(1995). Fusing Cross-Content Areas into Literature Pieces Using a Whole Language Approach for the Elementary LEP Student. A number of model lesson plans that use children's literature to teach content area material are presented. The lessons are designed for instruction in either Spanish or English as a Second Language at the elementary school level; some are in English, and some are in Spanish. Each plan identifies the title and basic bibliographic information about the piece of literature, a synopsis of the story, second language teaching strategies that are useful with it, phonics issues to focus on or activities to conduct, structural/grammatical issues, sight words to be emphasized, complementary stories, appropriate songs and drama to accompany the lesson, and specific related themes and activities that focus on other content areas (mathematics, science, social studies, art and language arts). Some plans contain an additional bibliography. Contains 11 references. (MSE)…
(1995). Creating a Community of Scholarship with Instructional Conversations in a Transitional Bilingual Classroom. Educational Practice Report No. 15. This report explores ways in which instructional conversations between a teacher and her students contributed to building an academic community in a transitional bilingual fourth-grade classroom. Through an analysis of reading lesson transcripts, classroom events, and student essays and journal assignments, the report shows how classroom experiences fostered the development of students' understanding of the concepts of sacrifice and responsibility. It describes how, at both the individual and the classroom community levels, instructional conversations deepened student understandings of the texts they read in class by encouraging students to make connections between particular text concepts and their own experiences. In addition to tracking student gains in understanding, the study shows how the conversations helped build a classroom community that incorporated the cultural beliefs and concerns of the students. (SE)… [PDF]
(1980). Social Studies Introductory Level–Interaction. Teachers' Guide & Resource Book=Araling Panlipunan Intro–Pakikisalamuha. Ang Patnubay Ng Guro At Hanguang Aklat. This Pilipino teacher's guide is part of Berkeley, California Unified School District Asian American Bilingual Center's effort to foster the total growth of the child. To facilitate that growth, the Center has selected an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum development. Social studies themes and concepts provide the framework within which all the subject areas, including mathematics, reading and language arts, fine arts, and science, are organized. The four social studies themes are child, family, community, and natural environment. The themes reappear and expand through the curriculum from one text to the next and correlate to the major concepts of Identity, Needs, and Interaction. The Introductory level is designed for prekindergarten and kindergarten children. Each level develops one or more aspects of a theme as the child moves from simple to complex ideas and from understanding of self to understanding of society. Unit 1, entitled \Behavior,\ develops the conceptual…
(1981). Social Studies: Level Two–Identity. Teacher's Guide=Araling Panlipunan: Ikalawang Antas–Pagkakakilanlan. Patnubay Ng Guro. [Chinese/English Edition.]. This Pilipino teacher's guide written in Chinese and English is part of Berkeley, California Unified School District Asian American Bilingual Center's interest in fostering the total growth of the child. To facilitate that growth, the Center has selected an interdisciplinary approach to curriculum development. Social studies themes and concepts provide the framework within which all the subject areas, including mathematics, reading and language arts, fine arts, and science, are organized. The four social studies themes are child, family, community, and natural environment. The themes reappear and expand through the curriculum from one text to the next and correspond with the concepts of identity, needs and interaction. Level Two is designed for children in grades three and four. Each level develops one or more aspects of a theme as the child moves from simple to complex ideas and from understanding of self to understanding of society. Unit 1 of the document, entitled… [PDF]
(1990). Language Shift among Schoolchildren in Gaeltacht Areas 1974-1984: An Analysis of the Distribution of Pound 10 Grant Qualifiers. Research Report 16. This report examines the value for research and policy purposes of data generated by the "Pound 10 Grant Scheme" operated by Roinn na Gaeltachta in Ireland, which seeks to preserve the Irish language. The scheme was introduced in the early 30's by An Roinn Oideachais (an organization which had responsibility for the promotion of the Irish language at the time) in order to provide a direct economic incentive to families in Gaeltacht areas to maintain Irish as the language of the home. A full statistical digest is included of the available data pertaining to the scheme over the 11-year period 1973/74-1983/84 and assembles a comparable set of statistics relating to school pupil populations over the same years. Chapters 1 and 2 contain a detailed description of the operation of the scheme and bring into focus some important questions relating to the quality and consistency of the data, the very restricted information released about the scheme, and the limited range of other… [PDF]
