Bilingual Schooling Through the Elementary Grades: The St. Lambert Project at Grade Seven1

This is the seventh annual report of a longitudinal study of the progress of two different groups of children following an educational program designed to develop proficiency in a second language by using that language as the sole medium of instruction in the early elementary years and as the major medium of instruction in the later elementary years. The two groups were in grades seven and six respectively at the time of the present testing. In May 1973, they were tested for achievement in English‐language skills, mathematical abilities, French‐language skills, and cognitive development. When possible their progress was compared with that of appropriate French or English control groups; otherwise, their progress was measured using norms from standardized tests. On all measures, the children in bilingual classes showed that this form of education has had no detrimental effects upon their academic, linguistic, or cognitive development. Furthermore, we saw that the pupils could communicate effectively, using their second language, with French Canadian agemates on a new task of communication skills.