Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine whether or not there is a significant difference in the changes on the 2001 Stanford Achievement Test 9/Language Expression posttest scores of those students who participated in a supplemental oral language program, "Proficiency in English" (PEP) (Duncan 1975), and the students who did not, and (2) to determine if there is a significant difference between the posttest scores relative to: (a) the Limited English Speakers and (b) the Native English Speakers who participated in the oral language program, "Proficiency in English" (Duncan 1975). Methodology. The researcher used descriptive and ex post facto research. The population consisted of 474 eighth grade students from three of the middle schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District. A letter was sent to the principals of the schools that had participated in the program, "Proficiency in English" (Duncan 1975) during the years of 1998-2001. The researcher compiled data from four research questions. Findings. (1) There were no significant differences in the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest scores of the boys and girls who participated in the PEP program and the boys and girls who did not participate in the program; (2) There was no significant difference in the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest scores of three different cluster groups for the students who participated in the program, PEP; (3) There was no significant difference in the ethnic groups relative to the change in the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest scores; (4) Native English Speakers scored significantly higher than Limited English Proficiency students on the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest. Conclusions. Some conclusions are that, overall, the eighth-grade boys and girls showed no significant increase in the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest scores, and there were three different school sites (A, B, and C) that showed no significant difference in the 2001 SAT-9/Language Expression posttest scores. Recommendations. Among the proposed recommendations are that some type of supplemental oral language program should be instituted in middle schools to serve Limited English Proficient students, and students should be taught Standard English by studying their native literature and culture.