Abstract/Details

Language policy and equal status: A change from monolingualism to bilingualism in a small district in California

Clayton, Sarah E.   The Claremont Graduate University and San Diego State University ProQuest Dissertations Publishing,  1993. 9330336.

Abstract (summary)

The issue of how to best educate the language divergent child came to the forefront in 1974 when the US Supreme Court decided unanimously in the Lau vs. Nichols case that public schools must provide special assistance to students who enter school with limited English proficiency. Districts have attempted to address this issue with a variety of instructional approaches ranging from submersion completely in English to maintenance of primary language through sixth grade.

One model not often implemented is a two-way bilingual model where English and Spanish speaking students learn together how to speak, read and write a second language. The program, in short, is oriented toward an enrichment of children's linguistic and cultural experiences and is not compensatory in nature.

This study examined the feasibility of a two-way bilingual program as an educational alternative for both ethnolinguistically diverse students and English only students. This study also analyzed selected factors in the change process that took place in the implementation of this two-way bilingual model.

The study investigated (1) the interrelationship of selected variables in determining if the academic skills of reading and mathematics of English Learners who had participated in a two-way bilingual program were any different than EL students who had been in a different type of bilingual program; (2) the interrelationship of selected variables in determining if the academic skills of reading and mathematics of EL students who had participated in a two-way bilingual program were different than other ethnically and culturally diverse students of the same SES background who had not been in a two-way bilingual program but had been in the same educational environment; (3) the academic skills of reading and mathematics of English only (EO) students who had participated in a two-way bilingual program were different than EO students who had not been in the bilingual program; (4) if there was a common underlying proficiency between English and Spanish; (5) the salient features of a two-way bilingual program; and (6) the steps taken to change from monolingualism to bilingualism in a small school district.

Indexing (details)


Subject
Multicultural education;
School administration;
Educational administration
Classification
0514: Educational administration
0455: Multicultural Education
Identifier / keyword
Education
Title
Language policy and equal status: A change from monolingualism to bilingualism in a small district in California
Author
Clayton, Sarah E.
Number of pages
194
Degree date
1993
School code
0760
Source
DAI-A 54/06, Dissertation Abstracts International
Place of publication
Ann Arbor
Country of publication
United States
ISBN
979-8-207-92455-7
Advisor
Cruz, Rafaela M. Santa; Poplin, Mary S.
University/institution
The Claremont Graduate University and San Diego State University
University location
United States -- California
Degree
Ph.D.
Source type
Dissertation or Thesis
Language
English
Document type
Dissertation/Thesis
Dissertation/thesis number
9330336
ProQuest document ID
304104936
Copyright
Database copyright ProQuest LLC; ProQuest does not claim copyright in the individual underlying works.
Document URL
https://www.proquest.com/docview/304104936