Improving schooling for language-minority children: A research agenda

Bilingual Research Journal, Spring 1997 by Julie Maxwell-Jolly, Patricia Gandara

Case study research indicates that children can become productive bilinguals in a variety of language-use settings, though exposure to a language for less than 20 hours a week does not seem sufficient for a child to produce work in that language, at least up to age 3. Very few cases of what might be considered language confusion are reported in these studies (p.33).

The relationship between age and second language learning is complex. While young children may quickly acquire accent-free speech in a second language, older children and adults are generally more efficient learners (pp. 37-38).

Studies based largely on English speakers learning a foreign language have shown that positive language attitudes and motivation are predictive of success in second language learning. However, studies investigating the importance of these factors for immigrants learning English have had largely negative findings. Studies attempting to isolate personality factors related to second language acquisition have not been fruitful (p. 39).

Use of the children's native language in preschool does not impede their learning of English (pp. 42-43).

There is a vast literature on literacy and on the cognitive aspects of learning content with regard to primary language learners. Although some researchers have endeavored to investigate these findings in relation to second language learning, the NRC Report cites this as an area where much more work needs to be done. A few of the principal findings discussed in the Report are:

Students who become successful readers typically arrive at school with a set of prior experiences and skills that promote literacy, including an understanding of literacy, abstract knowledge of the sound and structure of language, a developed vocabulary, and oral discourse skills (pp. 54-55).

English vocabulary is a primary determinant of English reading comprehension and there is a positive correlation between English second language oral proficiency and reading ability particularly at higher grade levels (p. 57.

Based on research involving English speaking children it is known that literacy development is hindered when students do not have a sufficient vocabulary to be familiar with the words they are attempting to read, and when they have not had explicit instruction in the letters and spelling of the language in question (p. 60). Similarly, research on second language learners indicates that these students may encounter difficulties in reading English because of a limited English vocabulary as well as unfamiliarity with the style and structure of English text (pp. 62-63).

Certain disciplines may lend themselves more easily to the transfer of knowledge across languages, depending on the structure of knowledge within the domain. The way content learned in one language is accessed in a second is of concern since depth, interconnectedness, and accessibility of prior knowledge dramatically influence the processing of new information (pp. 65-69).

SOCIAL CONTEXT AND SECOND LANGUAGE LEARNING (SECTION 4)