(1979). Pursuing Equal Educational Opportunity: School Politics and the New Activists. ERIC/CUE Urban Diversity Series, Number 64, Summer 1979. This mongraph describes and analyzes the competing demands of many citizens, special interest groups, and organizations for educational equity. The significant role that the Federal government has played in the educational system over the past 30 years through financing and legislation is discussed. Four case studies are presented relating to areas in which the activists of the 1970s sought to change educational policies and programs. Each study describes the definition of equality espoused by the protagonists, the organization of the advocacy groups, the strategies they employed to obtain desired action by politicians and educators, and the present status of their efforts. Each study is then compared in terms of issues and the interest group involved, the interplay of judicial, legislative, and administrative actions, and the cost considerations applying to the new programs. Some general observations about the historical and political aspects of educational reform and several… [PDF]
(1978). Demystifying the Concept of Culture: Methodological Tools and Techniques, Monograph II. Bilinqual Education Training Series. This monograph describes techniques and methods which may be used by parents, teachers, and other educators who are working to make schools more responsive to students from different language and cultural backgrounds. Emphasis is placed on the techniques and methods used by anthropological fieldworkers to study culture and their usefulness in solving culturally based educational problems. A review of the basic techniques includes a discussion of: (1) their purposes and strengths; (2) the steps involved in using them; (3) the limitations of various techniques and some cautions about their use; and (4) suggested learning projects which can be used by educators to practice the techniques. The basic techniques covered include participation, observation, recording, interviewing, event analysis, life history, and written essays. Major phases in a research project and ethical issues which should be considered in such a project are also discussed. (EB)…
(1976). Physics: A Vietnamese Supplement. A High-School Bilingual Handbook for the Vietnamese Student. Indochinese High-School Supplements. This handbook in physics is one of a series of handbooks designed for the Indochinese student in American high schools. Like the other books in the series, it is not intended to replace the English-language textbook, but is designed to help the student understand the textbook. The material presented was compiled and adapted from high school texts so that the terms and concepts would be applicable to standard secondary textbooks. The handbook is composed of two parts: (1) basic concepts; and (2) a glossary of technical terms. The first part contains brief "lessons" pertaining to the subject area and provides key concepts in summary form. Preceding the Vietnamese lessons is an outline in English which is meant to serve as a content guide for the teacher. (Author/AMH)…
(1973). Volume I: Testimony. Hearing Before the United States Commission on Civil Rights (Window Rock, Arizona, October 22-24, 1973). Three days of hearings held on the Reservation at Window Rock, Arizona focused on the civil rights of the people of the Navajo Nation. Seeking to explore those areas of economic and social development in which the Navajo could better attain self-determination, the Commission heard testimony on economic development, private employment, health care, and education. Among the witnesses were representatives from state and federal agencies, tribal officials and medical personnel. Testimony was offered by individuals as well as in panel discussions. Peter MacDonald, Chairman of the Navajo Tribal Council, listed control of the schools, economic development programs, and resource development as the basic and primary goals in attaining Navajo civil rights. He cited the slowness of the bureaucratic machinery as being particularly frustrating to tribal development plans. In a panel discussion a Bureau of Indian Affairs official and an anthropologist suggested that the Navajo should be viewed as… [PDF]
(1978). Instructional Materials Selection Guide. Bilingual/Bicultural ESL. This guide describes bilingual, bicultural, and English as a Second Language (ESL) materials adopted for use in California. The guide is divided into three sections: (1) a list of publishers, including addresses and phone numbers; (2) an annotated index to the guide that includes basic information about each item; and (3) detailed information on each set of materials. The annotated index provides the following information: type of material (basic or supportive), kind of material, publisher's grade level, State Matrix grade level, instructional emphasis, special conditions or comments, and page reference in the guide. The following information is provided on each set of materials: (1) components; (2) general description; (3) goals and objectives; (4) organization–scope and sequence; (5) methodology; (6) provisions for student evaluation; and (7) related materials. On each page, the indication is given that materials should be carefully reviewed before ordering. The instructional…
(1978). Niigugim Qalgadangis (Atkan Food). A history of food gathering and food preparation techniques of Alaska natives on Atka Island in the Aleutians are presented in Western Aleut and English with illustrations by J. Leslie Boffa and Mike Dirks. Directions are given for preparing: various plants, including wild rice; salted, dried, or smoked fish; baked flour; fried dough; boiled codfish stomachs; codfish and halibut liver paste; mashed fish; partially dried fish backbones; salmon eggs; cooked seal oil; clams and mussels; sea urchins; chitons and limpets; and ducks and other birds. (NEC)…
(1970). A Look at Minority Education Today with Implications for the Teaching of English. American education must develop a system for promoting understanding among and with minority cultures. Curriculums should be designed which add relevancy to the education of minority groups and abandon the traditional ideas of Americanization which call for, among other things, the foreigner to become a good speaker of English. English-as-a-second-language programs have helped to develop a kind of mutual respect for foreign and American cultures. Bilingualism is making negative contributions to the American educational scene. These negative aspects should be taken into consideration when developing curriculums which will incorporate minority recognition while operating within the English language framework. (VM)… [PDF]
