TITLE OF DISSERTATION BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE INTERDEPENDENCE: CUMMINS AND BEYOND

BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE INTERDEPENDENCE

CUMMINS AND BEYOND

by 

Carlos M. Ramírez

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the 

degree of Doctor of Philosophy

in the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology

Yeshiva University

New York

June, 1985

ABSTRACT

BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND LANGUAGE INTERDEPENDENCE: 

CUMMINS AND BEYOND

by

Carlos M. Ramírez

Statement of the Thesis

Hispanic School children have long been influence by the controversial issue of bilingualism. That these children need to attain well rounded skills in English has been agreed upon y everyone concerned with the education of language minorities. The controversy centers on whether L1 is to be kept alive in school or allowed to disappear.

This issue seems to be centered on the academic usefulness of the vernacular. Opponents see it as a hindrance to acculturation and mainstreaming. Those who support bilingualism maintain that it is in fact an aid to the child’s speedy transition into English.

Significant longitudinal research which specifically addresses the Spanish language contribution to English language development on urban bilingual children is not available in the current literature. It will be this dissertation’s goal to engage in longitudinal research to further evidence on behalf of the linguistic developmental interdependence hypothesis as propounded by Cummins (1979).

Methodology

The full population of Hispanic first graders enrolled in three bilingual neighboring schools in the city of Newark, New Jersey, who were administered both Spanish and English language proficiency tests, participated in the study (75 subjects). Analysis of L1 and L2 proficient scores for three consecutive years may relate L2 to the influence of L1 at the time the child is introduce to public education. Other anticipated oral language and home related intervening variables were factorially analyzed. In addition, these children’s intelligence quotients were obtained and covaried with language variables as a measure of control. 

Confirming Cummins’  hypothesis may strengthen the need of L1 maintaining bilingual education as an effective tool in the cognitive-academic development of the bilingual child. 

Conclusions

Two linguistic profiles in the context of school interlinguistic development in language minority children were generated by the study. The first is consonant with Cummins’s linguistic interdependence hypothesis, that second language development relies strongly on first language proficiency in this specific population of bilingual children. This was observed to be independent of the action of  intervening variables in a short term paradigm. The second involves the assumed action of intervening variables which seem to generate a developmentally regressive interlinguistic profile throughout the span of three years.

Significantly higher levels of English language competence only on the higher proficiency Spanish group were generated, thus strongly supporting the hypothesis that Spanish language competence is in fact a strong factor accounting for English language proficiency. The longitudinal dimension of linguistic interdependence, is shown to exist in the factor analytic study. This analysis showed Spanish and English academic language scores loading on one single factor within and across languages and within and across time variables. 

Spanish and English tests mean scores showed a downward trend from one year to the next. This may be descriptive of language in contact in the context of bilingual schooling subjected to the strains of heterogeneous mix of language skills among students and an unclear curricular philosophy. A diglossic arrangement for the teaching of languages so that these maintain functional significance also appear lacking. This strategy will allow languages to coexist in an orderly fashion, thus preventing confusion.

Extending beyond Cummins’ linguistic interdependence hypothesis, it appears necessary that Hispanics organize their own ethnic-mother-tongue schools. Only then will long lansting and authentic support of the vernacular ever be effected. 

• Copyright 

  1985

by

Carlos M. Ramirez