Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy ETDs

Publication Date

5-3-1972

Abstract

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The purpose of this study was to investigate attitudes of parents, whose children were in bilingual programs, toward bilingual education. The study also sought to find if differences existed between income groups in attitudes related to sex, age, mobility, and education.

PROCEDURE

Two hundred and twenty persons (or 110 pairs of parents) whose children were in bilingual programs in ten schools in the Albuquerque Public School System comprised the sample. They were divided into two socioeconomic groups based on occupation, lower-middle and upper-lower, and subdivided by sex, age, mobility and education. A sixty-three item questionnaire was administered to each pair off parents by a trained Spanish-speaking interviewer. The questionnaire was simultaneously given to both parents at their home. All of the responses were obtained within a two-week period in order to prevent time from being a variable that might have produced differences in attitudes. The t-tests were used to determine whether significant differences existed between the two groups.

RESULTS

The mean scores for the total population were high on most of the statements, indicating an homogeneous postive attitude toward bilingual education. There were few significant differences between socioeconomic groups. Of the other independent variables, age produced the most significant differences. This indicated that those under age 35 were more positive in their attitudes than were the older group. Those under age 35 spoke less Spanish with their children but had a more positive attitude toward bilingual education. Amount of education did not seem to alter this attitude significantly. In several instances, however, the amount of mobility significantly affected the response toward certain statements. The lower socioeconomic group reflected stronger attitudes on several statements than the middle socioeconomic group.

CONCLUSIONS

This study indicated that parents enthusiastically approved of the on-going bilingual and bicultural programs to which their children were being exposed. The attitudes of the parents in this sample demonstrated a strong sentiment for becoming or remaining a bilingual-bicultural society. Exposure to bilingual education for both groups produced a highly favorable response.

Document Type

Dissertation

Language

English

Degree Name

Certificate in Curriculum and Instruction

Level of Degree

Doctoral

Department Name

Teacher Education, Educational Leadership & Policy

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dolores Gonzales

Second Committee Member

David Wayne Darling

Third Committee Member

Mari-Luci Jaramillo

Fourth Committee Member

Ignacio Ruben Cordova

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