This paper reports on a study comparing oral English proficiency as conventionally measured by instruments currently used in many school districts throughout the United States, with Spanish language abilities of individuals with Spanish language background. Oral language proficiency is defined as the results of a quantitative measure applied to a…

A study designed to assess the concurrent validity of the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate (which measures the amount of language spoken) in relation to the Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scale (which measures the quality of language spoken) was conducted with a sample of Spanish-surnamed exceptional children from a lower-middle class elementary school…

The Spanish syntax of 36 English-Spanish bilingual students at the University of Texas at El Paso was examined to determine the variety and extent of English influence on Spanish syntax and to correlate the relative extent of this influence with selected extra-linguistic factors. The most significant finding was that the group of students having…

Describes the El Paso, TX/Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, metropolitan area and examines how the University of Texas at El Paso resolves problems brought about by the area's multilingual continuum. Also describes the public school system's responses to the same problems. (EKN)

Examples of the differences between the oral language of Blacks and the standardized written language forced on them in English classrooms illustrate the need for teachers to appreciate language differences and to create a workable context for effective language instruction. (RL)

The development of German proficiency by a three-year-old Australian boy living in Germany was monitored for a five-month period. His command of German negation is reported. The study is seen as bearing on issues in first and second language acquisition, such as competence and interference. (JB)

Presents a historic overview and analysis of the Sardinian language (actually a system of dialects), and defines diglossia and bilingualism. A discussion focuses on research conducted in two junior high schools to determine the differences in linguistic behavior in two contrasting situations (village and city) in regard to Sardinian and Italian.…

Discusses the view that the spread of English is endangering many regional languages and their corresponding cultures. Suggests that this view is based on premises that no longer hold true in a world marked by cultural intermixing and growing multilingualism. Implications for the English-as-a-Second-Language teacher are highlighted. (Author/VWL)

Among 56 Mexican American fifth-graders participating in two-way bilingual education for 3 years or more, standardized test scores of both English-dominant and Spanish-dominant participants equalled or surpassed those of nonparticipant peers. Participants developed high levels of English literacy skills, but Spanish literacy was not as well…

This study investigated developmental changes in lexical production skills in early sequential bilinguals, in both Spanish and English, with 100 individuals of different ages whose first language was Spanish. A pattern was found of Spanish dominance in the youngest children, through relatively balanced Spanish and English skills in middle…

This research explored the impact of the abrupt shift from heritage-language to dominant-language education on Inuit children's personal and collective self-esteem. Specifically, the following question was addressed: will early heritage-language education serve as an inoculation against the potential negative impact of being submerged in a…

This study compared the efficacy of measures of naming speed, verbal fluency and self-ratings for establishing language dominance in 25 bilingual English-Spanish adults with college degrees. Naming speed was measured by total naming times (in seconds) for five "Alzheimer's Quick Test" tasks (Wiig, Nielsen, Minthon & Warkentin, 2002)…

Although Chinese has become the third largest mother tongue in both Canada and the USA, Chinese/English biliteracy development has received little attention in educational research. This article explores three Chinese-Canadian first and second graders' biliteracy (Chinese/English reading and writing) and trilingual (Mandarin, Cantonese, and…

A study investigated the ways in which the background of six Spanish-English bilinguals has affected their attitudes toward the two languages and the transfer of skills between first and second languages, especially as it might relate to writing instruction. A review of literature looks at studies of linguistic and social aspects of the Hispanic…

This paper addresses the potential value of language-related criteria for use in identifying ethnic minorities in the Netherlands. A description of the way the Dutch government defines ethnic minority groups is followed by a comparative outline of the use of language-related criteria in countries with a longer tradition of immigration (Australia,…