In order to evaluate the appropriateness of a standardized vocabulary measure for linguistically diverse kindergarten children this study examined response patterns of young Canadian children using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test –Third Edition (PPVT-III, Dunn & Dunn, 1997). Questions have been asked about whether the PPVT-III is an appropriate measure to use with young English Language Learners (ELL) because items may be culturally or linguistically biased. Further, it is of both psychometric and educational relevance to understand measurement of English vocabulary acquisition among young English First Language (EL1) and English Language Learner (ELL) children. PPVT-III scores were compared in two language groups – 52 EL1 and 73 ELL 4- and 5-year-old children. There were significant differences between the two groups in overall standard scores, with EL1 students performing significantly better than ELL students. In contrast, demographic factors of grade, gender and maternal education were not related to PPVT-III standard scores. A Mantel-Haenszel Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis provided a detailed picture of how individual test items functioned psychometrically in the two language groups. This analysis showed limited indications of DIF in the first 168 items of the PPVT-III, suggesting minimal test bias on the PPVT-III. Further analyses examined teachability of items, that is, how easily words can be taught, and the semantic categories of items, that is, parts of speech such as verbs, nouns and adjectives. These further analyses showed that the mean proportion of correct scores for all types of words was significantly different for EL1 and ELL children. Based on these detailed analyses it was concluded that differences in PPVT-III standard scores for EL1 and ELL 4- and 5-year-old children were not due to test bias, nor were they due to specific item properties. The mean differences observed between EL1 and ELL children were thus taken to reflect item impact, a difference in overall receptive vocabulary. In addition to establishing the utility of the PPVT-III for linguistically diverse kindergarten children this study also provides a descriptive picture of how EL1 and ELL children show variation across different types of word learning.

In the context of language use of Romanian migrants living in Canada, this thesis examines the linguistic changes and the contributing social, personal, and affective factors involved in the maintenance of a migrant’s first language (L1) as she or he simultaneously acquires a second language (L2) in an L2-dominant environment. Specifically, it investigates the incidence of L1 attrition in the bilingual group, the existence of a possible systematic relationship between the levels of L1 and L2 proficiency, and the influence of sociolinguistic and cognitive factors on L1 attrition and L2 acquisition in bilingual contexts. L1 attrition is defined here as both the reduction of L1 language skills and the restructuring of the L1 according to L2 patterns to the point where communication in the L1 is impaired. The present study involves extensive elicitation of written and oral data in both Romanian and English. First, an assessment of the participants’ history of language acquisition, their attitudes, their patterns of language use, and the nature of their social networks was conducted via sociolinguistic questionnaires and individual interviews. The language aptitude tests used in this project examined phonetic memory, vocabulary learning, and grammatical inferencing abilities. As an indicator of overall language proficiency, formal tests (a C-test and a verbal fluency task) and samples of spontaneous speech in the form of film commenting tasks were analyzed for fluency and grammatical complexity. The results showed that L1 attrition is a possible, but not obligatory, outcome in the first generation of migrants. With the exception of two participants, the majority of the bilinguals in this study, while not perfect matches for the L1 monolinguals, remained within the L1 native range even after a long residence in the L2 country. While proficiency trade-off patterns are not observable at the group level, they were evidenced in the cases of the two attriters identified in this study. With respect to cognitive predictor variables, L1 maintenance does not appear to be a direct function of linguistic aptitude. At the same time, levels of L1 attrition and L2 achievement are dependent on a combination of attitudinal and personal background variables.

In order to evaluate the appropriateness of a standardized vocabulary measure for linguistically diverse kindergarten children this study examined response patterns of young Canadian children using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test –Third Edition (PPVT-III, Dunn & Dunn, 1997). Questions have been asked about whether the PPVT-III is an appropriate measure to use with young English Language Learners (ELL) because items may be culturally or linguistically biased. Further, it is of both psychometric and educational relevance to understand measurement of English vocabulary acquisition among young English First Language (EL1) and English Language Learner (ELL) children. PPVT-III scores were compared in two language groups – 52 EL1 and 73 ELL 4- and 5-year-old children. There were significant differences between the two groups in overall standard scores, with EL1 students performing significantly better than ELL students. In contrast, demographic factors of grade, gender and maternal education were not related to PPVT-III standard scores. A Mantel-Haenszel Differential Item Functioning (DIF) analysis provided a detailed picture of how individual test items functioned psychometrically in the two language groups. This analysis showed limited indications of DIF in the first 168 items of the PPVT-III, suggesting minimal test bias on the PPVT-III. Further analyses examined teachability of items, that is, how easily words can be taught, and the semantic categories of items, that is, parts of speech such as verbs, nouns and adjectives. These further analyses showed that the mean proportion of correct scores for all types of words was significantly different for EL1 and ELL children. Based on these detailed analyses it was concluded that differences in PPVT-III standard scores for EL1 and ELL 4- and 5-year-old children were not due to test bias, nor were they due to specific item properties. The mean differences observed between EL1 and ELL children were thus taken to reflect item impact, a difference in overall receptive vocabulary. In addition to establishing the utility of the PPVT-III for linguistically diverse kindergarten children this study also provides a descriptive picture of how EL1 and ELL children show variation across different types of word learning.

