In the context of increasing criticism of bilingual education and the use of native language instruction, it must be remembered that they are based on a sound rationale. First, they address the need for continued learning as the child moves from one language to the other. Second, they address the need to diminish the alienation which children feel…

The external evaluation of the Title VII Bilingual Education Program of the Clovis Municipal Schools (NM) is described. The purpose of the program is to provide bilingual instruction for selected participants, grades K-3, in eight elementary schools. The evaluation was designed to (1) observe classroom teaching and activities utilized in bilingual…

The understanding of two principles is important if school districts are to develop comprehensive plans responsive to the Lau v. Nichols remedies specified by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) in ways that both adhere to the spirit of the Lau decision and allow the school district to develop coherent educational programs for…

Academic growth and personal-social growth of 20 second grade children in the Southeastern New Mexico Bilingual Program at Artesia are compared to 20 second grade children in the standard program. The groups were matched by chronological and mental age, IQ, family income, family situation (both parents, only father, or only mother), number of…

The findings, implications, and recommendations of a Texas migrant education study were presented in this report. Objectives were to determine how educational achievement of migrant students in 6-month programs compares with that of students in 9-month modified programs for migrants and with other students in the community, the effects of…

Project ABRAZO, 1 of 5 speciality projects funded by the U.S. Office of Education under Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, was designed to conduct research in areas of cognitive and affective learning generalizable to the 130 operational bilingual programs across the country. ABRAZO's goals were (1) to study the…

The effectiveness of education as an intervention strategy for the upward mobility of poor and minority group children is examined. It is hypothesized that if the general education intervention strategy is not successful, then the full potential of bilingual programs will not be realized. (Author/GC)

The design and outcome of a bilingual education program evaluation, emphasizing instructional and attitudinal variables, are described in this article. Based upon the evaluation and needs assessment of Puerto Rican students taking part in the program, recommendations are offered for increasing bilingual reading, writing, and speaking skills in…

Two questions are addressed: (1) Should immersion programs be offered to all children, and (2) should the child who is experiencing difficulties in immersion be switched to the regular English program? It is felt that there is no definite answer to the first question at present and that the answer to the second is "yes." (AMH)

Presents the results of the 1974-75 evaluation of the bilingual education program initiated in 1970 by the Elgin County Board of Education in St. Thomas, Ontario. The study covers grades 2 to 5 and is a follow-up to previous evaluations. (Author/CFM)

Hispanic students who are learning and achieving well in certain kinds of schools are succeeding not because these schools have special policies for them but because the way the schools are organized helps to resolve some of the problems of Hispanics--problems that generally are not well understood. These organizational policies and Hispanic…

Compares academic outcomes for 24 Spanish-dominant and 118 English-dominant Mexican American children in primary grades. Assesses impact of the experimental group's exposure to the transitional bilingual education program by examining their Spanish and English academic performance. Discusses implications for the education of bilingual learners.…

An evaluation of the Six-Year Primary Project showed that Nigerian students who were taught in their mother-tongue (Yoruba) for the first six years of primary school scored higher academically than students who were taught with their mother-tongue for the first three years and then were switched to English. (RM)

Noting the importance of language acquisition for children's physical, social, and cognitive development, this paper discusses first- and second-language acquisition in children. After providing background on second-language acquisition, the paper discusses the controversy surrounding bilingual education programs. The paper then explores what is…

Summarizes the sociopolitical and pedagogical debates over bilingual and bicultural education. Reviews research findings on the effects of bilingual education, discusses issues concerning public expenditures for bilingual programs and the effects of language on social cohesion and academic failure, and advocates adopting an official national…