The effect of dialect mismatch and possible interference in performing certain reading tasks was the focus of this study. One hundred twenty black, Gullah-speaking, fourth- and fifth-grade students who were approximately two years below grade level in reading comprised the subject group. Two groups of 30 subjects each were given a Standard English…

This work proposes to show that second language acquisition can take place when adults surround themselves with a target language and have ample opportunity to participate in its use. The hypothesis tested is that methods and strategies utilized in the acquisition of a second language for adults should be essentially the same as those manifested…

This research studied the effects of abstract-reasoning ability, degree of bidialectism, and grade level on listening comprehension tasks presented in both Standard English and Black English and on oral reading and oral-reading comprehension tasks presented in Standard English, Black English standard orthography, and Black English nonstandard…

This study was designed to identify specific language variables that could prove to be useful as predictors of a child's success in beginning reading. The study is theoretical in nature and provides background information that may be useful in future empirical investigations. A review of the literature on child language acquisition was conducted.…

The English speech of an adult native Polish speaker learning English as a second language was analyzed for the acquisition of the English negation system. The types of errors made appeared to be developmental rather than language transfer errors. There was little trouble with single negation in English which contrasts with multiple negation in…

A study analyzed the use of Basque and Spanish by 36 bilingual teenagers enrolled in a Basque school in Spain, based on results of a survey. The history and present situation of the Basque language are outlined, and the importance of the revival of the Basque language by those who learn it in school is highlighted. Complete technical data from the…

Forty-four Hawaiian native English-speaking ninth graders were asked to assign bipolar ratings for qualities of friendliness to the recitation of a text recorded by the same person in English, French, and Ilokano. The matched guise technique of Lambert was used. Results indicate that the subjects held a negative sterotyped view of Ilokano…

This study examines the changing role of the paraprofessional as viewed from the vantage point of the English as a Second Language (ESL) Bilingual classroom. The difficulty in encountering material on the role of the paraprofessional has led to some confusion in the minds of teachers as to how these assistants in the classroom are to be utilized.…

The following award-winning dissertations in bilingual education are included here: (1) "The 1974 Bilingual Education Amendments: Revolution, Reaction, or Reform" by Susan Gilbert Schneider; (2) "(Memory Organization, Bilingualism, and Interlingual Interference: A Comparative Analysis of the Semantic Distance and Semantic Judgment…

This work is intended to find replies to practical questions, such as how well native speakers of Spanish are decoded by native speakers of English, which errors interfere with decoding by the listener, and what the implications of the study might be for teaching. Fifteen Chileans were asked to tell stories in English, and several panels of native…

Twenty-five Spanish-speaking English as a Second Language (ESL) students in a California high school were the subjects of a study to determine the effectiveness of an audiovisual as opposed to an audiolingual method. After pretesting, to ensure that the subjects had approximately the same proficiency level, the students were divided into a control…

This study investigates the ways adult second language learners deal with errors and trouble sources in their conversations with one another. Specifically, it describes the repair work done by the second language learners, the extralinguistic features accompanying these repairs and the differences between repairs made by speakers at different…

This thesis clarifies the role of the applied linguist in the language and language teaching sciences with particular application to advanced language learning that takes place after five years of study. Students' deficiencies identified at matriculation together with the psychological and practical needs of the students and their society identify…