In the context of language use of Romanian migrants living in Canada, this thesis examines the linguistic changes and the contributing social, personal, and affective factors involved in the maintenance of a migrant’s first language (L1) as she or he simultaneously acquires a second language (L2) in an L2-dominant environment. Specifically, it investigates the incidence of L1 attrition in the bilingual group, the existence of a possible systematic relationship between the levels of L1 and L2 proficiency, and the influence of sociolinguistic and cognitive factors on L1 attrition and L2 acquisition in bilingual contexts. L1 attrition is defined here as both the reduction of L1 language skills and the restructuring of the L1 according to L2 patterns to the point where communication in the L1 is impaired. The present study involves extensive elicitation of written and oral data in both Romanian and English. First, an assessment of the participants’ history of language acquisition, their attitudes, their patterns of language use, and the nature of their social networks was conducted via sociolinguistic questionnaires and individual interviews. The language aptitude tests used in this project examined phonetic memory, vocabulary learning, and grammatical inferencing abilities. As an indicator of overall language proficiency, formal tests (a C-test and a verbal fluency task) and samples of spontaneous speech in the form of film commenting tasks were analyzed for fluency and grammatical complexity. The results showed that L1 attrition is a possible, but not obligatory, outcome in the first generation of migrants. With the exception of two participants, the majority of the bilinguals in this study, while not perfect matches for the L1 monolinguals, remained within the L1 native range even after a long residence in the L2 country. While proficiency trade-off patterns are not observable at the group level, they were evidenced in the cases of the two attriters identified in this study. With respect to cognitive predictor variables, L1 maintenance does not appear to be a direct function of linguistic aptitude. At the same time, levels of L1 attrition and L2 achievement are dependent on a combination of attitudinal and personal background variables.

This study investigated the influence of gender and culture on 23 university students’ first language (L1) and second language writing (L2). Specifically, the study investigated the extent to which gender differences would emerge in students’ L1 and L2 writing and whether any such differences would manifest themselves differentially in L1 as opposed to L2 writing. Students represented three national groups (8 Japanese students, 7 Chinese students, and 8 Taiwanese students). The Japanese and Chinese groups received their schooling in their home countries and came to Canada for purposes of university studies. However, the Taiwanese group came to Canada during their schooling years and consequently their English academic skills were better developed than their Chinese skills. L1 and L2 writing was sampled with four different writing tasks and analyzed for patterns of lexical and rhetorical usage. Stimulated-recall interviews were conducted with each student after they had completed the four writing tasks. The goal of the interviews was to identify the metacognitive strategies the students utilized in their L1 and L2 writing. Issues related to how students’ identities intersected with their L1 and L2 writing were also explored. Because the national groups are heterogeneous with respect to L1 and L2 writing experience, each group was considered as a separate case study for purposes of analysis. Exploratory cross-group analyses were carried out only to throw additional light on within-group trends. In the sample as a whole, statistical differences related to gender did not emerge. However, qualitative analysis of students’ L1 writing showed a distinct gender difference within the Japanese group. Specifically, Japanese females used considerably more politeness markers in their Japanese writing in comparison to Japanese males whose L1 writing tended to be more assertive. These differences were not apparent in males’ and females’ L2 (English) writing. No gender differences were observed in either L1 or L2 among the Chinese and Taiwanese groups. The findings suggest that learners absorb the instruction they receive in relation to effective ways of writing in their L2 environments and are fully capable of adjusting lexical and rhetorical features from L1 norms to L2 norms. The fact that female Japanese students did not generalize the politeness features they used in Japanese to English suggests that student identities are fluid and shift according to the cultural and linguistic context.

