Ana MedinaApril 15, 2010

ObjectivesLearn key concepts and terms about the

interdependence theory

Learn about Jim Cummins’ contribution to the language acquisition theory

Learn about the implications of Cummins’ ideas on bilingual education

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Jim CumminsJim Cummins received

his Ph.D. in 1974 from the University of Alberta in educational psychology.

He is currently a professor in the Department of Curriculum, Teaching, Learning in the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Link to his page

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HONOURS:   May 1997

Doctorate in Humane Letters (honorary) Bank Street College of Education, New York.

 1990 English-Speaking Union's Duke of Edinburgh English Language Book Competition (highly commended) The development of second language proficiency. (B. Harley, P. Allen, J. Cummins, M. Swain [Eds.], Cambridge University Press, 1990).

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The Linguistic Interdependence Theory/ The “Iceberg” Model

To the extent that instruction in Lx is effective in promoting proficiency in Lx, transfer of this proficiency to Ly will occur provided there is adequate exposure to Ly (in school and environment) and adequate motivation to learn Ly

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The Iceberg Model Diagram

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Dimensions of LanguageBICS – Basic Intrapersonal Communicative

Skills

CALP – Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

CUP – Common Underlying Proficiency

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Four Quadrants Model

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Types of BilingualismBalanced bilingual - highly developed in

two languagesDominant bilingual  - partially developed in

only one languageDouble limited bilingual - limited in two

languages

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Types of Bilingualism Auditory comprehensive style bilingual -

has listening comprehension, but doesn’t have the skill to express himself orally, a passive bilingual

Conversational style bilingual - can speak, but cannot read or write

Reading and writing style bilingual - cannot converse, but can read and write

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Excel Project

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STOP!!!

What does CUP stand

for?

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The StudyIs the transfer of L1 to L2 effective if the child has one bilingual parent, two bilingual parents, or none? Are there any other factors?

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Research Study… What is the role of the parent in a child’s

second language acquisition? How quickly can a child that has not gone to

school learn simple vocabulary in a second language?

Is there a negative or positive effect on the child’s first language?

Does the environment matter for child?

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Hypothesis…The child with one bilingual parent will be able

to have to transfer L1 information to L2 because there is adequate exposure. The child with monolingual parents will not be able to respond to L2. The child with two bilingual parents would be a satisfactory job of knowing L1 and L2.

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Settings LimitationsThe study was done

in the living room of the caretaker. The children are between the ages of 3 to 4 years old. Two are going to start Pre-K in August.

Number of children – only 4 children

Time

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Research Method Day #1 - I pointed to objects around the living room

and I asked, “¿Que es esto?”The toddler would either respond or not respond/ say I do not know, indicating they did not know the word.

Day #2 – I pointed to objects around the living room and I asked, “What is this?”The toddler would either respond or not respond/ say I do not know, indicating they did not know the word.

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Evaluation

Isabela age:3 Andres age: 4 Vanessa age: 4 Mark age:3English Spanish English Spanish English Spanish English Spanish

25 words in total

15 8 25 25 25 7 25 2

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Was Cummins Right?YES, Cummins noted that instruction in L1 needs

to be effective and the child needs to have adequate exposure and motivation for instruction in L2.

Even though Mark is exposed to L2 (Spanish), there is not enough exposure and his L1 is limited, therefore he is not able to transfer L1 skills to L2.

Isabela has only one bilingual parent but at her young age, she is display adequate proficiency for a child in both Spanish and English.

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Vanessa also has one bilingual parent and displays a limited proficiency in L1. She knew most of the vocabulary words in her L2 (English). There is a negative effect on her L1.

Andres was able to transfer words from L1 to L2. Since he has two bilingual parents, there is more than an adequate exposure to both L1 and L2.

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Implications for Bilingual Students In order for children to have a balanced

bilingualism, the child needs a sufficient development of BICS and then can have a further development of CALP usually when entering school.

Just because a child develops BICS, it does not mean that a student can have academic success.

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So…Nature or Nurture?

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BibliographyC. Baker & N. H. Hornberger, eds. An introductory reader to the

writings of Jim Cummins. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters, 2001.

Cummins, Jim. “BICS and CALP.” Webpage. 1999-2003. 1 April 2010. http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/bicscalp.html

Cummins, Jim.  Language, power, and pedagogy: Bilingual children in the crossfire. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters, 2000.

Cummins, Jim. Bilingual Education and Special Education: Issues in Assessment and Pedagogy. San Diego: College Hill, 1984.

Haynes, Judie. “Explaining BICS and CALP.” 2007. 23 March 2010. http://www.everythingesl.net/inservices/bics_calp.php

Shoebottom, Paul. “Second Language Acquisition.” 2007. 1 April 2010. http://esl.fis.edu/teachers/support/cummin.htm

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