BI- AND MONOLINGUAL SPECIAL CLASSES AND HISPANIC CHILDREN'S SELF-CONCEPT

Abstract

This study investigated the relationship between self-concept, cultural attitude and class placement (monolingual or bilingual bicultural) among 228 Hispanic learning disabled children, grades 4 through 8, attending self-contained HC30 classes in the New York City public schools. In addition, the study explored the effects of the following variables: sex, age, ethnic identification of students, and the ethnicity of the teacher (i.e. Hispanic or non-Hispanic) on measured differences between class placement, cultural attitude and self-concept. It was an exploratory one-shot aggregated case study.;The Cultural Attitude Inventory measured "feelings for" and "familiarity with" the Hispanic culture. The Primary Self Concept Inventory was used to measure self-concept in the personal, social and intellectual domains.;It was conjectured that the subjects in bilingual bicultural classes would have better self-concepts as measured by the PSCI, and/or better cultural attitudes as measured by the CAI, than comparable children in monolingual classes. No relationship between class placement and self-concept was found, while there was a significant relationship between bilingual bicultural class placement and both measures of cultural attitude.;It was further conjectured that cultural attitude and self-concept were positively related. A positive significant relation was found only between both cultural attitude measures and intellectual self-concept.;A fourth conjecture was that class placement would be a greater determinant of self-concept than cultural attitude among the subjects. No difference was found.;Additional analysis with class placement/high-low self-concept groups on cultural attitude scores revealed that subjects in bilingual bicultural classes with high intellectual self-concept scores had significantly higher cultural scores than children in other class placement/high-low self-concept groups.;The findings suggest that sources of self-concept extend beyond the classroom, must be further investigated, and may be tapped by increased contact with the home. They also suggest that the bilingual bicultural classroom and the Hispanic teacher may provide a uniquely reinforcing environment for a child who believes he can succeed at school.