A two-year study of learning disabilities found in association with French immersion programs indicates that children encountering difficulty in primary French immersion programs have a specific learning disability characterized by a pattern suggesting a maturational lag in the temporal lobe regions of the brain. (JMF)

Examines native Spanish-speaking students' participation in a dynamic literacy practice in a primary-grade English immersion class established by Proposition 227, which mandates English-only instruction. Elaborates three principles that enable the analysis of literacy acquisition as a process dependent on the commingling of social relations,…

Discusses a learning module on Acadian history used in a French immersion setting that focuses on a theatrical arts approach. (Author/VWL)

Provides a brief overview of the sociolinguistic situation in which the Catalan immersion program is being implemented and discusses the issues related to the main feature that distinguishes the program--the low socioeconomic background of the students. Also discussed are current theories about the discontinuity between the language used at home…

Investigates the nature of the spelling lag existing in the development of English spelling in early French immersion students. Results reveal in grade three a tendency to employ French orthography to spell English words, a tendency that increases as words become less familiar. By grade eight, this tendency diminishes greatly but remains evident…

The traditional U.S. classroom's milieu has distorted and refused to recognize the language and cultural richness of African-American students. Milwaukee's two immersion schools, Victor Berger Elementary School and Parkman Middle School, place the African-American students and their culture at the center of the educational process. Results have…

Examines three educational responses to cultural diversity operating in New Zealand schools: incorporation of Maori culture programs in mainstream curriculums, organizational modification to accommodate Maori students, and the development of Maori culture and language immersion programs in primary schools. Application of similar programs to…

Keith Baker's claims in his November 1998 article on Structured English Immersion are based on unpublished data. There are no data showing that all-English structured immersion programs are superior to well-constructed programs that include literacy development and subject-matter teaching in the child's first language. (12 references) (MLH)

Examines the benefits of dual-language (two-way) bilingual education programs. Discusses critical components in the development of such programs: defining the optimal program model, gradual phase-in of the program, importance of a balanced population of minority and majority language speakers, materials, teacher training, administrative support,…

Documents a Macedonian/Albanian dual-language immersion program in Macedonia and recommends how to structure bilingual programs that build community between language groups where there exists an unequal power structure between the two languages. (Author/VWL)

The purpose of this study was to enlist practitioners in language immersion programs in the identification and elaboration of issues and challenges in immersion language teaching. Through focus groups and extensive individual interviews, 6 elementary Spanish-language immersion teachers in 3 school settings served as informants. (Author/VWL)

Focuses on an early partial immersion program in Australia, in which children study mathematics in French. Testing of childrens' mathematics ability in their first and second languages (L2) is part of a long-term evaluation of the immersion program. Reveals new information about children's reading processes in their L2 and provides insights into…

Examines the language practices in three immigrant families of South Asian ancestry who reside in Canada and have chosen French immersion education for their children. Based on interview data, presents a profile of the inter- and intra-generational language interactions that distinguish each family. Describes their reasons for maintaining their…

The purpose of this article is to describe a school that has successfully prepared its students for a multilingual society using a 2-way bilingual immersion program. Students' high SAT scores, as well as their participation at school and in the community, provide evidence that acquiring 2 languages does not sacrifice academic achievement.…

Preschool and early elementary science provides engaging opportunities for integrated content-based language learning. This instruction uses the concepts of other content areas as a springboard for language acquisition and self-expression. It is through the active interpretation of content standards by foreign language teachers that the ideas and…