This study investigates students', parents' and teachers' beliefs about first language literacy experiences at home and at school. Written questionnaires and interviews were used as tools of inquiry. The students were grade five, majority language students in an early immersion program. Students, parents and teachers were asked about their beliefs on first language reading development, literacy experiences at home as well as at school, second language impact on first language and related topics. / Results showed that all students in the study had similar types of literacy experiences at home, regardless of reading ability. By adhering to an Emergent Literacy perspective, parents provided many diverse opportunities for their child(ren) to engage in literacy activities at home. The school had similar views about the importance of literacy practices. Students' literacy experiences at home appear to be in synchrony with their literacy experiences at school. This finding aligns with the aims of a Social Construction of Literacy perspective. / Learning to read in a second language did not hinder a child's development of first language reading, although for students having difficulty reading in the first language, the addition of a second language seemed to pose some difficulties for some students. / Recommendations are made for future research into family literacy in immersion programs and a follow up study. Research on individual differences among siblings could provide insight into why some children appear to have difficulties reading in their first language while others do not. A follow up study on some or all of the participants would provide continuing data on immersion students' literacy at home and at school.

No description available.

The effects that various forms of bilingual education may have on children's reading development are of concern to parents and educators alike. In this thesis, I investigate the development of mother tongue and second language reading in two bilingual education contexts, and assess the effects of the language of initial formal reading instruction upon this development. This study examines children's reading within the home, classroom and community environments. / The research involved two Grade 1 classes mainly comparing the language of initial formal reading instruction. One site was a French immersion school offering a 50% English/50% French program in which initial formal reading instruction was in English. The second site was a French school, with a majority of anglophone students and initial formal reading instruction was in French. The participants in this study were 12 children from each class, their parents, and the classroom teachers. / Three main tools of inquiry were used: classroom observations were carried out in each of the two classes during the Grade 1 school year; samples of oral reading and retellings, in English and in French, were collected from the participating children for miscue analysis, and informal interviews were conducted with all the participants. / The analysis revealed that regardless of the language of initial formal reading instruction, the children's reading abilities developed in both languages. Children tended to feel more comfortable reading in the language in which they had been formally instructed but, despite this, meaning-construction was more effective in the mother tongue. Differences in reading abilities for both groups could be accounted for by limitations in knowledge of the second language rather than by language of initial instruction. Finally, children with initial formal reading instruction in the second language easily applied their reading abilities to reading in their mother tongue. / The conclusions drawn from this inquiry are that having supportive home and community environments, exemplary teachers and constructive classroom environments enables children to use their creative abilities and language resources to make sense of reading in two languages. It is the continuities and connections between these elements which enables children to transcend any difficulties arising from the fact that reading is being encountered in two languages.

No description available.

This cross-sectional inquiry examines first-, third-, and eighth-grade dual immersion students' use of Spanish and English when interacting with their teachers and peers in a U.S. school. Findings are based on classroom interactions, student and teacher interviews, and student questionnaires intended to determine when students diverged from using the language of instruction and whether their age or language background affected their language use. In addition, teachers' impact on student language use is examined, and other factors affecting language use—such as the length of a students' stay in the United States—are discussed. An overall preference for English was found among first and third graders, while eighth graders spoke more Spanish to their peers and teachers. Findings indicate that this language behavior may have been more than a function of the students' age. It appeared to be linked to students' language background, teaching activities that promoted students' positive identification with Spanish language and Hispanic culture, the absence of native English speakers, and the presence of Spanish-dominant newcomers.

No description available.

This experiment is composed of three parts: Gas sampling and analysis by Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer in the factory ¡Afabrication and screening of catalyst, and a discussion about efficiency of Catalytic Oxidation toluene by varied factors. Regarding gas sampling in the factory, we found that the transformation rate of VOCs by Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer(RTO) at operation temperature 982¢J into tolueneis 94.7%, into 2-butanone is 96.5%, into isopropyl alcohol is 95%. Among the three, toluene showed the lowest transformation rate. Regarding catalyst sampling and research, we found that metal catalyst by immersion method(immersion method) ( weight ratio of Cu:Co¡BCu¡GMn and Mn¡GCo is 1¡G1¡BPure Cu¡BPure Co and Pure Mn)and metal load(metal /molecular sieve) is 5%¡B10%. Among the twelve metal catalysts, we figured out 10% metal C-Co(1:1) is the best catalyst concerning transformation rate. Regarding the operation factors, the experiment showed¡G(1)the more the concentration of toluene¡Athe more the temporary inhibition¡Aand therefore, the transformation rate went down¡A(2)The more the speed of inhalation¡Athe time the air stayed still decreased, and a obvious decrease of transformation rate can be seen(3)the increase of oxygen concentration showed a positive effect toward transformation rate.(4)When at a higher reaction temperature, for the above mentioned three factors, the influence upon transformation rate became less. In addition, for the cost evaluation, the 10% metal Cu-Co(weight rate 1:1) catalyst we chose in our experiment is 92.79 Taiwanese Dollars for one batch of 120g and the catalyst per gram is 0.77 Taiwanese Dollars.

This inquiry examines observations made by nine former participants in the 1996 Dalhousie University Summer Language Bursary Program (SLBP) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The SLBP is a five-week residential total second language immersion characterized by its intensity. In individual interviews, the informants were encouraged to explore whether and to what extent they had perceived changes in themselves as a result of their participation in the immersion program. These changes were not related to target-language proficiency. Rather, they focused primarily on aspects of the informants' self-perceived or other-perceived identities, which are conceived of as contextual, multiple, fluid and dynamic. Analysis of these observations indicates that changes to identity may indeed be an important byproduct of intensive second language immersion. Elements of such personal growth include perceived increases in participants' senses of resourcefulness, self-confidence, wanderlust, autonomy, open-mindedness, and sociability. Informants also enumerate the SLBP's unique factors which promote changes in self-perception. Changes in participants' perspectives on identity are not viewed simply as incidental immersion outcomes. Rather, they are viewed as components of 'personal competence', both as factors in and results of successful participation in residential total second language immersion.

The main purpose of this descriptive study was to examine gender differences in French oral production, in a French immersion context. The following criteria were developed to investigate these differences: quantity in production, the use of verbs and conjugations. Eleven boys and thirteen girls from the same fourth grade class located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, participated in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through one-on-one audiotaped story retelling sessions and questionnaires. This analysis did not reveal any gender differences but instead similarities were found in relation to the types of errors they made. Limitations, such as the number of participants, or the variation across participants' inhibition, memory, and creativity may have affected the results. It is suggested that these results may be linked to a lack of opportunity to speak French in the classroom, and that the use of a story retelling activity might be one way to encourage speaking.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [204]-210).