This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Marylin Low, Yvonne Freeman, Carmen Simich-Dudgeon, Commission for International Adult Education, Mary Ann Zehr, Criss Jones Diaz, Elizabeth Howard, Susan C. Baker, Carolyn Temple Adger, and Richard Clement.
(2005). The Language Question in Pacific Education: The Case of the Republic of the Marshall Islands. Research Brief, Pacific Resources for Education and Learning (PREL). This paper uses a sociohistorical lens to examine complex issues surrounding language-in-education policy in Micronesia. It is motivated by the realization that language policy and practice in this region, like many other parts of the world significantly impacted by outside contact, rarely align. This is especially evident in contexts where demands for English have already established themselves and an increasingly global agenda of schools as a primary support to the process of modernization and marketing of the nation-state is firmly in place. Drawing on an example of language policy review from the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), we consider community expectations through various perspectives of local stakeholders as shared in public discussion of language issues in Pacific education. The review raises difficult questions brought into play when persuasive globalizing forces that stress the need to learn English come in contact with a more context-oriented language agenda at home. [More] [More] Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Language of Instruction, Educational Policy, English (Second Language)
(1998). Preparing Secondary Education Teachers To Work with English Language Learners: English Language Arts. NCBE Resource Collection Series, No. 10. This document examines the education of secondary level English language learners within mainstream language arts classes. It provides teachers and teacher educators with an understanding of how mainstream language arts instruction can be designed and implemented to enhance academic achievement for these students. Research for this report included an extensive search of various databases and World Wide Web sites; analysis of the national content standards documents for language arts and three other core areas; site visits to a suburban high school that used a team teaching approach to working with English language learners enrolled in mainstream classes; and personal interviews with education faculty at George Washington University who are responsible for preparing preservice teachers for secondary level mainstream instruction. After an introduction, the first section discusses making English language arts accessible to the English language learner by respecting student diversity, selecting appropriate texts, and making literature more comprehensible. The second section focuses on implementing a whole language approach. This includes encouraging students to maintain the native language and providing a balanced writing program. The third section discusses characteristics of sound assessments for English language learners. The fourth section discusses preparing mainstream teachers to work with English language learner students, examining components of an effective teacher preparation curriculum. (Contains 31 references.) [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Students, Diversity (Student), English (Second Language), Evaluation Methods
(1998). Preparing Secondary Education Teachers To Work with English Language Learners: Science. NCBE Resource Collection Series, No. 11. This document examines the education of secondary level English language learners within mainstream science classes. It provides teachers and teacher educators with an understanding of how mainstream science instruction can be designed and implemented to enhance academic achievement for these students. Research for this report included an extensive search of various databases and World Wide Web sites; analysis of the national content standards documents for science and three other core areas; site visits to a suburban high school that used a team teaching approach to working with English language learners enrolled in mainstream classes; and personal interviews with education faculty at George Washington University who are responsible for preparing preservice teachers for secondary level mainstream instruction. After an introduction, the first section discusses National Science Education Standards and the English language learner, focusing on: involving students in scientific inquiry; advocating for a less is more curriculum; teaching the language of science; making oral and written language comprehensible; teaching problem solving and learning strategies; using appropriate assessment; and using a three-tiered approach to science instruction for English language learners. The second section discusses the preparation of mainstream teachers to work with English language learner students. (Contains 38 references.) [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Students, Comprehension, Curriculum Development, Diversity (Student)
