A Contribution to Cummin’s Thresholds Theory: The Madaras Al Ghad Program
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Date
2011-01
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Publisher
The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
Since its implementation in 2007, the MAG schools (Madares Al Ghad – Schools of the Future) as a bilingual education program has not been evaluated. This study sought to answer two main questions to evaluate the MAG program: (1) Is there a significant difference in the achievement of MAG students after three years of implementation of the program compared to MOE students in math and English? (2) Is there a significant difference in the achievement of boys and girls within the MAG program and compared to boys and girls in the MOE program? The study utilized a fixed methods approach to gain quantitative data using internal Ministry of Education math and English tests in a quasi-experiment to compare student outcomes on the exams. The results of the study revealed that while the students in the MAG program scored better than their MOE counterparts in English, the outcomes of the math test for the MOE students were greater. The study concludes by recommending future research into the types of bilingual education available in the UAE and their impact on student achievement in addition to studies into student outcomes of the MAG program in Arabic to learn if their mother tongue is developing to such a degree as to support academic success.
Description
DISSERTATION WITH DISTINCTION
Keywords
Cummin’s thresholds theory, Madaras Al Ghad, bilingual education, student achievement