Evidence Based Research on the Effectiveness of Bilingual Language Learning among ESL students
by
Krishnakumari Krishnan
Language Center, University Technonoly MARA, Shah Alam, Malaysia.
Coauthors: Karuthan Chinna (Faculty of Information Technology and Quantitative Sciences, University Technology MARA)

Bilingual language learning has been a long debated issue in education. Do students with limited English proficiency when taught using at least some of their native language perform significantly better on standardized tests than similar students who are taught only in English? Both protagonists and antagonists on this issue claim researches support their cases, hence, complicating the task of decision making for the policy makers. Conducting a definitive study is not only costly and time consuming but can still be inconclusive.

An alternative solution is to look at secondary research results using the formal methods of evidence-based practice. Meta-analysis is a well-documented evidence based research tool. The univariate meta-analysis only provides solutions for a single outcome measure. However, language learning concerns multiple outcome measures such as listening, speaking, reading, writing vocabulary and grammar.

In this paper, we discuss the application of multivariate meta-analysis in bilingual language learning since the outcomes are multiple in nature.

Date received: September 12, 2001