(2005). In the Classroom: What's a Teacher to Do?, Gifted Child Today. This article describes the experiences of a second grade teacher who teaches in a heterogeneous bilingual classroom in a large district, and his assignment in a graduate class to conduct action research. This teacher was concerned about the academic performance and motivation of two gifted, but underachieving Hispanic boys in his class. Both of the students had been identified as gifted, based upon high scores on standardized and non verbal tests. Each demonstrated high cognitive ability both mathematically and verbally. After nearly a full year in the second grade class, both students had shown varying degrees of interest in learning and self-discipline. There was an apparent discrepancy between their scores on standardized tests and their actual performance on daily work in the classroom. They quite often seemed to coast and attempt to get by with the barest minimum of effort. Having looked at research that says "untreated" underachievement becomes an entrenched behavior, one that is increasingly difficult to correct, this teacher, determined not to let that happen to these two students, developed a two part strategy for teaching these gifted students involving giving these two boys two different types of assignments. The first would be traditional, teacher-directed, theme-based assignments as a normal course of study for the class. The second would be a self selected, self-directed independent research project. The conclusion of this project was that not much changed during the 5 week project on the standard classroom assignment, however, the self-directed project, seemed to be a huge success. The students exhibited greater persistence, drive, interest, creativity, and more dynamic creation of product. This action research demonstrated the difference a teacher can make–one who views students as individuals, who gives them personal interest, and is involved. [More] [More] Descriptors: Hispanic American Students, Males, Academically Gifted, Bilingual Education
(2005). Hispanic Individuals in Their Communities: An Untapped Resource for Increasing the Bilingual Teacher Population, Journal of Hispanic Higher Education. The shortage of teachers in pre-K-12 schools includes a serious shortage of bilingual teachers. Based on the findings of several research studies, the authors suggest that Hispanic bilingual adults in communities with populations of pre-K-12 students who are English-language learners are an untapped resource. The authors offer suggestions for designing programs that recruit and retain Hispanic individuals from their communities to become fully credentialed bilingual teachers. [More] Descriptors: Bilingualism, Bilingual Teachers, Bilingual Education, Hispanic Americans
(2001). Multilingual Literacies in the Primary Classroom: Making the Connections. This report explores how students' multilingual literacies can become part of everyday classroom practices. It discusses the contribution made by the home language in English language learning and literacy by highlighting the connections between languages in mainstream classroom settings. The strategies highlighted here focus on the representation of languages other than English. An overview of multilingual resources, including bilingual books, electronic resources, and software, is provided. Extensive lists of bookstores; resource centers and libraries; CD-ROMs, interactive stories, and videos; and foreign language Web sites available in Australia are also provided. (Contains 25 references.) [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Education Programs, Class Activities, Classroom Techniques
(2005). Dual Language Education: A Promising 50-50 Model, Bilingual Research Journal. Dual language education programs have become extremely popular. Although these programs share common characteristics, they vary in several respects. Programs use different languages and include students with varying characteristics. For instance, many of these programs include students with fluent English proficiency and those with limited English proficiency; students identified with learning disabilities and those who are gifted; and students who are economically advantaged and those who are disadvantaged. Two basic dual language program models are the 90-10 and 50-50 models. This article describes a unique 50-50 model that divides language of instruction by content area as well as by time. The model has been successfully implemented in regions with high concentrations of Latino students. It does not require a 50-50 balance of native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. In addition to describing the model, the authors report results of standardized tests, administered in English, that indicate that students in schools following this model are achieving high levels of academic proficiency in reading and mathematics. [More] Descriptors: Teaching Methods, Bilingual Education, Language of Instruction, Immersion Programs
(2005). The Political Spectacle of Arizona's Proposition 203, Educational Policy. Arizona's Proposition 203 places restrictions on bilingual and English-as-a-second-language programs and essentiality mandates English-only education for English language learners (ELLs). This article provides an analysis of this initiative and the wide variations in its interpretation and implementation. Data sources include official policy and related documents, media coverage, and observations of key policy events. The findings provide evidence that Proposition 203 and its implementation are political spectacle, rather than democratic rationale policy making with true concern for ELL students. The analysis focuses on the components of the political spectacle framework evident in the initiative, its campaign(s), and its implementation, including the use of symbolic language, the use of plots and story lines, the creation of leaders (heroes) and enemies, the evoking of symbols of rationality, and distinctions between on-stage and off-stage actions. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for English language learners in Arizona. [More] Descriptors: Second Language Learning, English (Second Language), Bilingual Education Programs, Immersion Programs
