New Releases by Jim Cummins

Research literature concerning the effects of incorporating the heritage languages of minority students into the regular school curriculum either as subjects or as mediums of instruction is reviewed. Program evaluations from Canada, the United States, and Europe consistently show that the use of a minority language as a medium of instruction for all or part of the school day entails no long-term loss in the development of academic skills in the majority language. There is also evidence that bilingual programs can both encourage minority parent involvement in their children''s schooling and facilitate the development of minority students'' academic skills. However, this pattern does not invariably emerge in the evaluation data, and further research is required to understand fully the complex interactions that appear to exist between language of instruction and a range of individual, educational, and social factors. Virtually no research data are available on the academic effects of teaching heritage languages as subjects, as opposed to using the languages as a medium of instruction. Also, because most program evaluations focus primarily on academic outcomes, little or no data are available on the impact of bilingual or heritage language programs on the educational system as a whole. Three major policy implications of the research are addressed. (Author/SW)

This handbook provides an introduction to research findings related to bilingualism in minority-language children, and describes the implications of these findings for issues of current concern in Canadian education. Bilingualism is defined as the production and/or comprehension of two languages by the same individual. The phrase "minority-language children" refers to children whose first language is different from the language of the wider community. The topic is discussed under five headings: (1) issues dealing with bilingual and bicultural education, providing for instruction in a variety of languages, psychological and educational ramifications, and a case study; (2) the historical perspective and the context for bilingualism and bilingual education at present in Canada and in other countries; (3) a presentation of research findings and a consideration of the patterns of bilingualism and cultural identity typically developed by minority children; (4) a review of theories related to learning two languages and a formulation of a cognitive "think tank model" for language learning; and (5) a consideration of the practical implications of the research findings for "heritage-language" teachers and minority parents who are eager to promote a high level of first language proficiency. The book concludes with a summary of what is known about bilingualism and children''s development. (AMH)

A collection of articles prepared as a reference handout for an Education Centre seminar.