(1994). Horizontes: A Culturally Grounded E.S.L. College Entry Project for Latino Students. Fall '92, Winter '93 Pilot Phase. Project Horizontes is a culturally grounded English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) retention project developed for Latino students enrolled at the Metropolitan Campus of Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio. The theoretical assumption underlying the design of the project is that bilingualism should be treated as an expansion of expressive capabilities rather than a barrier. If strengths in both languages and cultures are respected and further developed, functioning should significantly improve as reflected in grades and language tests, retention should be markedly improved within and across quarters, and positive assimilation will be expedited. The initial project design featured two concurrent courses, a standard intermediate ESL grammar course taught in English, with some limited reinforcement in Spanish, and a team taught ESL course featuring Latino cultural awareness taught in Spanish, English writing with reinforcing concepts in Spanish, and a college survival skills… [PDF]
(1991). EIFE 3: Influence of Factors on the Learning of Basque. Study of the Models A, B, and D in Second Year Basic General Education. Glotodidaktika-Lanak 36. This study on Basque language learning is part of a project investigating alternative curriculum designs to promote native language maintenance in the Basque Country of Spain. This study, similar in design to an earlier study, measured the level of Basque and Spanish of second-graders (n=1,196 from 301 classrooms) in three program models (Basque taught as a second language–Model A, Spanish-Basque bilingual–Model B, and instruction primarily in Basque–Model D) in 1988; studied factors influencing the learning of the languages; compared the new data with that of 1983-84; and examined the bilingual model. The study focused on the influence of students' home language (Spanish or Basque) and other social and demographic factors on the educational model. (MSE)… [PDF]
(1992). District-Wide Testing Results, Technical Report, 1991-92. OPET Report. Results from testing programs in the Newark (New Jersey) public schools for 1991-92 are discussed. The system used three testing programs in the school year: (1) the Newark Uniform Testing Program (Stanford Achievement Series, eighth edition); (2) the New Jersey Statewide Testing System; and (3) the Bilingual Testing Program. Results of the Newark Uniform Testing program indicate that students are steadily improving, but remain below grade level, with mathematics the weakest area and reading the strongest. Kindergartners were on grade level in reading and mathematics. The Early Warning Test component of the state testing system indicated that mathematics and writing scores for eighth graders improved overall, but that many students would benefit from remedial services. The High School Proficiency Test component of this program becomes a graduation requirement after one more administration. The district remained below state means on this test. Results from the Bilingual Testing… [PDF]
(1991). New Teachers in California's Language-Diverse Metropolitan Classrooms: Findings From an Initial Study. A study was done of novice teachers in California's public education system to examine how well they function in the language diverse metropolitan classrooms. Fall and Spring surveys were administered to 1,368 new teachers, and Spring surveys were administered to the directors of induction projects in which the new teachers participated. Findings confirm the gap that exists between the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity of the new teachers and that of their students. The new teachers were less diverse than the students they teach, and very few of the teachers held teaching credentials or certificates that qualified them to teach in language-diverse classrooms. Although most of the teachers had had some preservice and college training relating to teaching in diverse classrooms, only a few rated that training has prepared them well for such assignments. The teachers reported that training did not focus on specific instructional strategies. Training during the initial teaching…
(1994). Clarendon Alternative School Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program: Curriculum Sampler. Sample lessons and instructional materials from a Japanese bilingual/bicultural elementary school program are presented. The lessons are designed to integrate Japanese language instruction with content instruction, using thematic units related to the core curriculum. The ten lessons are organized by target grade (K-5), and describe classroom procedures, additional instructional materials used, and group and individual activities, and may contain student worksheets, instructional aids, photographs of classroom activity, and/or samples of student work. Lesson topics include: a Japanese folk tale; creation of a big book in both English and Japanese; an experiment with air and water; telling time; a new year's celebration; use of origami to study the crayfish; a combination of mathematics concepts and history; haniwa clay sculpture; and description of past and present events through the study of poetry. (MSE)… [PDF]
