Bilingualism during Initial Language Acquisition

Abstract

the number of graduation competency tests passed. This measure was related to the LC test and to a combination of overall second language skill and specific linguistic skill. The findings of this study show that linguistic and communicative competence can be distinguished. This suggests the need to assess the relationship between these two types of language skill in the native as well as in the second language and in learners at various stages of proficiency. Because the language tests used had, at best, moderate predictive relationships with the measures of actual language use, this study shows that language tests alone are not adequate for student placement in school programs. The strong relationship between English grammatical skill and school achievement measured in English implies that control of language structure is involved in many school tasks in addition to oral language tests. This result underscores the need for more research on the relationship between language use and school achievement in students of different ages and different native and second language backgrounds. (Ph.D. Dissertation, Stanford University, 1982)