This article examines the multilingual and multimodal practices of British Chinese children in complementary school classes from a multicompetence perspective. Using classroom interaction data from a number of Chinese complementary schools in 3 different cities in England, the article argues that the multicompetence perspective enables a holistic…

The ideology of monolingualism prevails throughout society, including within minority ethnic communities who are bilingual and multilingual. Some minority ethnic communities in Britain believe that the response to the dominance of English language is to replace it with other languages. Complementary schools--language and culture classes organised…

This section presents brief synopses of empirical research and theoretical discussions in peer-reviewed journals. The aim is to disseminate findings and perspectives in fields related to TESOL and to provide access to the diverse conversations among scholars in the field.

Presents a demographic approach to the study of linguistic minorities, focusing on major analytical issues, particular data needs, and research possibilities. The approach's potential in the study of second-language acquisition, language maintenance, and shift pertaining to linguistic minorities is illustrated. (40 references) (Author/CB)

Examines two approaches to official bilingual programs in Canada, personality and territorial, applying economic analysis to language planning. Territoriality is suggested as a means of protecting threatened linguistic minorities and assisting them in retaining their cultural identity. (Author/OD)

This handbook provides an introduction to research findings related to bilingualism in minority-language children, and describes the implications of these findings for issues of current concern in Canadian education. Bilingualism is defined as the production and/or comprehension of two languages by the same individual. The phrase…

Existing research related to the suitability of French immersion for disadvantaged and minority group children is reviewed with a view to drawing conclusions and making recommendations. (Author/RM)

Semilingualism is discussed as a sociolinguistic concept and is viewed as a mediating variable when the society reproduces the class structure and vocational structure of suppressed minorities. A Finnish group of immigrant children in Sweden is the minority considered. It was found that the longer the Finnish children were educated in Finnish, the…

A study based on two hypotheses: (1) The cognitive and academic effects of bilingualism are mediated by the levels of competence attained in the first and second languages, and (2) the development of skills in a second language is a function of skills already developed in the first language. (AMH)

Provides data on the acquisition of Basque in the Basque Autonomous Community (Spain). Reports recent data and results of research studies on bilingual education and the use of Basque, and then focuses on one of the language plans developed by the Basque Government: the "Basquisation" of civil servants. Analyzes results of this plan and…

The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict the first- and second-language proficiency of ethnic minority children at the age of six. Results of the study show two dimensions that underlie children's proficiency in either language: communicative skills versus cognitive/academic skills. (45 references) (JL)

Provides a guide to basic research in second-language acquisition by characterizing distinct perspectives from foreign language teaching, first-language acquisition, psycholinguistics, and sociocultural factors. Argues that crucial insights of the sociocultural perspective must be introduced for adequate assessments of bilingual individuals. (JB)

The proceedings of the Georgetown Round Table on Bilingual Education discuss the topic in seven sections: (1) aspects of bilingualism, (2) bilingual assessment, (3) research directions in bilingual education, (4) new developments, (5) bilingualism as a factor in interpretation and translation, (6) the current state level trend in the assessment of…

This paper considers a number of diverse contexts in which English is learned as a second language and in which nonstandard dialects arise because of social and linguistic factors. The varieties considered here are immigrant English, indigenous-minority varieties of English, pidginization and creolization, local varieties of non-native English,…

Introduces the articles in this issue of "Educational Researcher," and discusses their collective focus on the need to enrich the research perspective on bilingual education. Argues for the importance of basic research, case studies, and taking the reality of practice and ideology into account. (JB)