to the child's experience, background, knowledge, and skill building. The English component of the program views language as an internalized, self-contained system of rules according to which sentences are created, spoken, or understood. The child is not explicitly told a rule; he is shown how a rule works through carefully selected and sequenced representative examples of English sentences. The English program is characterized by realistic situations, meaningful responses, individual response, acceptance of all appropriate responses, emphasis on questioning, use of complete forms, and initial emphasis on syntax, not vocabulary. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Comparative Analysis, Concept Formation
(1972). English as a Third Language: Its Acquisition by a Child Bilingual in French and Spanish. This study examines how a French- and Spanish-speaking child acquired English as a third language. It describes the linguistic experience of the 10-year old boy whose French and Spanish home, school, and playmate environments were changed to English school and playmate environments with French being maintained exclusively at home with the child's father. The dissertation describes a "natural" transition to English with no formal instruction in English being given the child. It is believed that examination of problems encountered by the child on making the linguistic transition, conclusions of the study, and suggestions concerning the learning process will be helpful to elementary school teachers of English as a second or third language. Two major language areas covered in the study are grammar and phonology. The chapter dealing with grammar is divided into two sections: morphology and syntax, and sentence formation. Errors in both grammar and phonology are classified, described, and discussed. A separate chapter on research in bilingualism and language acquisition is included. [More] Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Elementary Education
(1972). A Human Relations Guide for Teachers; Linguistic Minorities in the Classroom. This resource book is a collection of articles, reports of classroom observations, discussion questions, learning strategies, and suggested classroom activities appropriate to various curricular areas such as language arts and social studies on topics that often arise in the schooling of children from minority groups, especially from linguistic minorities. Its purpose is to enlighten teachers and school personnel about the implications of educating children of diverse cultural backgrounds, especially Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and American Indians, to accept an "American" ethic and ideal. The guide is arranged into three major parts. I) School-Community Relations examines school and minority community issues, and includes special sections on youth militancy as an authority reaction and on the use of bilingual programs as a means of averting or resolving tension. II) Observations of Linguistic Group Behavior In the Classroom focuses on school and minority conflicts in the classroom, including both controlled studies and in-class observations of pupil-pupil and teacher-pupil interaction, and provides a special section on problems of language. III) Human Relations Activities for Teachers concludes the book. Descriptors: Acculturation, American Indians, Biculturalism, Bilingual Education
(1971). Cultural Contrasts in English-French Bilingual Instruction in the Early Grades. This paper discusses the relationship between language development and cognitive development in children within the framework of a French-English bilingual school situation. Initially the document covers the language development of the infant learning English; the author then describes specific problems of educating the English-speaking child with French as the principal means of instruction. Tables illustrate the results of tests administered to children in a French-English curriculum, pointing out areas of confusion. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Child Language, Cognitive Development, Cognitive Processes
(1971). Initial Reading in Spanish for Bilinguals. "Initial Reading in Spanish" is a project designed to produce a detailed, descriptive analysis of procedures used to teach Spanish-speaking children in the United States to read in their native language. This document describes the procedures in developing and evaluating such a reading program. The initial step in the program was to observe Spanish reading instruction in several Mexican schools. Observations of procedures and methods used in Mexico were used to devise a program tested in four locations in the United States. Several forms were developed to standardize the procedures for evaluating the program. Extensive videotaping was done in the four experimental classrooms. The final report on the project shows the results of the observations and evaluations made during the project and describes the teaching methodologies that were used. This report summarizes the teaching methodologies and the general results of the project. Descriptors: Beginning Reading, Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Dialects