Discusses the growing recognition of international and social priorities concerning bilingual competency, the relevance of these priorities for child development, and research findings comparing the verbal and nonverbal skills of monolingual and bilingual children. The implications of the research for preschool and elementary curricula in the…

This article discusses the historical background of bilingual education and the directions bilingual education has taken in the United States, Canada, Britain, France, and other European countries. Findings concerning the effectiveness of bilingual programs are reported. (CFM)

Examines U.S. immigration policy and public opinion regarding immigrants, refugees, and undocumented aliens. Discusses educational policies affecting Southeast Asian refugees, the competing goals of assimilation and cultural pluralism, and arguments for and against "clustering' of refugees. Contains 27 references. (SV)

Critiques two theories dominating bilingual education. The facilitation hypothesis predicts long-term advantage for bilingual education over all-English instruction. The time-on-task hypothesis predicts that all-English instruction is superior to bilingual education in teaching English. Argues that bilingual programs may facilitate English…

Reports on two studies of minority language children enrolled in a Toronto, Canada, bilingual (English-French) program. The study indicated that focus on the maintenance and development of students' heritage language with specific reference to literacy learning enhanced the learning of French, a third language for the minority language students.…

Details educational procedures basic to Title VII Academic Excellence Project P.I.A.G.E.T. (Promoting Intellectual Adaptation Given Experimental Transforming), a model disseminated nationally to agencies serving young culturally and linguistically diverse children. Notes that the procedures critical to the program's success were…

Discusses trends and future issues in the bilingual education of deaf children, including teacher learning and use of American Sign Language (ASL), the total communication approach, deaf teachers' use of ASL, the coding of English in signs, and signed English and ASL as complementary communication systems. (five references) (CB)

Traces the Bilingual Education Act's (BEA) evolution from its inception (1968) through its most recent reauthorization (1994) as the primary federal legislative effort to provide equal educational opportunity to language minorities. Discusses assimilation versus multiculturalism as a philosophical basis for education reforms, litigation preceding…

Comparing data from two ethnographic studies of bilingual teachers and their students in the United States, the authors present a cross-case analysis that illuminates how issues of language are inextricably linked with issues of race, class, and socioeconomic status. The authors show how portraits of teachers' practice help to examine some of the…

This article briefly reviews recent research on teaching phonological awareness skills to preschoolers as well as the benefits of different types of bilingual education. A more in-depth analysis of research on cross-language transfer of phonological awareness/metalinguistic skills follows. The major recommendation resulting from this review is…

In recent years, the theoretical framework of Jim Cummins has been widely discussed by bilingual educators. This paper traces the evolution of Cummins' theory and examines the criticisms which have been raised against it. The first part of the paper discusses the major elements of his theory of bilingual proficiency: the threshhold hypothesis, the…

While most categorical programs are subject to problems stemming from local, state, and Federal overlap, the problems produced by these parallel structures in bilingual education appear to be dissipating through local capacity-building, increased state legislation for bilingual education, and Federal awareness of its role and support for state and…

Curricular experiences in a bilingual/multicultural teacher education program should be designed around the experiential and conceptual backgrounds of multiethnic children and youth. The concepts, generalizations, content, language patterns, values, attitudes, habits, and cultural heritage familiar to all racial and cultural groups should…

The characteristics of Canadian language immersion, bilingual education, and modified immersion programs are described, and their characteristics are compared with research findings on the characteristics of effective dual language programs. The information provided is intended to assist policymakers, educators, and community leaders in making…

Meta-analysis, meta-evaluation and secondary analysis are methods of summarizing, examining, evaluating or re-analyzing data in research and evaluation efforts. Meta-analysis involves the summarization of research findings to come to some general conclusions regarding effects or outcomes of a given treatment/project/program. Glass's approach…