WWC review of this study

The Effects of the Extended Foreign Language Programs on Spanish-Language Proficiency and Academic Achievement in English [Findings for Model A: Extended Foreign Language with Spanish language instruction]

Shneyderman, Aleksandr; Abella, Rodolfo (2009). Bilingual Research Journal, v32 n3 p241-259. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ870332

  • Quasi-Experimental Design
     examining 
    440
     Students
    , grades
    3-5

Reviewed: August 2022

No statistically significant positive
findings
Meets WWC standards with reservations
General Literacy Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) - Reading

Extended Foreign Language program with Spanish language instruction vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 5;
440 students

694.30

689.90

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT) - Reading

Extended Foreign Language program with Spanish language instruction vs. Business as usual

-2 Years

Grade 3;
440 students

645.70

642.10

No

--
General Mathematics Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT): Mathematics

Extended Foreign Language program with Spanish language instruction vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Grade 5;
440 students

687.90

678.50

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT): Mathematics

Extended Foreign Language program with Spanish language instruction vs. Business as usual

-2 Years

Grade 3;
440 students

655.10

648.50

No

--


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • Female: 54%
    Male: 46%

  • Urban
    • B
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    Florida
  • Race
    Other or unknown
    100%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    83%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    17%
  • Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
    Free or reduced price lunch (FRPL)    
    46%
    No FRPL    
    54%

Setting

The study was conducted in an urban school district in Florida. Thirty-six schools participated in the study, of which 18 offered bilingual instruction through a program called Extended Foreign Language (EFL) with Spanish instruction. The other 18 schools did not offer bilingual instruction.

Study sample

A total of 440 students in grade 5 were included in the study. The 440 students attended 36 elementary schools. Approximately 54 percent were female, 46 percent were eligible for free or reduced price lunch, and less than 1 percent were English language learners. Eighty-three percent were Hispanic or Latino and 17 percent were non-Hispanic or Latino.

Intervention Group

The Extended Foreign Language program (EFL) with Spanish instruction is a bilingual program implemented at the school level in which all students in the school receive 1 hour of daily Language Arts instruction in Spanish, the target language of the schools in this study, and all other instruction is in English. Students in the intervention group received the EFL program starting in Kindergarten through grade 5.

Comparison Group

Students in the comparison group received business-as-usual instruction in all content areas for all grades in elementary school. These students attended schools with regular instruction and without bilingual programs.

 

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