NCCRESt

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Language of Instruction

• A Global Perspective on Bilingualism and Bilingual Education. ERIC Digest
  The number of languages spoken throughout the world is estimated to be 6,000. Although a small number of languages serve as important link languages or languages of wider communication around the world, these are very often spoken as second, third, fourth, or later-acquired languages.
• An Agenda for Research on Text Material in Primary Science for Second Language Learners of English in Developing Countries
  Reviews evidence related to the readability and comprehensibility of material in primary school science textbooks, which shows that texts are often too difficult for children, particularly in developing countries where pupils are learning through English as the medium of instruction. (69 references) (Author/CK).
• Beyond Bilingualism: Multilingualism and Multilingual Education. Multilingual Matters Series
  This collection of essays on multilingual education includes the following: "A Global Perspective on Multilingualism and Multilingual Education" (G. Richard Tucker); "Psycholinguistic Perspectives on Multilingualism and Multilingual Education" (Jasone Cenoz, Fred Genesee); "Curriculum.
• Curriculum Issues in the Relationship between Language, Culture and Learning: The Case of Food and Beverage Management Teaching
  Hotel management students in Hong Kong (n=65) reported that foundation courses were essential to their careers, but 61% had problems understanding the curriculum. Causes were cultural differences in food styles and/or the fact that most Cantonese-speaking students were learning in their second language (English) and most of the multicultural faculty were teaching in their second language.
• English-Teaching Institutions in Pakistan
  Discusses English medium teaching in Pakistan and suggests that at the moment it is an elitist preserve and a stumbling block for Pakistanis not taught through English. Indicates that exposing other students to English could counteract growing cultural and religious intolerance in Pakistan.
• Minority Language Education in Malaysia: Four Ethnic Communities' Experiences
  Discusses minority language education in Malaysia, a multilingual and multicultural country. Looks at four language minority groups and what they have done to to provide beginning education programs for their children that use the children's native languages.
• Multilingual Proficiency in Fiji Primary Schools
  Determined language proficiency among multilingual Indo-Fijian primary school children who have the languages, Fiji-Hindi, Standard Hindi, Urdu, English, Fijian, and Fijian English in their speech repertoire. Identifies the variables that affect multilingual proficiency in this group and determines whether classroom practice reflects educational policy.
• Processes and Outcomes in the European Schools Model of Multilingual Education
  In the European Schools model, linguistically and culturally diverse students receive most of their education in their first language but must learn at least two other languages. Content teaching of other subjects in the target languages and the regular mixing of different language groups promote multilingual proficiency and cultural pluralism at no cost to academic development.
• The Unz/Tuchman "English for Children" Initiative: A New Attack on Immigrant Children and the Schools
  Criticizes the Unz/Tuchman "English for Children" initiative (R. Unz) a proposal that would place limited-English-speaking children in California together, regardless of age or academic abilities, for one year of intensive English instruction and no instruction in academic subjects before returning them to regular classes.