The academic and linguistic effectiveness of a dual language program: A comparison of student achievement within one district

This quantitative matched-pair (N = 53) study examined the academic and linguistic effectiveness of a two-way dual language program in a rural Western United States elementary school. The school in this study was a magnet school. Matched pairs were defined as students who attended the dual language school from kindergarten through fifth grade and like peers from the dual language students' neighborhood schools. This study used ex post facto, state standardized testing data to compare the academic achievement of students and the English language acquisition of English language learner (ELL) students. This study used a matched-pair t-test to determine if a statistically significant difference existed between the achievement of students who participated in a two-way dual language program with those who did not. The study found that participants of the two-way dual language program scored equally as well as like peers in reading, math, language usage, and science. The study also found that ELL students scored equally as well as their like peers in language usage, math, and science. However, they scored below their like peers in reading. The study also analyzed ELL student acquisition of English and found that the participants of the two-way dual language program reached the same levels of English acquisition as did their like peers. Based on these findings, the researcher's suggestions for further research include a detailed study into what led to lower reading scores for the ELL participants of the two-way dual language program as compared to like peers at their neighborhood schools. What changes need to be made to the two-way dual language program at Los Campos to improve the reading skills of ELL students? Is there any difference in the levels of heritage language development between minority language speakers who participate in a two-way dual language program and those who participate in a general education program?...