Wallace E. Lambert (1922–2009).

On August 23, 2009, psychology lost an innovative researcher with the passing, at 86, of Wallace E. Lambert. A professor of psychology at McGill University from 1954 until 1990, Wallace (“Wally”) Lambert was among the founders of psycholinguistics and sociolinguistics. His highly productive career included contributions to social and cross-cultural psychology (intergroup attitudes, child-rearing values, and psychological consequences of living in multicultural societies), language education (the French immersion program), and bilingualism (measurement of language dominance, attitudes and motivation in second-language learning, and social, cognitive, and neuropsychological consequences of bilingualism). Indeed, because of the scope and influence of his work, Wally Lambert is widely considered the father of the psychological study of bilingualism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Literacy development in early French immersion programs.

Research findings on reading acquisition in early French immersion programs are reviewed. Findings on general reading outcomes, in English and French, are reviewed first, followed by a review of reading outcomes for students who are at risk for reading difficulty because of below-average levels of academic ability, poor first language abilities, disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, and minority language status. There follows a review of studies on individual differences in reading outcomes, including research on students with or at risk for reading difficulties, and on interventions to support students with reading difficulties in immersion. Conclusions along with suggestions for future research are offered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

A comparison of early and late second language learning.

Evaluated the effectiveness of 3 types of French immersion programs: (a) early total immersion, (b) 1-yr late immersion, and (c) 2-yr late immersion on students from Grades 7, 8, and 9. Proficiency in French was assessed using reading comprehension, writing, language arts, dictation, listening comprehension, and oral production tests. Statistical analyses at each grade level revealed that the early immersion and 2-yr late immersion Ss had achieved generally higher levels of proficiency in French with few differences in performance between the 2 groups. There were indications that the differential between the 1-yr late group and the other 2 groups was narrowing in the higher grades. Findings are discussed in terms of their practical educational significance and theoretical implications for the critical period hypothesis for 2nd language learning. (French abstract) (30 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Gesture and early bilingual development.

The relationship between speech and gestural proficiency was investigated longitudinally (from 2 years to 3 years 6 months, at 6-month intervals) in 5 French-English bilingual boys with varying proficiency in their 2 languages. Because of their different levels of proficiency in the 2 languages at the same age, these children's data were used to examine the relative contribution of language and cognitive development to gestural development. In terms of rate of gesture production, rate of gesture production with speech, and meaning of gesture and speech, the children used gestures much like adults from 2 years on. In contrast, the use of iconic and beat gestures showed differential development in the children's 2 languages as a function of mean length of utterance. These data suggest that the development of these kinds of gestures may be more closely linked to language development than other kinds (such as points). Reasons why this might be so are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Beyond bilingualism: Social psychological studies of French Immersion Programs in Canada.

Reviews social psychological studies of immersion programs in Canada with reference to 2 issues: (1) bilingualism, ethnic identity, and intergroup perceptions; and (2) attitudinal and motivational factors and 2nd language use in bilingual settings. It is concluded that 2nd language learning in immersion programs is associated with social psychologically significant outcomes that are related to fairly specific aspects of the immersion experience. More specifically, it has been found that immersion students are not likely to experience a loss of ethnic identity with respect to their home culture and that they develop a greater sense of similarity to French Canadians. Immersion students express more positive attitudes toward the use of French than do nonimmersion students, and they report using French more often than nonimmersion students in a number of situations. The social psychological outcomes of immersion are discussed in terms of possible intergroup and motivational factors. (French abstract) (40 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)