The purpose of this study is to investigate, through narrative analysis, the arrival stories of Latino/a immigrants into the Canadian school system, and to examine how their migration experience influences their identification process. The data to be analysed was collected during interviews conducted for the Proyecto Latin@ project; a research that looks into the perspectives of Latino/a youth towards school desertion and their experiences as Latino/a students in Canada. Interviews analysed included students with recent arrival dates into Canada ( < 3 years at the time of interviews). Their narratives displayed a shift in ideology as students internalized the dominant discourse and present a conundrum for students struggling in school. This analysis attempts to add to the growing body of knowledge on the specific difficulties faced by the Latino/a youth upon their arrival into Canada, as well as how their identities develop and shift during this process.

This study investigated the influence of gender and culture on 23 university students’ first language (L1) and second language writing (L2). Specifically, the study investigated the extent to which gender differences would emerge in students’ L1 and L2 writing and whether any such differences would manifest themselves differentially in L1 as opposed to L2 writing. Students represented three national groups (8 Japanese students, 7 Chinese students, and 8 Taiwanese students). The Japanese and Chinese groups received their schooling in their home countries and came to Canada for purposes of university studies. However, the Taiwanese group came to Canada during their schooling years and consequently their English academic skills were better developed than their Chinese skills. L1 and L2 writing was sampled with four different writing tasks and analyzed for patterns of lexical and rhetorical usage. Stimulated-recall interviews were conducted with each student after they had completed the four writing tasks. The goal of the interviews was to identify the metacognitive strategies the students utilized in their L1 and L2 writing. Issues related to how students’ identities intersected with their L1 and L2 writing were also explored. Because the national groups are heterogeneous with respect to L1 and L2 writing experience, each group was considered as a separate case study for purposes of analysis. Exploratory cross-group analyses were carried out only to throw additional light on within-group trends. In the sample as a whole, statistical differences related to gender did not emerge. However, qualitative analysis of students’ L1 writing showed a distinct gender difference within the Japanese group. Specifically, Japanese females used considerably more politeness markers in their Japanese writing in comparison to Japanese males whose L1 writing tended to be more assertive. These differences were not apparent in males’ and females’ L2 (English) writing. No gender differences were observed in either L1 or L2 among the Chinese and Taiwanese groups. The findings suggest that learners absorb the instruction they receive in relation to effective ways of writing in their L2 environments and are fully capable of adjusting lexical and rhetorical features from L1 norms to L2 norms. The fact that female Japanese students did not generalize the politeness features they used in Japanese to English suggests that student identities are fluid and shift according to the cultural and linguistic context.

The purpose of this study is to investigate, through narrative analysis, the arrival stories of Latino/a immigrants into the Canadian school system, and to examine how their migration experience influences their identification process. The data to be analysed was collected during interviews conducted for the Proyecto Latin@ project; a research that looks into the perspectives of Latino/a youth towards school desertion and their experiences as Latino/a students in Canada. Interviews analysed included students with recent arrival dates into Canada ( < 3 years at the time of interviews). Their narratives displayed a shift in ideology as students internalized the dominant discourse and present a conundrum for students struggling in school. This analysis attempts to add to the growing body of knowledge on the specific difficulties faced by the Latino/a youth upon their arrival into Canada, as well as how their identities develop and shift during this process.

The relationship in a bilingual conversation between language choice and identity has been the subject of research in different disciplines such as sociolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and second language acquisition among others. The purpose of this research was to understand why and how language alternation occurs in bilingual interviews and its potential connection with identity. The data analyzed was from interviews from Proyecto Latino@, a previous research on Latin@ high school students’ experiences in schools and their academic engagement and/or disengagement. Participants’ narratives of their experiences indicated that code-switching is a result and a process of cultural adaptation. Code-switching in this research presented ways in which participants re-created their own concept of identity. Bilinguals of the Proyecto Latin@ portrayed a multiple identities construction –Spanish- English – when code-switching.

Because of its ambiguous function and usage, silence is a major source of intercultural miscommunication, which frequently leads to negative judgments, and breeds stereotypes. Grounded in a cross-cultural and interactive framework, I conducted a five-month descriptive qualitative study, which explored silence perceptions among Chinese, Korean, Russian, Colombian and Iranian ESL speakers, and Canadian native-speakers of English (NS). Multiple perspectives were investigated using stimulated recall, in a context of intercultural mentoring sessions and interviews. Eight ESL 'silence producer' participants were asked to explain their silence use, and their interpretations were compared with the functions attributed to these silences by other participants, one from the same cultural background as the 'silence producer', and a NS. Participants' silence perceptions were described, and most negatively-interpreted silences were identified. Analysis revealed intra-cultural acrimony, that high language proficiency perceptions increase negative silence attributions, cross-cultural differences in attitudes towards fillers, and the systematic silencing of ESL speakers.