SECOND LANGUAGE SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION AND ACQUISITION AND

BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN BILINGUAL EDUCATION IN THE U.S.THE U.S.

Dr. Karla AnhaltDr. Karla Anhalt

Why are these topics Why are these topics important for practitioners important for practitioners

in the schools?in the schools?• Language minority children are projected to Language minority children are projected to

be 40% of the school age population by the be 40% of the school age population by the 2030s (Thomas & Collier, 2002)2030s (Thomas & Collier, 2002)

• Most schools are currently under-educating Most schools are currently under-educating this group (Thomas & Collier, 2002)this group (Thomas & Collier, 2002)

• There are major implications for curriculum There are major implications for curriculum recommendations and assessment of this recommendations and assessment of this populationpopulation

TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF

LANGUAGE PROFICIENCYLANGUAGE PROFICIENCY (Cummins, (Cummins, 1984)1984)

• Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS)Basic Interpersonal Communicative Skills (BICS)– Language skills needed for everyday personal and social Language skills needed for everyday personal and social

situationssituations– Social language; Social language; ““conversationalconversational”” language language– Children need 2-3 years to develop BICS Children need 2-3 years to develop BICS

• Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency (CALP)(CALP)– Language skills required for problem-solving, reasoning, Language skills required for problem-solving, reasoning,

and a variety of cognitive processes required for academic and a variety of cognitive processes required for academic performanceperformance

– Children need 4-7 years to develop CALPChildren need 4-7 years to develop CALP

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SECOND-FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SECOND-LANGUAGE COMPETENCELANGUAGE COMPETENCE (Cummins, 1984; (Cummins, 1984;

Gopaul-McNicol & Thomas Presswood, 1998)Gopaul-McNicol & Thomas Presswood, 1998)

• Relevance to CALP language proficiencyRelevance to CALP language proficiency• Language proficiency in the first languageLanguage proficiency in the first language

– Strong foundation in first language is essential to Strong foundation in first language is essential to build skills in second languagebuild skills in second language

• Literacy level in the first languageLiteracy level in the first language– Reading and writing in oneReading and writing in one’’s first language s first language

improves oneimproves one’’s ability to learn a second languages ability to learn a second language– Being literate and proficient in first language Being literate and proficient in first language

provides framework for understanding academic provides framework for understanding academic information in second languageinformation in second language

– Transfer of skillsTransfer of skills

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SECOND-FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SECOND-LANGUAGE COMPETENCE LANGUAGE COMPETENCE

CONTINUEDCONTINUED (Cummins, 1984; Gopaul-McNicol & (Cummins, 1984; Gopaul-McNicol & Thomas Presswood, 1998)Thomas Presswood, 1998)

• Motivation and attitude toward Motivation and attitude toward second languagesecond language

• Literacy in home environmentLiteracy in home environment– When reading and writing are When reading and writing are

encouraged at home and school, second encouraged at home and school, second language learners are at an advantagelanguage learners are at an advantage

• AcculturationAcculturation• Bilingual education instruction in Bilingual education instruction in

school settingschool setting

Types of Bilingual Types of Bilingual Education Instruction in Education Instruction in

U.S. School SettingsU.S. School Settings

• Dual LanguageDual Language• Late ExitLate Exit• Early ExitEarly Exit• English as a Second LanguageEnglish as a Second Language

Thomas & Collier (2002)Thomas & Collier (2002)

• Study included quantitative and qualitative Study included quantitative and qualitative findings from five urban and rural research findings from five urban and rural research sites in the northeast, northwest, south-sites in the northeast, northwest, south-central, and southeast U.S.central, and southeast U.S.