(1993). Policy and Practice in the Education of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. The numbers of culturally and linguistically diverse students in classrooms at all levels of study are increasing dramatically. In addition, the available information indicates that in general they are not performing well scholastically. Five articles address this issue; they are remarks from a 1992 symposium of members from the Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and from the American Educational Research Association. The article titles and authors follow: "Cognitive Academic Language Needs of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students" (Merrill Swain); "Assessing the Academic and Cognitive Growth of Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students" (Else V. Hamayan); "Current Directions in Curriculum Development and Materials Preparation for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students" (JoAnn Crandall); "Shifting Conceptions of Pedagogical Equity: Preparing Teachers to Teach Linguistically and Culturally Diverse Students"…
(1990). Bilingual/ESL Mainstream Instructional Support Program. End of Year Evaluation Report for 1989-90. Report No. 90-6. This report evaluates a program serving high school students in Seattle (Washington) public schools who demonstrate a need for increased language-based academic assistance due to their limited English proficiency. The Mainstream Instructional Support program served 170 students at 2 high schools with 1 resource teacher and 3 instructional assistants. These instructors assisted with completing assignments, developing reading and study skills, counseling, outreach, and translating services. Staff development, materials development, and parent involvement were also important aspects of the program. The evaluation looked at both program implementation and student outcomes. The latter were measured by looking at students' academic success and other indicators of successful progress toward graduation such as attendance rates, grade point averages, and credits toward graduation. The program had no statistically significant effect in raising students' standardized test scores, grades, or…
(1989). LEP Students in Special High School Programs, 1987-88. Evaluation Section Report. OREA Report. The LEP (limited-English-proficient) Students in Special High Schools Program, funded from a variety of sources, was partially implemented in 1987-88. The program's aim was to provide 277 LEP students, whose native languages were Chinese, Haitian Creole/French, and Spanish, with equal access to 8 educational-option and 5 vocational/technical high schools that no LEP students had previously attended. Students received instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), content area subjects, vocational subjects, and native language arts at some sites. Those schools for which data were available met their instructional objective for the number of passing grades in courses that the program subsidized. However, program students' attendance rates were higher than those of mainstream students in only 6 of the 9 schools that provided data. Major program weaknesses included lower participation than anticipated, shortage of qualified bilingual teachers and counselors, and initial lack of… [PDF]
(1990). Higher Achievement and Improvement through Instruction with Computers and Scholarly Transition and Resource Systems Program. OREA Report. Project HAITI STARS served 360 students, native speakers of Haitian Creole, Spanish, and Chinese, in its first year through supplementary instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), native language arts (NLA), and bilingual mathematics, science, and social studies. The project provided students with academic and personal counseling, tutoring, and career and college advising, and coordinated cultural and career-oriented trips. The project also offered activities to families of participating students, including basic skills classes at two sites, and staff development activities. The project met its ESL objectives and one of two NLA objectives. The project only partially met the content area objective, met one of two staff development objectives, and did not meet the curriculum development objective. Objectives in grade retention, referral to special programs, and parental involvement could not be assessed. Recommendations include: assessment of the objective related to… [PDF]
(1990). Bilingual Children's Project. B.C.P., 1988-89. OREA Report. The goals of the Bilingual Children's Project (B.C.P.) were to help students acquire skills in the English language content area subjects, critical thinking, and problem solving. In its first year, the project served 740 kindergarten through third grade students of limited English proficiency at 12 schools. Participants' native languages were Spanish, Chinese, and Haitian Creole. The program provided resource teachers and an educational assistant who demonstrated materials and consulted with participating schools. The program also arranged puppet shows as an adjunct to teaching and conducted staff development and parent involvement activities. Program objectives were met in English as a Second Language (ESL) at all grade levels, and in staff development. While no parent participation objectives had been set, parent involvement activities were provided. The project also expanded the original proposal to include puppet shows as a means of integrating content areas with ESL… [PDF]