A study is reported evaluating the effects on the development of bilingual reading skills of a second language--native language sequence of reading instruction as opposed to a native language--second language sequence in elementary grade French immersion programs. (RM)

The Middlebury Undergraduate German Language Program is described as a model for a Total Immersion Foreign Language Training program. German is the language of communication, both in and outside of the classroom. Lesson structure, materials and testing are described. (CHK)

Describes weaknesses in the sociolinguistic competence of second-language (L2) learners as documented by research in immersion contexts. The article discusses findings with reference to adolescent native speakers' use of question forms, conditionals, and second-person pronouns across two levels of formality in written and oral productions. (48…

Considers various factors relating to the failure of recent Canadian graduates of French immersion programs to make substantial use of French immediately following their schooling. The article presents some case studies of adult Canadians engaged in maintaining or improving their French skills. (29 references) (Author/CK)

Reports a study carried out on bilingual adolescents in a school in the Basque Country in which the language of instruction is Basque. Spanish and English are taught starting in Grade 3. Results show that all students are highly competent in Basque and Spanish, but students who use Basque in more domains get the best scores in English. (Author/VWL)

Evaluates differences between immersion and non-immersion university-level students' willingness to communicate, communication apprehension, perceived competence, and frequency of communicating . Also examines elements of integrative motivation. Differences between immersion and non-immersion groups are observed in the communication-related…

Examined Grade 8 French immersion students use and accuracy of pronominal verbs within one of two tasks--jigsaw or dictogloss--while working in pairs. Two groups of students viewed a videotaped mini-lesson on pronominal verbs, while another two did not. Found that the mini-lesson had a significant impact on students' use of pronominal verbs in…

The patterns of second grade French immersion students' spontaneous reading in English during the first and second year of their immersion program are reported and compared with their French reading performance. (MSE)

Discusses the concept of language immersion programs in the European context, then focuses on the current trend in Finnish schools to "see what these programs are like." The article concludes with a discussion about the inevitable problems and challenges related to immersion programs. (JL)

This paper describes the methodology of a study seeking to determine whether there is evidence that French immersion children with specific reading disability in one language also have the disability in the other language, and learning-disabled readers belong to the same subtype in both languages. (Author/JDD)

Critiques the Ramirez et al. study of bilingual programs for its serious research flaws. Calls into question the findings of no consistent difference in the achievement of language-minority children regardless of how much Spanish or English is used in instruction. Proposes a reanalysis of the Ramirez data. (KS)

Compares the degree to which pupils in the French immersion and regular English school programs speak French and initiate contact with French people. Attitudes and motivations were significantly more positive, and social tolerance and self-rated competency in French were much higher in the immersion than in English program subjects. (29…

Results of a large-scale evaluation of early and middle immersion programs in the Toronto (Ontario) area, involving 4 districts and 26 grade 8 classes, suggest that middle immersion yields less consistent performance levels than early immersion. Overall, findings favor early immersion. (11 references) (Author/MSE)

Compared 719 first-, second-, third-grade students enrolled in partial-immersion (PI) programs in Japanese, Spanish, or French to 3 comparison groups. Outcome measures used were a mathematics test, Metropolitan Achievement Test in Reading, and Student Oral Proficiency Rating. PI students scored at least as well as, and to some extent better than,…

Using the Communicative Orientation of Language Teaching (COLT) observation theme, this study compares the second-language-learning environments of elementary-level students of French in four submersion and four immersion classrooms in Montreal, Canada. Results indicate clear differences between the two environments. (Author/VWL)