The determinants of dominant language fluency among immigrants and the labor market impact of this fluency are examined. The model is generally applicable, but the empirical tests are performed for adult foreign-born men in Australia (1981 and 1986 Australian censuses). The findings indicate that fluency responds to incentives, including economic…

This study examines the changing patterns of usage of Scottish Gaelic and English in the northern Scottish counties of Sutherland and Caithness during the period 1698-1901. The study explores the way these patterns resulted from processes found in different social situations. It is concluded that although the shift from Gaelic to English was not…

To examine the child variables which may affect the validity of a screening test in a heterogeneous kindergarten, 64 kindergarten children attending an international school in Taipei, Taiwan, were screened with the Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning - Revised (DIAL-R). Thirty subjects were Caucasian, 21 were Oriental, and 11…

This study attempts to determine factors which would predict Spanish ability in experienced bilingual teachers in order to plan language development lessons for prospective bilingual teachers. A review of literature on personality, social, and psychological factors in learning a foreign language suggests that there may be some correlation between…

In 1979, Rhode Island legislators mandated an assessment of the number of non English speaking children in the State. The resulting study was comprised of two main phases. The first, a census of non English speaking students, included (1) a teacher survey, in which every teacher listed his/her students and indicated an observed primary language…

Four dimensions of bilingual measurement are defined, and three major topics in the assessment of language proficiency and language dominance are discussed: selection of the language components to be assessed; appropriateness of certain elicitation tasks used; and general checkpoints that can be used to evaluate language proficiency dominance…

As a result of anticolonial movements in the Caribbean, Creole languages are becoming major languages of communication. Language planning has begun to focus on them. These languages must be taught to non-native speakers who want to participate fully in Caribbean culture. This is clearly demonstrated in the area of cinema. (VM)

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.…

This paper examines the language dominance and oral bilingual proficiency of Tarahumara-Spanish speaking students from Chihuahua, Mexico, within the framework of Cummins' model of bilingual proficiency development. Cummins' model distinguishes between basic interpersonal communicative skills (BICS) and cognitive academic language proficiency…

Seventy-nine Latin American students at universities in Pittsburgh were studied to determine: (1) whether language proficiency varies between home and school domains; and (2) whether the relationship between language proficiency and attitude holds true when proficiency difference between two languages is small and subjects are highly proficient in…

Findings indicate that both education and age at arrival on the U.S. mainland have significant effects upon the ethnic identity of Puerto Rican mothers, fathers, and children. Further, the child's education and age at arrival are significantly and independently related to changes in ethnic identity in the family. (Author/GC)

Investigates university students' attitudes toward different varieties of Arabic, including Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), Bedouin, Fallahi, and Madani. The highest rated variety was MSA, the lowest rated was Madani, and Bedouin was preferred over Madani as a colloquial variety. (GLR)

Ways are discussed that education and the discourse practices it authorizes can routinely repress, dominate, and disempower language users whose practices differ from the norms that it establishes. The ideas of two key theorists, Bourdieu and Bhaskar, are linked and applied to such issues as schooling, high status language, and minority discursive…

A critical policy decision is choice of language used as instructional medium. Evidence suggests bilingual education policies are desirable on social justice grounds in pluralist societies. An educational system that serves a multilingual society and provides only monolingual schooling exercises power unjustly. Local minority communities should…

Items from several existing acculturation scales were used to develop a multidimensional assessment of cultural identity and biculturalism. Items assessed language use, values and attitudes, behavior, and familiarity with aspects of American and Latino culture. Results from 130 Latino college students showed differences in language preference,…