K-5 Dual Language Immersion Program / Research Findings

Research Findings

From 1996-2001, CREDE researchers Wayne Thomas and Virginia Collier, of George Mason University, conducted the "National Study of School Effectiveness for Language Minority Students' Long-Term Academic Achievement." Built on 14 years of related research, this study documents the academic achievement of ELs over the long-term (4–12 years) and across content areas. It offers a much-needed overview of programmatic successes in the education of ELs for policy makers.

The findings of the study reflect analysis of 210,054 student records, K-12. The study findings are conclusive about academic achievement in a variety of learning areas. Study findings include:

90/10 and 50/50 Two-Way Bilingual Immersion and One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education programs are the only programs found to date that assist students to fully reach the 50th percentile (scoring above 50% of the other test takers) in both their native language and English in all subject areas and to maintain that level of high achievement, or reach even higher levels through the end of their schooling. The fewest dropouts come from these programs.

ELs who attended only English mainstream programs because their parents refused language support services showed large decreases in reading and math achievement by Grade 5 when compared to students who participated in language support programs. The largest number of dropouts came from this group.

When ELs initially exit a language support program into the English mainstream, those schooled in all-English medium programs (ESL) outperform those schooled in the bilingual programs when tested in English. The students schooled in bilingual programs, however, reach the same levels of achievement as those schooled all in English by the middle school years. Further, during the high school years, the students schooled in bilingual programs outperformed the students schooled in all English.

The amount of formal primary language schooling that a student has received is the strongest predictor of second language student achievement. That is, the greater the number of years of primary language, grade-level schooling a student has received, the higher his/her English achievement is shown to be.

	61% PROGRAM 1: Two-Way Developmental Bilingual Education ESL taught through academic content
	52% PROGRAM 2: One-Way Developmental Bilingual Education ESL taught through academic content
	40% PROGRAM 3: Transitional Bilingual Education ESL taught through academic content
	35% PROGRAM 4: Transitional Bilingual Education ESL taught traditionally
	34% PROGRAM 5: ESL taught through academic content
	24% PROGRAM 6: ESL Pullout taught traditionally

Key Research Findings

Thomas and Collier, 1997

When compared to their peers in Mainstream Programs, Dual Language Students:

Scored as high or higher in English reading and mathematics
Earned higher SATscores particularly in the verbal section of the test
By the fifth year in a Dual Language Program, students outperformed all comparison groups and remained high throughout their schooling

THOMAS & COLLIER STUDY, 1997 – FACTORS AND FINDINGS

210, 054 STUDENT RECORDS, K-12

90/10 Dual Immersion Program*
Students scored at orabove 50% of the other test takers in both their native language and English inall subject areas
Students maintainedthat level of high achievement, or reached even higher levels through the endof their schooling.
fewest dropouts
Students matchedachievement levels of other students schooled all in English by middle school.
Students outperformedother students schooled in all English by high school.

50/50 Program
Same results as for90/10 model

English Mainstream
Students showed largedecreases in reading and math achievement by Grade 5
largest number ofdropouts
ELLs outperformedthose schooled in the bilingual programs when tested in English in elementary,then are matched in by bilingual students in middle school, and outperformed bybilingual students in high school