(1971). Cultural Contrasts in English-French Bilingual Instruction in the Early Grades. This paper discusses the relationship between language development and cognitive development in children within the framework of a French-English bilingual school situation. Initially the document covers the language development of the infant learning English; the author then describes specific problems of educating the English-speaking child with French as the principal means of instruction. Tables illustrate the results of tests administered to children in a French-English curriculum, pointing out areas of confusion. (VM)…
(2001). Noa's Ark: One Child's Voyage into Multiliteracy. This book asserts that under the right conditions multiliteracy can be developed and provides some of the tools and strategies to enable monolingual teachers to do so. The book is based on an in-depth longitudinal study of a first grade boy studying in a traditional English/Spanish bilingual classroom. The child's early literacy development is closely followed. The research goal is to show the complexity of a young student's multiliteracy development in the context of her daily life in which three languages are presented (English, Spanish, and Hebrew) in different formats, for different purposes and audiences. The goal is to show the pivotal role teachers play in multi-literacy development and to provide some of the tools they need to promote it. Theoretical and practical ideas on early literacy development in general and bi-literacy and multi-literacy in particular are discussed, the book hopes to challenge traditional ideas about bilingual and multilingual instruction. (Contains…
(2002). A School Healthcare Program for Low Income Families of Very Young Children. This chapter is part of a book that recounts the year's work at the Early Childhood Development Center (ECDC) at Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi. Rather than an "elitist" laboratory school for the children of university faculty, the dual-language ECDC is a collaboration between the Corpus Christi Independent School District and the university, with an enrollment representative of Corpus Christi's population. The chapter details development of a wellness model for children enrolled in the ECDC. Specifically, the study implemented a screening program that included physical assessment, diet evaluation, personal histories, biochemical tests, and anthropometrics; and designed, implemented, and evaluated a series of educational presentations for children and parents. Preliminary findings included detailed health statistics for participating children and parents. A nutrition and exercise camp was conducted, and the health status of 43 students will be tracked. (EV)… [PDF]
(1999). Native Language Literacy and Adult ESL Education. ERIC Digest. There are no good figures on the number of limited English speakers who are also illiterate in their native languages. This data is worth having because there is research indicating that literacy in the native language plays an important role in the acquisition of oral English and the development of English literacy. This digest reviews recent research related to the role of native language literacy and describes program types and instructional approaches that incorporate learners' languages into instruction. Headings in this digest include the following: rationale for native language and literacy development; factors influencing native language literacy instruction; program models; and instructional approaches. It is concluded that adult English language learners come to English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs with a variety of experiences with education, literacy, and English. They also come with many strengths embedded in their language, culture, and experiences. By… [PDF]
(1999). Feasibility and Practicality of a Decision Making Tool for Standards Testing of Students with Limited English Proficiency. State Assessment Series, Minnesota Report 22. This report describes a decision-making tool designed to inform English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) and bilingual educators of the most up-to-date participation and test accommodations guidelines and to assist educators in the process of making informed decisions. It reports on the results of a study that examined the tool's feasibility. The decision-making tool is an electronic version of Minnesota guidelines for making test participation decisions. The Web site design has two branches–one for students with disabilities and another for students with limited English proficiency (LEP); both are centered on making decisions about inclusion and the use of testing accommodations. The Web side design has two branches of decision making to reflect the dual role of the tests within both the LEP and disability branches–one for statewide accountability testing for grades three, five, and eight, and one for graduation requirements testing for grades eight and beyond. A survey of 14… [PDF]
(1999). Teaching Other People's Children: Literacy and Learning in a Bilingual Classroom. This book details the experiences of a teacher in a Haitian-populated preschool in an urban area of the United States, focusing on the development of literacy and English as a second language. An introductory chapter describes the children, some of their personal and cultural background, their classroom demeanor, and the context in which they were taught. The second chapter describes the traditions and practices of classroom research as experienced by the teacher. The third chapter further examines the school, the families, and the patterns of family life of the students. The next four chapters discuss the difficulties encountered in teaching literacy and managing student behavior. These include the differences between the teacher's assumptions about how adults should control or influence student behavior and the assumptions of the children and their families; varying student and teacher approaches to early literacy activities; and storybook reading and the ways students…
(1994). Cultural Literacy: A Canadian Perspective. International Journal of Social Education, v9 n1 p15-30 Spr-Sum. Summarizes E. D. Hirsch's book, "Cultural Literacy," focusing on four separate arguments. Compares U.S. and Canadian education and society, particularly in relationship to multiculturalism and bilingualism. Concludes that Hirsch trivializes culture by presenting as no more than a common convention of effective national communication. (CFR)…
(1992). Language, Literacy, and Educational Reform: Rethinking the Issues. Education and Urban Society, v24 n2 p171-77 Feb. In spite of increasing ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic diversity, educational reform efforts continue to target mainstream English-speaking U.S. public. The educational plans of the America 2000 initiative are no exception. This theme issue provides examples of classroom-based research in which educators try to improve literacy education for minority students. (SLD)…