Modular Sequence: English as a Second Language, Methods and Techniques. TTP 001.14 Teaching ESL in Context. Teacher Corps Bilingual Project. Given the series of activities included in this module on the importance of cultural context in the teaching of second languages, the participant should be able to: (a) prepare a culturally relevant grammatical exercise for a specific group of Puerto Rican Spanish-speakers, (b) list several possible activities for using the learner's cultural background in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom, and (c) evaluates the relevance of the cultural context in existing materials available for Spanish/English bilingual programs. The module includes short-essay pre- and post-assessment of the participant and learning alternatives, which are presented in outline form. Specific readings are assigned for each activity. A bibliography ends the module. (JA)…
(1971). Bilingualism in Puerto Rico: A History of Frustration. English Record, v21 n4 p19-24 Apr. The implementation of English language instruction presents problems for Puerto Ricans both in Puerto Rico and in the United States, as seen in New York City. In Puerto Rico, the role of English in the schools has always been a political issue with widespread implications. Both there and in the States, the greatest problem in English instruction is the lack of well trained, qualified teachers. To alleviate this problem, the Puerto Rican Department of Public Instruction is granting aid to 425 men and women to improve the teaching of English. Several universities in the States are instituting graduate and undergraduate programs designed to prepare teachers of English as a second language. (VM)… [PDF]
(1986). Research Currents: Equity or Excellence?. Language Arts, v63 n5 p474-81 Sep. Discusses the problems that children who do not speak the language of their school experience, as well as the personal, social, and cultural characteristics of learners that affect their progress in a second language. (DF)…
(1984). Mother-Tongue Education: Problems and Prospects. Prospects: Quarterly Review of Education, v14 n1 p37-49. Added to the right of free public schooling for all is the option, in many countries, of taking that schooling in the language of the home. Mother-tongue education, however, brings with it many problems; e.g., if citizens don't know languages of wide communication, the country may suffer economically. (RM)…
(1984). Selected Survey of Educational Law and Policy Literature. Journal of Law and Education, v13 n1 p169-82 Jan. Provides an annotated bibliography of 64 current articles covering aspects of education law. Selections are listed under 20 subject groupings. (MD)…
(2001). Moroccan Children and Arabic in Spanish Schools. This paper discusses classical Arabic as a minority language for Moroccan children in Spanish schools. It highlights programs of "education des langues et cultures d'origine" (ELCO), which specifically target these students. ELCO is the only public program in Spain recognizing Arabic as an immigrant minority language. Intercultural educational perspectives for Moroccans have been realized through the ELCO Moroccan program, an elementary-level effort run by the Spanish and Moroccan governments. It works to teach the Arabic language and Moroccan culture and improve immigrant students' school integration (enhancing self-esteem and reducing ethnic prejudice and ethnocentric behavior). ELCO for Moroccan immigrants is limited in Spain, and there are some drawbacks. For example, ELCO teaches classical Arabic, which is not the mother tongue for some Moroccan students. Though the official language of Morocco is classical Arabic, other languages are very important (different… [PDF]
(1997). Sunflower/Girasol: Spanish/English Elementary School Science Activity Curriculum. Evaluation of the Educational Efficacy of the Plant and Water Units. The Sunflower/Girasol program is a Spanish/English bilingual science discovery program for Hispanic children in grades 2-6, designed to improve science instruction and educational opportunity for this group. The report describes the program's proposed activities and products, progress to date, and results of an evaluation of the first two units of the curriculum, on plants and water. The units were field tested in 1996 in 120 bilingual and mainstream grade 1-5 classrooms in six states and Puerto Rico. Results indicate enthusiasm on the part of teachers, and increased student interest and motivation. Most of the participating teachers had no training in use of the materials but found the activities easy to implement. A year later, a more controlled evaluation was conducted in four schools, in grades 3 and 4, with control groups using commercially available curricula. Results of this second evaluation were found to support the efficacy of the Sunflower/Girasol science curriculum… [PDF]
(2003). Revitalising Indigenous Languages in Homogenising Times. Comparative Education, v39 n2 p147-63 May. Data from three well-documented American Indian language immersion programs (teaching Navajo, Hawaiian, and Keres) and from an ongoing large comparative study of language shift/retention in six Indian school-community sites suggest that immersion schooling can serve the dual roles of promoting students' school success and revitalizing endangered indigenous languages. (Contains 88 references.) (SV)…
(2002). The Implementation of Proposition 227 in California Schools: A Critical Analysis of the Effect on Teacher Beliefs and Classroom Practices. Equity & Excellence in Education, v35 n2 p108-18 May. Explored the relationship between race and language as related to bilingual students' educational experiences. Used Latino/a critical theory, Asian American legal scholarship, and critical race theory as frameworks to examine the aftermath of California's Proposition 227. Data from teachers and administrators highlighted significant variance in implementation of Proposition 227 across and within districts. Teachers felt pressured to speed up English acquisition at any cost. English-only ideology was pervasive. (SM)…
(1988). Language Use in Standard Three Science Instruction in Urban and Rural Kenyan Schools. Kenya Journal of Education, v4 n1 p118-46. Reports a study comparing various combinations of the English language with the local language for science instruction in three Kenyan primary schools. Concludes that science concepts were acquired more effectively when English was used in combination with local language and recommends implementation of a language of instruction policy. (LS)…
(1994). Possible Influences on Bilingualism in Early ASL Acquisition. Teaching English to Deaf and Second-Language Students, v10 n2 p9-17 Spr. Examines a number of ways in which the process of natural acquisition of American Sign Language (ASL) from competent adult and child users of the language might directly enhance the learning of English. The natural acquisition of ASL, contact signing, and fingerspelling may enhance English language literacy. (45 references) (MDM)…
(1995). The Power of American Indian Parents and Communities. Bilingual Research Journal, v19 n1 p189-94 Win. Discusses the role that schools, communities, and parents can play in transmitting American Indian culture and language to Indian children, focusing on the experiences of the Hualapai Indians and Peach Springs School District in Arizona. (three references) (MDM)…
(1995). Towards a Comprehensive Language Policy: The Language of the School As a Second Language. An Ontario Perspective. Education Canada, v35 n2 p48-54,60 Sum. Suggests that Native students entering school in Ontario (Canada) are not treated equally with regard to support for or valuing of their Native language. Overviews research related to second-language instruction and provides policy recommendations for Native-language students, second-language instruction, deaf education, and developing a comprehensive second-language education policy. (LP)…
(1992). Building Optimum Learning Environments for Navajo Students. Childhood Education, v68 n3 p145-48 Spr. Offers insights into the traditional Navajo way of life, with particular emphasis on aspects of culture and language that have implications for teaching Navajo and other Native American students. (LB)…
(1992). Ciencia en Espanol. Science and Children, v29 n6 p18-19,46 Mar. A guide for teachers and librarians covering over 50 Spanish-language books that introduce children to various animals; the world around them; colors, shapes, and numbers; the universe; basic science concepts; and the process of conception, pregnancy, and birth. (MDH)…