ERIC Number: EJ813665
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2008
Pages: 30
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0739-9863
EISSN: N/A
English and Spanish Acquisition by Hispanic Second Graders in Developmental Bilingual Programs: A 3-Year Longitudinal Randomized Study
Tong, Fuhui; Irby, Beverly J.; Lara-Alecio, Rafael; Mathes, Patricia G.
Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, v30 n4 p500-529 2008
The authors studied a longitudinal English intervention in a 70/30 (Spanish/ English) developmental bilingual education (DBE) program (n = 302) and compared this model with a typical-practice, 80/20, late-exit transitional bilingual education program (n = 187) in terms of students' language and literacy acquisition from kindergarten to second grade in an urban school district in southeastern Texas. The findings revealed significant differences (p values less than 0.05) in favor of DBE students on (a) English measures of oral language, preliteracy skills, and reading fluency and comprehension (effect sizes of 0.12 to 0.71) and (b) Spanish measures of letter name and sound, preliteracy skills, and reading comprehension (effect sizes of 0.19 to 0.38). It was concluded that quality English instruction that incorporates direct and focused instruction, context-embedded vocabulary learning, and ongoing professional training in DBE programs is much needed to promote bilingualism and biliteracy. (Contains 3 tables.)
Descriptors: Urban Schools, Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, Bilingual Education, Oral Language, Professional Training, Bilingual Education Programs, Effect Size, Vocabulary Development, Spanish, English (Second Language), Longitudinal Studies, Measures (Individuals), Second Language Instruction, Second Language Learning, Teaching Methods
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Institute of Education Sciences (ED)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A