While previous research has shown that language use in the home is an important factor in bilingual language development, little research has focused on how specific language strategies used by parents relate to bilingual children's language exposure and vocabulary development. Yet, for parents, this information has the potential to inform their…

Background: Complex syntax is affected by developmental language disorder (DLD) during the school years. Targeting areas of syntactic difficulty for children with DLD may yield useful assessment techniques. Aims: To determine whether wh-movement can be measured in language samples from typically developing mono- and bilingual school-aged children,…

This mixed-methods study was designed to examine how different home literacy environments shape gender differences in Chinese-Canadian first graders' (N = 76) bilingual lexical attainment and literacy engagement. Quantitative analyses indicated that girls outperform boys in both Chinese (L1) and English (L2) vocabulary. Gender differences were not…

In Canada, approximately 12% of school-aged children are enrolled in French Immersion (FI), with some provinces estimating close to 30%. FI programs are intended to produce bilingual individuals who can functionally communicate in both of Canada's official languages. Yet, we are currently underinformed as to how to identify children with French…

The 1-year longitudinal study presented here examined the extent to which the ability to build phonologically specific lexical entries as a result of increasing vocabulary size predicts word reading via its impact on phonological awareness within and across languages in 62 emerging English (L1) and French (L2) Grade 1 children (M = 75.69 months,…

Purpose: The value of shared reading as an opportunity for learning word meanings, or semantics, is well established; it is less clear whether children learn about the orthography, or word spellings, in this context. We tested whether children can learn the spellings and meanings of new words at the same time during a tightly controlled shared…

These two studies examined the processes underlying English and Chinese word reading in Chinese-English bilinguals in relation to their experiences with their second language (L2), as determined by length of time in an English-speaking environment. Phonological awareness, morphological awareness and vocabulary measures were administered in English…

Informed by current notions of dynamic bilingualism and the community of practice (C of P) framework, this study was designed as an ethnographic case study to explore peer collaboration in an English/Chinese bilingual program in a city in Western Canada. The main participants in the study were three Grade 5 English/Chinese bilingual students. The…

A study indicates that students in French immersion programs in Canadian schools achieve superior progress in French and equal skill in English relative to students in partial immersion classes or traditional second-language study. (CK)

This report discusses the findings of an evaluation of the bilingual education program in the schools of the Niagara South Board of Education (Ontario). (DB)

Describes the response of one Canadian community and its local school board to the challenge of producing functionally bilingual children within the context of the public school curriculum, grades K through 7. (CK)

Discusses early and late French immersion programs, their advantages and disadvantages, and considerations of staffing, cost, student motivation, effect on native language skills, and program effectiveness. (CK)

The Ottawa school system conducts French instruction in both immersion and "core" or regular programs. Special features are bilingual grades at the higher level and a bilingual high school. French Immersion programs are evaluated in terms of expense and educational effect. (CK)

The experience of a British Columbia bilingual education program is outlined, with information about number of pupils, program objectives, staffing, teaching materials and cost. The program teaches French in a primarily English-speaking area. (CK)

An explanation of a kindergarten French immersion program includes essential background information, details of implementation, problems encountered, practical and theoretical implications and suggested solutions to the difficulties encountered. (CK)