• Records of 210,054 students were evaluated Records of 210,054 students were evaluated for this study for this study

• Findings apply to students who entered U.S. Findings apply to students who entered U.S. schools with little or no proficiency in English schools with little or no proficiency in English in grades K-1in grades K-1

• Over 80 first/native languages were Over 80 first/native languages were representedrepresented

Thomas & Collier Thomas & Collier findings contfindings cont’’dd

Data analyses in 3 of 5 research sites focused Data analyses in 3 of 5 research sites focused on Spanish speakerson Spanish speakers– 75% of U.S. language minority students are 75% of U.S. language minority students are

Spanish speakersSpanish speakers– Student samples included new immigrants as well Student samples included new immigrants as well

as French-speaking students in the northeast as French-speaking students in the northeast

LONG-TERM ACHIEVEMENT ON STANDARDIZED LONG-TERM ACHIEVEMENT ON STANDARDIZED TESTS WAS EVALUATEDTESTS WAS EVALUATED

SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT SUBTESTS SPECIFICALLY LOOKED AT SUBTESTS MEASURING ACADEMIC PROBLEM-SOLVING MEASURING ACADEMIC PROBLEM-SOLVING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: MATH, SCIENCE, ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: MATH, SCIENCE, SOCIAL STUDIES, LITERATURESOCIAL STUDIES, LITERATURE

Thomas & Collier Thomas & Collier findings contfindings cont’’dd

• English language learners (ELL) immersed English language learners (ELL) immersed in English mainstream showed large in English mainstream showed large decreases in reading and math decreases in reading and math achievement by Grade 5 when compared to achievement by Grade 5 when compared to students who received bilingual servicesstudents who received bilingual services

• The largest number of dropouts came from The largest number of dropouts came from this group and those remaining in school this group and those remaining in school finished grade 11 at the 12finished grade 11 at the 12thth percentile on percentile on the standardized reading testthe standardized reading test

Thomas & Collier Thomas & Collier continuedcontinued

• When ESL was provided for 2-3 years and When ESL was provided for 2-3 years and followed by immersion in L2, students scored, on followed by immersion in L2, students scored, on the average, at the 23the average, at the 23rdrd percentile percentile

• Students provided with two-way bilingual Students provided with two-way bilingual education for 3-4 years, followed by immersion, education for 3-4 years, followed by immersion, reached the 45reached the 45thth percentile on achievement tests percentile on achievement tests by grade 11by grade 11

• Late exit (90% in L1 gradually increasing L2…by Late exit (90% in L1 gradually increasing L2…by grade 5, all instruction is in L2)grade 5, all instruction is in L2)– These students reached the 32These students reached the 32ndnd percentile by percentile by

the end of 5the end of 5thth grade grade

Thomas & Collier Conclusions & Thomas & Collier Conclusions & RecommendationsRecommendations

• Late exit and dual language programs were the Late exit and dual language programs were the only ones found to help students reach the 50only ones found to help students reach the 50thth percentile in all subjects. The fewest dropouts percentile in all subjects. The fewest dropouts came from these programs.came from these programs.

• Parents who refuse bilingual/ESL services should Parents who refuse bilingual/ESL services should be informed that their childrenbe informed that their children’’s long-term s long-term academic achievement will probably be much academic achievement will probably be much lower as a resultlower as a result

• Students with no proficiency in English must not Students with no proficiency in English must not be placed in immersion or early exit programsbe placed in immersion or early exit programs

• The strongest predictor of L2 student The strongest predictor of L2 student achievement is the amount of formal L1 achievement is the amount of formal L1 schoolingschooling

REFERENCESREFERENCES• Cummins, J. (1984). Cummins, J. (1984). Bilingualism and special Bilingualism and special

education: Issues in assessment and education: Issues in assessment and pedagogy. San Diego: College Hill Press.pedagogy. San Diego: College Hill Press.

• Gopaul-McNicol, S., & Thomas-Presswood, T. Gopaul-McNicol, S., & Thomas-Presswood, T. (1998). (1998). Working with linguistically and Working with linguistically and culturally different children: Innovative culturally different children: Innovative clinical and educational approaches.clinical and educational approaches. Boston, Boston, MA: Allyn and Bacon.MA: Allyn and Bacon.

• Thomas, W. P., & Collier, V. P. (2002). Thomas, W. P., & Collier, V. P. (2002). A A national study of school effectiveness for national study of school effectiveness for language minority studentslanguage minority students’’ long-term long-term educational achievement.educational achievement. Santa Cruz, CA: Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity, Center for Research on Education, Diversity, & Excellence.& Excellence.