Dutcher 1982

Dutcher, Nadine. 1982.The use of first and second languages in primary education: Selected case studies.World Bank Staff Working Paper. Washington, DC: World Bank, Education Department. 62 pages. Location: Dallas SIL Library 372.1 D975u. Interest level: lay specialist.

Addresses whether, in a multilingual society, the first or second language is the best choice for initial language instruction for primary school children. Reviews case studies in

• Mexico
• Canada
• the Philippines
• Ireland
• Nigeria
• Sweden, and
• the USA (Navajo).

Initial primary instruction in each study was given either in the first or second language. Compares achievement in reading and language in the first and second language, and achievement in content subject, especially arithmetic. Describes situations where the best choice for initial instruction might be either the child's second language or first language.

Concludes that according to these studies, there is no universal best answer for which language to choose. Answers must be made on a case-by-case basis, depending on the following interrelated characteristics of each situation.

• The linguistic and cognitive development of children in their first language
• Parental attitudes toward the school's chosen language
• The status of the languages in the wider community

• Bibliography module: Dutcher 1982
• In overview module: Bibliography (Literacy): D
• In modular book: Bibliography (Literacy), by Doris Gallemore, Trudi C. Hunt, Jeanne Swanson, and Stephen L. Walter
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

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