This study was conducted under the general assumption that education has a direct impact on employment. This assumption, while contested by some social scientists, is still espoused by many decision makers and is often translated into action programs. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the cumulative effects of English language instruction on the employability of selected language minority groups (Greek, Portuguese, Soviet Jewish, and Vietnamese residing in Philadelphia), and to describe and assess the experiences of these groups in the context of the larger society. / A purposive sample consisting of 253 subjects, employed in blue-collar or related occupations, who entered the United States between 1975 and 1978 either as immigrants or refugees, was selected. A questionnaire was developed in relation to the characteristics of the target populations and discriminant factors in the study. The instrument was field tested and adapted into the respective languages. / In order to assess the relative effects of English language instruction training and related factors, the data collected were subjected to statistical analysis including chi-square techniques and stepwise block multiple regression analysis. The analysis of the data led to the results that there is no statistical association between language training and employment. While ESL was not found significant, formal education appears to be related to employment. Likewise, ESL was statistically significant in the social interactive and communicative processes of the target population. Membership in a particular ethnicity appears to be the single most important factor in explaining employment of the target populations while the various types of assistance provided do not appear to have any direct impact on employment. It can, therefore, be concluded that English language instruction does not have a direct impact on employment while it does in the social interactive and communicative processes of the population under examination. / The implication of the study is the need for the planning of English language instructional programs, in accordance to the specific requirements of the population served and the larger societal context in which such population is found. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2550. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74511 |
| Contributors | KIKIS, KATHY., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 318 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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