In the 'language nest' model of education, Indigenous children learn the language of their people by using it as the...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
In the 'language nest' model of education, Indigenous children learn the language of their people by using it as the medium of instruction and socialization at pre-K or elementary levels. In their 2016 study of a school in an Anishinaabe community in Ontario, Canada, scholars Lindsay Morcom and Stephanie Roy (who are Anishinaabe themselves) found that the model not only imparted fluency in the Anishinaabe language but also enhanced students' pride in Anishinaabe culture overall. Given these positive effects, Morcom and Roy predict that the model increases the probability that as adults, former students of the school will transmit the language to younger generations in their community.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the researchers' prediction?
Anishinaabe adults who didn't attend the school feel roughly the same degree of cultural pride as the former students of the school feel.
After transferring to the school, new students experience an increase in both fluency and academic performance overall.
As adults, former students of the school are just as likely to continue living in their community as individuals who didn't attend the school.
As they complete secondary and higher education, former students of the school experience no loss of fluency or cultural pride.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| "In the 'language nest' model of education, Indigenous children learn the language of their people by using it as the medium of instruction and socialization at pre-K or elementary levels." |
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| "In their 2016 study of a school in an Anishinaabe community in Ontario, Canada, scholars Lindsay Morcom and Stephanie Roy (who are Anishinaabe themselves) found that the model not only imparted fluency in the Anishinaabe language but also enhanced students' pride in Anishinaabe culture overall." |
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| "Given these positive effects, Morcom and Roy predict that the model increases the probability that as adults, former students of the school will transmit the language to younger generations in their community." |
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Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Research shows the language nest model not only teaches fluency but also builds cultural pride, leading researchers to predict that former students will be more likely to pass the language to future generations.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
What's being asked? Which finding would most strongly support the researchers' prediction
What type of answer do we need? Evidence that would make their prediction about language transmission more likely to be true
Any limiting keywords? Most strongly support
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- The researchers predict that former students will be more likely to transmit the language to younger generations as adults
- For this to happen, these former students would need to maintain their fluency in the language over time and keep their enhanced cultural pride as they grow older
- So the right answer should show that former students maintain the key benefits that would enable them to transmit the language to the next generation
Anishinaabe adults who didn't attend the school feel roughly the same degree of cultural pride as the former students of the school feel.
- This compares cultural pride levels between groups but doesn't address whether former students maintain qualities needed for transmission over time
After transferring to the school, new students experience an increase in both fluency and academic performance overall.
- This is about immediate academic improvements for new students, not about long-term outcomes for former students as adults
As adults, former students of the school are just as likely to continue living in their community as individuals who didn't attend the school.
- Where former students live doesn't directly relate to their ability or likelihood to transmit language
As they complete secondary and higher education, former students of the school experience no loss of fluency or cultural pride.
- Shows former students maintain both fluency and cultural pride through their continuing education
- This directly supports the prediction because these are the exact qualities needed for language transmission