Special Education ETDs

Publication Date

7-1976

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate, a test designed to determine whether English or Spanish is the dominant language spoken by and to the child. The Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scales, a teat which measures the ability of the child to express word opposites in English and Spanish was used as the criterion. On the basis of differences between English and Spanish performance a language dominance can be determined. Specific hypotheses were that: (1) the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate score of English Language usage will be positively and significantly related to scores on the English portion of the Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scales, and that (2) the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate scores of Spanish language usage will be positively and significantly related to the Spanish language scores of the Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scales.

The study was conducted in a lower-middle class elementary school in Southwestern United States. The population of the school and the neighborhood surrounding it are predominantly Spanish-surnamed. The sample group was comprised of 14 children from the third (N=8) and fourth (N=6) grade population who had been assigned to the Resource Room. One group was administered the Home Bilinugal Usage Estimate and the other group was administered the Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scales. The procedure was reversed for the second test session. The Harris Draw-A-Person was used to determine their conceptual maturity. Parents of the sample group were also interviewed using the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate. No significant difference was found between the children’s and parents’ scores on language usage in the home. The scores on each of these variables were ranked using the Spearman Rank-order Coefficient (rho).

Results of this study indicated that a significant relationship does not exist between the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate, English language, and the Dos Amigos Verbal Language Scales, English language, at the .05 level. A significant relationship existed between the Home Bilingual Usage Estimate, Spanish language, at the level .01 level. An analysis of the study revealed that 11 (N=14) of the sample group scored below the fiftieth percentile in the Spanish portion of the Dos Amigos Spanish language, and 9 (N=14) scored below the fiftieth percentile in the English portion of the Dos Amigos.

Document Type

Thesis

Language

English

Degree Name

Special Education

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

Special Education

First Committee Member (Chair)

Billy Leslie Watson

Second Committee Member

Glenn Van Etten

Third Committee Member

Henry Pepe

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