Three Theories of the Effects of Language Education Programs: An Empirical Evaluation of Bilingual and English-Only Policies

IF 2.8 1区文学 0 LANGUAGE & LINGUISTICS

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics Pub Date : 2017-09-01 DOI:10.1017/S0267190517000137

J. Macswan, M. Thompson, K. Rolstad, Kara T. McAlister, Gerda Lobo

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引用次数: 20

Abstract

ABSTRACT We empirically evaluated three theoretical models—the threshold hypothesis, transfer theory, and time-on-task theory—for educating English language learners (ELLs), with a focus on the role of language factors in explaining achievement differences among ELLs. Participants were 196 sixth graders with Spanish language backgrounds who started learning English in kindergarten and then were continuously enrolled in a U.S. school. Structural equation modeling was used to estimate the extent to which Spanish and English language and literacy—skills that are emphasized differentially in competing theories for educating ELLs—predict academic achievement assessed in English. Results indicated that Spanish literacy, over and above English language proficiency, was substantially predictive of academic achievement, consistent with the transfer theory. This model was a more focused version of the threshold hypothesis, in that the weaker predictor of Spanish oral language proficiency was excluded. Time-on task theory was not supported.

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语言教育效果的三种理论：双语和纯英语政策的实证评价

摘要我们实证评估了三种英语学习者教育理论模型——阈值假说、迁移理论和任务时间理论，重点探讨了语言因素在解释英语学习者成就差异中的作用。参与者是196名具有西班牙语背景的六年级学生，他们从幼儿园开始学习英语，然后连续进入美国学校。结构方程模型被用来估计西班牙语和英语的语言和识字能力——在教育ELL的竞争理论中不同强调的技能——在多大程度上预测用英语评估的学业成绩。结果表明，西班牙语识字率高于英语水平，在很大程度上可以预测学业成绩，这与迁移理论一致。该模型是阈值假说的一个更集中的版本，因为排除了西班牙语口语水平的较弱预测因子。不支持任务时间理论。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Annual Review of Applied Linguistics Multiple-

CiteScore

6.70

自引率

5.40%

发文量

期刊介绍： The Annual Review of Applied Linguistics publishes research on key topics in the broad field of applied linguistics. Each issue is thematic, providing a variety of perspectives on the topic through research summaries, critical overviews, position papers and empirical studies. Being responsive to the field, some issues are tied to the theme of that year''s annual conference of the American Association for Applied Linguistics. Also, at regular intervals an issue will take the approach of covering applied linguistics as a field more broadly, including coverage of critical or controversial topics. ARAL provides cutting-edge and timely articles on a wide number of areas, including language learning and pedagogy, second language acquisition, sociolinguistics, language policy and planning, language assessment, and research design and methodology, to name just a few.