Researchers have suggested a language factor as an obstacle in the mathematics learning process for students who do not have a command of English. A review of the literature is presented, focusing on the nature of the interaction between language and mathematics learning. Implications for the design of instructional activities are presented, with…

A study of the linguistic proficiency and academic achievement of grade 3 students from different ethnic backgrounds included three groups: (1) ethnic minority students who spoke no French at home; (2) Haitian students who spoke French and Creole at home; (3) monolingual French speakers. All students attended schools in the French sector of the…

Viewing language learning in terms of the development of proficiency has important implications for the process of curriculum development in English as a second language. A proficiency-oriented curriculum derives not from an analysis of the language code, but from an analysis of target language behaviors. The interest is in both the product and…

It is suggested that the proficiency guidelines of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) are ideally suited for organizing classroom instruction because they are experientially rather than theoretically based, progressive, and provide a means for defining what it means to "know" a language. This last issue is dicussed…

An integrative process combining language instruction with cultural education is described and discussed. The process is integrative in two ways because it relates target and native languages, cultures, and perceptions, and also relates the teaching of culture to the teaching of language. This approach incorporates eight stages; the first five are…

Recent studies of American Indian dialects of English have focused on efforts to determine whether the sources of such dialectal variation lie in interference from the native languages or in developmental errors in the acquisition of English. The implication of both assumptions is that educational intervention and the passage of time can eradicate…

A self-assessment test of Swedish as a second language is described. The test was designed as a self-diagnostic instrument for adult migrants to Sweden studying Swedish at labor training centers. The 1,500-item test provides students with information about their Swedish proficiency level as well as the proficiency needed for their professional…

A systematic approach for assessing language competencies of bilingual students is developed. Two issues are clarified. First, the issue of examining separately the four language skills is looked at, as well as the need to consider other related factors including cognitive functions operative in language processing, affective forces, and…

The educational status and English proficiency of immigrants to Sweden at the end of their compulsory schooling was investigated. Questionnaires were completed by 26 schools in 10 Swedish cities regarding the problems associated with the study of English as a third language by immigrant students in the comprehensive school. Schools in districts…

This handbook outlines procedures for placing recent immigrants into linguistically comprehensible school programs at Ocean View Junior High School (Oxnard, California). First, a chart is presented which breaks down the placement process into three stages (identification, assessment, and placement) and identifies the site or person responsible at…

Oral tests for speaking skills evaluate two major skills: linguistic competence, including accuracy of pronunciation, vocabulary, and structure, and communication ease. Four factors affect students' oral performance: verbal intelligence, short-term auditory and visual memory, sound-symbol association skill, and grammatical analysis. Personality…

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has been engaged in oral language proficiency testing theory and practice for more than 20 years. The FSI test has been consistent during this time in format, evaluation criteria, performance standards, and level definitions. Current concerns about the degree of standardization of the format and the strength of…

In Holland, it recently has been recognized that minority students are underrepresented in schools for learning disabled (LD) and are overrepresented in schools for the educable mentally retarded (EMR). In 1983, a study was begun in Rotterdam to determine why some students of Surinamese, Turkish, and Moroccan origin were placed in schools for the…

Oral responses of black youngsters are no more limited than those of whites. (JH)