Research has demonstrated that many linguistic features correlate with social stratification of speakers and that these features often serve as social identifiers that trigger language stereotypes. An experiment was conducted to verify these findings with regard to Portuguese ethnic groups. Judges from four Portuguese-speaking ethnic groups…

A discussion of public policy concerning bilingual education looks at why and how policy should be re-focused on helping Limited English Proficient (LEP) students make academic gains. It first examines some characteristics of the highly diverse and rapidly growing LEP population, including varied academic background, tendency to reside in small…

In the context of increasing criticism of bilingual education and the use of native language instruction, it must be remembered that they are based on a sound rationale. First, they address the need for continued learning as the child moves from one language to the other. Second, they address the need to diminish the alienation which children feel…

While most primary school education in Hong Kong (China) is in the native language, Cantonese, and most university-level instruction is conducted in English, the language of secondary school instruction has begun to shift from English to Cantonese. The decision to increase Cantonese use is controversial. Four studies of this situation are…

Articles focus on the following: reading comprehension and writing; an approach to argumentative discourse writing; a didactic experiment on the construction of two academic texts; Denzil Romero's work; communication and its implication--a vision from the teaching of the mother tongue; orthography/spelling in the Real Academia Espanola (RAE)…

This newsletter reports on a project concerning the linguistic development of immigrant children in Sweden in upper secondary school. The project is part of an extensive program on immigrant children's schooling and attainment of bilingualism conducted by the SPRINS Group at the University of Goteborg (SPRINS in Swedish represents "linguistic…

This report offers a conceptual model for use with language minority children who are entering a new school when they must acquire the language of the majority student population. The model has four development components or processes: sociocultural, linguistic, academic, and cognitive. These four components are described in detail. Research is…

The double issue of the journal, "Bilingual Resources," presents nine articles pertaining to American Indian education in various perspectives, poetry by four American Indian poets, and identifies 27 publications about American Indians. Subjects of articles include: evaluation and recognition of narrative competence within peer group…

This report summarizes advances in bilingual education that help linguistically and culturally diverse (LCD) students reach high levels of achievement and performance. Factors to be considered include the native language, bilingualism and academic achievement, curriculum, parental and community influences, and programmatic evaluation. The reports…

A study was undertaken in 1981-82 to review the implementation of the Ontario Cabinet submission of October 20, 1977 concerning French as a minority (first) language and the need for major improvements to provide equal educational opportunities in French-language schools or classes. The report of the study presents the findings in seven sections…

This issue presents an overview of research in computer-based language instruction using the PLATO IV computer system. The following articles are presented: (1) "Language Study and the PLATO system," by R. Hart; (2) "Reflections on the Use of Computers in Second-Language Acquisition," by F. Marty; (3) "Computer-Based…

The core of the case for bilingual education is that the principles underlying successful bilingual education emphasize the same factors that underlie successful language acquisition in general: understanding messages and obtaining comprehensible input; using background knowledge; and the development of literacy. The importance of the first…

This series of newsletters describes information about special activities, academic programs, and honors and awards involving faculty, students, staff and the greater communities served by the University of Hawaii (UH) Community Colleges. This set contains the eight issues of volume 33, 1998, which discuss the following topics, among others: (1)…

This regional dossier aims to provide concise, descriptive information and basic educational statistics about minority language education in a specific region of the European Union--Northern Ireland. Details are provided about the features of the educational system, recent educational policies, divisions of responsibilities, main actors, legal…

This regional dossier aims to provide concise, descriptive information and basic educational statistics about minority language education in a specific region of the European Union--Brittany. Details are provided about the features of the educational system, recent educational policies, divisions of responsibilities, main actors, legal…