No abstract

This study investigated relations among microlevel and macrolevel domains of oral narrative retells within and across the languages of Spanish-speaking bilingual children. Fifty-six first and second graders (Mage = 7 years, 3 months) were assessed on a retell task in Spanish and English. Two statistical analyses were conducted: (a) correlations within and across microlevel lexical (number of different words) and grammatical (mean length of utterance-word and subordination index) domains and (b) hierarchical regression to determine the influence of microlevel domains on a macrolevel discourse score. Results highlighted a number of significant within- and cross-language correlations, and identified vocabulary as a significant predictor of macrolevel discourse scores within both languages, while grammar was a predictor within English only.

The International Baccalaureate (IB) has expanded in Latin America. Drawing from a larger multi-sited qualitative case study, we examined the challenges associated with the implementation of the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in a Colombian and bilingual context. Findings highlight (1) the intersecting nature of challenges associated with the PYP and bilingual education, (2) the importance of school-based support for teaching, and (3) the importance of school-based resources for bilingual instruction. The article concludes with a discussion of implications for the IB and other global educational organizations.

Research suggests that teachers need to scaffold emergent bilingual students as they develop the complex language associated with school success. This may especially be true in dual language settings, where children are learning two languages simultaneously. In this study, therefore, I investigate the linguistic scaffolding practices of first-grade dual language teachers as they support academic language development for their Spanishdominant students. Academic language is viewed not only as a set of linguistic components but also as a way of accomplishing certain functions and participating in context-reduced communication. Findings indicate that teachers engage in scaffolding both within and across lessons, providing insights into ways teachers can support academic language development for emergent bilingual students in general.