The report discusses the first- and second-language development, oral and written, of native English-speakers and native Spanish-speakers in the two-way immersion (TWI) program at Key Elementary School (Arlington, Virginia). Data were drawn from classroom observation from 1994-96, student performance measures, and student work samples. Three…

The last several years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of two-way immersion (TWI) programs around the country. These programs integrate native English speakers and language-minority students for academic instruction and aim to promote bilingual proficiency, high academic achievement, and cross-cultural awareness. The expanded…

This resource book addresses many of the factors involved in establishing and maintaining an elementary school foreign language program. Chapter 1 provides information on various program models. Chapter 2 addresses program issues, such as establishing a program rationale and choosing the language or languages to be taught, in order to provide…

The fourth-year update of a longitudinal study examined the progress of the 31 remaining members of 2 classes in the first cohort of a Spanish immersion program and their standard-program monolingual comparison group of 15 students. Achievement gains were measured on standardized tests of mathematics and language skills. Results provided new…

Six papers presented at a conference on early childhood first and second language acquisition sponsored by the California state legislature's Child Development Programs Advisory Committee include: "Bilingual Development and the Education of Bilingual Children During Early Childhood" (Eugene E. Garcia); "An English-Only Preschool Program" (William…

A two-year ethnographic study of kindergarteners' experiences in a French immersion classroom focused on the processes by which children find and construct meaning through classroom interaction and communication processes. Data were gathered through classroom observation and videotapes. The initially unilingual English-speaking students were…

The reading skill development of anglophone kindergarten children in French immersion programs in Canada is the subject of the two papers included in this document. The first paper describes a study that examined the English reading ability of both kindergarten and first grade children in immersion programs and compared the results with those of…

This is the third and final evaluation of three French-language educational programs presently being offered to English-speaking children enrolled in the elementary schools of the South Shore Protestant Regional School Board in Quebec. The three programs under study are: (1) a French-as-a-second-language (FSL) alternative, taught for one period…

This research compared alternative school programs for French language learning. Student achievement was focused on, and data concerned French language arts (including attitudes), mathematics, English language arts, environmental science, social studies, geography, and history. Research was carried out during the 1973/74 and 74/75 academic years,…

This pilot study investigates the performance in French of five English-speaking children, who are enrolled in their sixth year of a primary French immersion program in a Toronto elementary school. From speech data obtained in individual interviews, an analysis is made of the students' control of the French verb system. The subjects are found to…

This handbook is intended for parents of children who will be attending French immersion kindergarten in Alberta (Canada). A question and answer format involving a fictitious teacher, parents, and child was adopted to facilitate reading and ease of use. These hypothetical questions and answers address a variety of topics, including the parents'…

This document asserts that dual language education is a program that has the potential to promote the multilingual and multicultural competencies necessary for the new global business job market while eradicating the significant achievement gap between language majority and language minority students. The appeal of dual language programs is that…

Many practices in Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) schools were negative, but this paper emphasizes the positive efforts that were made throughout their history, especially in regard to teaching English. The Carlisle Indian School, which opened in 1879, encouraged the use of English through an English language student newspaper and frequently…

This paper describes a model for assessing English speaking students with possible learning disabilities at a Spanish language immersion magnet school in St. Paul, Minnesota. The assessment process is based on established procedures for screening and assessment of Limited English Proficient/English Language Learners. Emphasis is on: (1) attention…

Two major questions are discussed concerning early language immersion: (1) Is it necessarily the best way to acquire a second language permanently and naturally? and (2) Does it provide a genuinely enriching experience for a young child? The author urges caution in interpreting research and consideration of other paths to biculturalism. (PP)