(2005). Media Effects on Ethnic Identity among Linguistic Majorities and Minorities: A Longitudinal Study of a Bilingual Setting, Human Communication Research. Research on media effects has documented the media's influence on beliefs and behavior while cross-cultural psychology has documented the effects of the language used in communication on identification with the ingroup and the outgroup. Media usage in the outgroup language should, therefore, affect identification patterns. This research investigates media effects in the acculturation process through a longitudinal design involving minority and majority group members evolving in the same bilingual environment. Subjects were Francophone students (N = 235) from minority and majority settings attending a bilingual (French-English) university. Results revealed that majority students increased significantly written and public media consumption in English whereas minority students increased French written media consumption. Furthermore, increased usage of English written and audiovisual media was related to identity changes in favour of the Anglophone group. Finally, path analysis emphasized the mediating role played by English language confidence and the determining role of ethnolinguistic vitality. [More] Descriptors: Identification (Psychology), Minority Groups, Linguistics, Acculturation
(1998). Classroom Strategies for Encouraging Collaborative Discussion, Directions in Language and Education. Classroom teaching methods and activities designed to encourage collaborative communication between teacher and students and among students in the English-as-a-second-language (ESL), bilingual, or mainstream class containing English language learners (ELLs) are presented. The approach is intended to reduce the teacher-controlled nature of interactions and promote active language use. Two verbal-interactive academic activities found to be especially effective in developing an environment for collaborative talk are described. The first is the use of classroom interaction methods involving ELL students in interaction not just as respondents but as active participants in the negotiation of meaning. Several ways of organizing verbal interaction are discussed and compared. The second method is the use of storytelling activities in which ELLs can take advantage of their own experiences and cultural traditions to develop "oracy" and literacy concepts and skills across the curriculum. Techniques the teacher can use to support ELLs' oral language development and link storytelling with other skill areas are offered. Contains 31 references and a list of 47 instructional resources for teachers. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Classroom Communication, Classroom Techniques, Cooperation
(2005). Supporting Oral Second Language Use: A Learning Experience in a First Grade German Immersion Class, Early Childhood Education Journal. This article describes a learning context in which the first grade classroom teacher creates a learning community where she uses different teaching strategies to encourage children's second language use and learning. The first graders share, discuss, and learn both the second language (German) and content. [More] Descriptors: Oral Language, Second Language Learning, German, Grade 1
(2005). How Census 2000 Data Suggest Hostility toward Mexican-Origin Arizonians, Bilingual Research Journal. Using the Arizona 5% Public Use Microdata Sample (PUMS) from the 2000 U.S. Census, we compare language-related figures for the Mexican-origin population with those for the total population. Additionally, we compare place of birth and educational attainment data for Mexican-origin persons who speak Spanish at home with those who speak English-only to provide a fuller characterization of these groupings. The 5% PUMS files contain individual records of responses to census questionnaires representing a 5% sample of the occupied and vacant housing units in Arizona and the persons in the occupied units. Our purpose is to more fully characterize the Arizona population to assist in improving education, language, and legal policy in the state, and we conclude that current legal, language, and education initiatives, such as efforts to impose an official English language and to restrict native languages in schools, are at odds with population figures and may signal hostility toward Mexican-origin Arizonians. [More] Descriptors: Mexican Americans, Housing, Official Languages, Educational Attainment
(2005). Oklahoma District Picks Path Less Followed for English-Learners, Education Week. In a demographic shift that is ahead of the state as a whole, but representative of many small towns in the region, Hispanics make up nearly 27 percent of the enrollment in the 800-student Hennessey school district, up from 18.2 percent in the 2000-2001 school year. In response to those changes, the district has adjusted how it teaches English-language learners, largely banishing the sink-or-swim approach. The district is one of four in Oklahoma–and one of the few rural school districts in the region–to launch a two-way language-immersion program. In such programs, children from English- and Spanish-language backgrounds study together to learn both languages. This article describes how the district's choice of two-way language immersion instead of English-as-a-second-language instruction, which is by far the most common approach throughout Oklahoma and other states in the region, is paying off. [More] Descriptors: Rural Schools, Immersion Programs, Bilingual Students, Limited English Speaking
