Conversations with six twelfth graders who had been in French immersion since kindergarten found a high rate of incorrect sentences, suggesting a faulty interlanguage fossilized at grade six and a need for immersion program revision. (MSE)

This study examined the factors that best predict which elementary school children will transfer out of a French immersion program. Learner characteristics, teacher and parent evaluations, and family background were examined. Analyses suggest that attitudinal and motivational factors are of primary importance to the continuation of second-language…

Suggests that in certain regions of the country such as Iowa, two foreign language goals should take precedence over the goal of language proficiency in elementary schools: (1) to introduce children to other languages and cultures, and (2) to show that they can learn to communicate successfully in another language. (SED)

Examines the cognitive, academic, social psychological, and linguistic consequences of transferring poor achieving English-speaking students out of French immersion programs. Data suggest that the child's basic cognitive and affective characteristics rather than factors associated with language of instruction influence academic achievement, as…

Describes an experiment in which 43 children aged 12 to 13 years were withdrawn from their regular classes to spend a week in a French immersion program. The week was organized around the theme of the French Revolution; a particular part was assigned to each student. All activities were in French. (SED)

The implications of the new Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for developing second language programs in Edmonton, Alberta, are explored. Immersion programs and ethnic survival programs are examined in depth. (BS)

Discusses the reported patterns of address of first language and second language Welsh-speaking children. Concludes that it's possible that by adjusting their speech to accommodate the interlanguage of the L2 speakers, the L1 speakers lessen the need for the L2 speakers to go beyond a certain level of competence. (SED)

Research is presented in support of the theory that early French immersion of English-speaking children leads to bilingualism. The evidence is limited to children through the end of grade four. Comments and criticisms are made by three guest analysts. (RM)

A report is made of an investigation regarding the type of learning disabilities found in children who fail or do poorly in primary French immersion programs. Comments and criticisms are made by three guest analysts. (RM)

What do parents, administrators, teachers and trustees really think about immersion programs? (Editor)

Proving that project work can be done with young children who are schooled in a full-immersion program in a second language, this article describes a study of bones undertaken by 5-year-old children in a bilingual school in Mexico City. The article discusses the process and shows the results achieved by the children during the three phases of the…

This teacher's guide is intended for the instruction of both French as a first language and French as a second language in an immersion setting. It provides a host of strategies for teaching listening skills in the classroom in Grades 6 through 12. The first section is designed to bring the teacher's awareness to the training procedure. It…

This study validated the Student Oral Proficiency Assessment (SOPA), an oral proficiency instrument designed for students in elementary foreign language programs. Elementary students who were tested with the SOPA were also administered other instruments designed to measure proficiency. These instruments included the Stanford Foreign Language Oral…

Education policies of the European Commission and the Council of Europe stress the importance of cultural and language diversity. A white book by the European Commission on education and training recommends that every European citizen be able to communicate in at least 3 of the 12 officially recognized languages of the European Union by the end of…

Two frequently made claims about French immersion programs in Canada are analyzed: (1) the planning and implementation of such programs is adequate as practiced to satisfy participants within the program; and (2) resulting improvements in French learning are likely to achieve federal policymakers' goals of ameliorating animosities between…