A COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF DUAL LANGUAGE AND INTENSIVE ENGLISH INSTRUCTION ON KINDERGARTEN STUDENTS IN THE LAREDO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT (TEXAS)

Purpose. The purpose of the study was to compare two different approaches to language acquisition. The approaches used were dual language instruction (Spanish/English) and intensive ESL. Conclusions. (1) Results of this study suggest that Spanish dominant kindergarten students in LISD developed communication skills in their native language and to a lesser degree in English. The results also indicated that an early immersion program did not necessarily lead to increased use of English to communicate with peers and adults. (2) Differences in the scores of the participants in the study may be associated to differences in teachers\u27 levels of bilingualism and experience, as well as pedagogical practices. (3) Results of the study further suggest that the dual language approach was more effective than the partial immersion approach in most of the areas measured by the PAL, PPVT, and the CAT. Recommendations. (1) Since the present study did not conclusively determine the effectiveness of the two approaches used in this study, it is recommended that further studies be conducted. (2) The researcher further recommends that attention be given to a balanced use of the two languages by introducing the second language (English) gradually and consistently, using approaches that employ techniques matched to the individual needs of the students, providing multi-sensory experiences to reinforce the skill or concept being developed, as well as to expand and extend meanings. (3) As discussed in the literature, language acquisition studies indicate that there are universals in terms of language acquisition and language concepts that can transfer to a second language. All languages have universal properties which include rules and sounds, specifically phonology, morphology, syntax, and lexicon. Therefore, a maximum effort should be made to facilitate the transfer of such universals by providing a well organized bilingual education program at the kindergarten level