(2005). The Two-Way Immersion Toolkit, Education Alliance at Brown University. This Toolkit is meant to be a resource for teachers, parents, and administrators involved with two-way immersion (TWI) programs, particularly those at the elementary level. Two-way immersion is a form of dual language instruction that brings together students from two native language groups for language, literacy, and academic content instruction through two languages. In the United States, these two groups are native English language speakers and native speakers of another language, usually Spanish. Because of the integrated nature of the programs and the fact that instruction is provided to all students through both languages, TWI programs allow students to be both language learners and language models for their peers. This Toolkit is composed of three segments that address program design and planning, classroom instruction, and parental involvement, respectively. The classroom instruction segment includes a Question & Answer (Q&A) document on teaching in TWI programs; model lesson plans that show how best practices are implemented in the TWI classroom; a study guide to facilitate the use of the Q&A document and model lessons for professional development; and additional resources on effective instructional practices in TWI programs. The parental involvement segment includes an overview of two-way immersion, a Q&A document that addresses questions and concerns that parents frequently have, a home-school communication template designed to help classroom teachers facilitate strong home-school connections, and additional resources that include suggested readings on parent involvement in two-way immersion programs and links to resources that parents may find useful. All of the parent materials are available in Spanish as well as English. Student Study Team Red Folder Process: Early Intervention for Struggling Students and Identification Process for Students with Learning Differences is appended. A glossary is also included. [More] Descriptors: Native Speakers, Immersion Programs, English (Second Language), Bilingual Education
(2012). Proceedings of the CIAE Pre-Conference (61st, Las Vegas, Nevada, November 4-6, 2012). The Commission on International Adult Education (CIAE) of the American Association for Adult and Continuing Education (AAACE) provides a forum for the discussion of international issues related to adult education in general, as well as adult education in various countries around the globe. The following purposes summarize the work of the Commission: (1) To develop linkages with adult education associations in other countries; (2) To encourage exchanges between AAACE and associations from other countries; (3) To invite conference participation and presentations by interested adult educators around the world; and (4) To discuss how adult educators from AAACE and other nations may cooperate on projects of mutual interest and benefit to those served. The Commission holds its annual meeting in conjunction with the AAACE conference. The following papers are presented at the 2012 CIAE Pre-Conference: (1) Religious Rites and Celebrations As Frameworks for Lifelong Learning in Traditional Africa (Mejai B.M. Avoseh); (2) A Confucian Model for Scholarly Development (Elizabeth Anne Erichsen and Qi Sun); (3) The Use of Learning the Contract Within a University Setting in an Italian University (Monica Fedeli, Ettore Felisatti, and Mario Giampaolo); (4) The Cross-Culture Readiness Exposure Scale (CRES) (Emmanuel Jean Francois); (5) International History and Philosophy of Andragogy: Abbreviated for 2012 with Newer Perspective and Insights (John A. Henschke); (6) Exploring Cross-Cultural Learning Styles Differences of African and American Adult Learners (Alex Kumi-Yeboah and Waynne James); (7) An Educational Preparatory Program for Active Aging: Preliminary Results Based on Proactive Coping Theory (Ya-Hui Lee, Hui-Chuan Wei, Yu Fen Hsiao, Liang-Yi Chang, and Chen-Yi Yu); (8) Global Work Competencies and the Identification and Selection of Candidates for Expatriate Assignments (Arthur Ray McCrory); (9) Adult Education/Learning in South Africa: Promises and Challenges (Matata Johannes Mokoele); (10) Cross-Cultural Use of Surveys and Instruments in International Research: Lessons Learned From A Study in Turkey and the United States (Claudette M. Peterson, Anita Welch, Mustafa Cakir, and Chris M. Ray); (11) English Only? English-Only Policies, Multilingual Education and its Ramifications on Global Workforce Productivity (Orlando A. Pizana and Alex Kumi-Yeboah); (12) Reflections On A Research Experience at an International Treasure: The Alexander N. Charters Library of Resources for Educators of Adults (Lori Risley); (13) Bridging Adult Education Between East and West: Critical Reflection and Examination of Western Perspectives on Eastern Reality (Qi Sun and Elizabeth Anne Erichsen); (14) The Challenges and Prospects of Adult Education Programmes in Nigerian Universities (Nneka A. Umezulike); (15) The Perceived Impact of Women for Women International (WFWI) Non-formal Learning Programmes for Rural Women in Nigeria (Loretta C. Ukwuaba and Nneka A. Umezulike); (16) Perceptions of Needed Attitudinal Competencies Compared by Geographical Region (Helena Wallenberg-Lerner and Waynne B. James); (17) Identifying Intercultural Sensitivity Competencies Through Focus Group Research (Melanie L. Wicinski and Arthur Ray McCrory); and (18) Measuring Intercultural Sensitivity at the Army Medical Department Center and School: The IRB Process–Challenges and Lessons Learned (Roberta E. Worsham and Melanie L. Wicinski). Individual papers contain figures, tables, references and footnotes. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Foreign Countries, Lifelong Learning, Religion