This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Casey D. Cobb, Daan Hermans, John Clegg, Linda Guardia Jackson, Ester J. de Jong, Harry Knoors, Yanbi Hong, Paul Molyneux, Kristen Jackson Dacres, and Oksana Afitska.
(2005). Bilingual Education within the Context of English-Only Policies: Three Districts' Responses to Question 2 in Massachusetts, Educational Policy. This article describes three medium-sized districts' responses to the successful passage of an English-only ballot initiative in Massachusetts. Through interviews with bilingual directors and document analysis the study found that programmatic changes as a result of the new law were primarily limited to elementary-level transitional bilingual education programs. Key leaders' detailed knowledge of the law and commitment to bilingual education, and the local context, influenced how the state-mandated policy was translated into practice. [More] Descriptors: Bilingualism, Bilingual Education Programs, Bilingual Education
(2006). All Children Can Learn…To Speak English, Online Submission. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) mandate has pushed the debate on how to educate the limited English proficient child to the forefront. Thus, criticism abounds in several states surrounding the effectiveness of bilingual education programs in our nation's public schools. The opponents state that bilingual education is not working; it is an expensive funding pursuit for school districts; and that school children who receive such services are not performing any better academically than their peers who receive their instruction in English. On the other hand, the proponents of bilingual education claim that non-English speaking children must receive their academic instruction in their dominant language as second language acquisition learners. They need to acquire the language first before learning can result. Opponents further report that bilingual education program effectiveness in our schools is greatly misunderstood, and the increase of anti-immigrant sentiment and resentment toward special treatment for minority groups in our country has impacted the support of the English Only movement. This article takes a look at the historical background of bilingual education and the impact of the English Only movement. In the article, the author reviews briefly both sides of the debate. [More] Descriptors: Resentment, Federal Legislation, Instructional Effectiveness, Bilingual Education
(2006). Shaping a Borderland Professional Identity: Funds of Knowledge of a Bilingual Education Teacher, Teacher Education and Practice. This study is an attempt to tell the story of a Mexican American bilingual education teacher whose professional and personal life spans the beginning of modern bilingual education to the present atmosphere of "accountability." Her voice connects the macro and micro aspects of being a minority educator in the contested context of bilingual education in the public school system. Through examination of identity and agency formed through and in these multiple discourses, I attempt to analyze a bilingual educator's "ways of knowing," to understand resistance and transformation in the liminal space of "borderlands." Through the investigation of the epistemology of a bilingual educator, I believe that there is the possibility of gaining insight into the shaping of a professional identity and the process of teacher transformation. [More] Descriptors: Mexican Americans, Bilingual Education, Hispanic American Culture, Epistemology
(2010). Beyond English Development: Bilingual Approaches to Teaching Immigrant Students and English Language Learners, Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. Educational policies for English language learners (ELLs) tend to focus on English language acquisition. In this chapter, the authors argue that educators need to give more attention to the development of bilingualism and biliteracy to draw upon the tremendous intellectual, linguistic, and cultural resources that bilingual children bring to the schools. Bilingual education programs have the potential to develop language resources of multilingual immigrant students and ELLs that are otherwise neglected in monolingual English programs. In their call for a new educational policy agenda to meet the needs of immigrant students, C. Suarez-Orozco and Suarez-Orozco (2009) argued that all students of the 21st century should be able to function in multiple languages. They recommended that the new administration "urge more schools to implement dual-language programs that, when well designed and managed, produce excellent results to prepare competent bilingual speakers, immigrant and native alike" (C. Suarez-Orozco & Suarez-Orozco, 2009, p. 10). In this statement, the authors note the discourse around bilingual education shifting from its historical focus on compensatory education for ELLs to enrichment education for all students, a shift they explore in this chapter. In this chapter, the authors identify and explain bilingual approaches to teaching immigrant students and particularly ELLs in elementary schools. They define different program models under the umbrella term of bilingual education by first examining the sociopolitical climate in which bilingual programs are situated. Next, they explain the theoretical underpinnings and rationale for bilingual models followed by bilingual teaching practices more closely. In the fourth section, they present profiles of bilingual programs across the United States. Finally, they suggest implications for teacher education. [More] Descriptors: Models, Compensatory Education, Bilingual Education, Multilingualism
(2008). The Politics of Illegal Immigration, Bilingual Education, and the Commodity of the Post-Technological Society, Educational Forum. With the increasing number of undocumented workers entering the United States and the costs associated with educating their children, bilingual education may soon become the target of opponents of illegal immigration. Furthermore, recent leftist shifts in Latin American governments have provided an impetus for an educated biliterate population that can build bridges with these countries. This will promote safety for all who live within the Americas, protecting them from acts of aggression and terrorism while promoting commerce and shared progress. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Immigration, Undocumented Immigrants, Bilingualism
(2008). Modeling Reading Vocabulary Learning in Deaf Children in Bilingual Education Programs, Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. The acquisition of reading vocabulary is one of the major challenges for deaf children in bilingual education programs. Deaf children have to acquire a written lexicon that can effectively be used in reading. In this paper, we present a developmental model that describes reading vocabulary acquisition of deaf children in bilingual education programs. The model is inspired by Jiang's model of vocabulary development in a second language (N. Jiang, 2000, 2004a) and the hierarchical model of lexical representation and processing in bilinguals (J. F. Kroll & E. Stewart, 1988). We argue that lexical development in the written language often fossilizes and that many words deaf readers acquire will not reach the final stage of lexical development. We argue that this feature is consistent with many findings reported in the literature. Finally, we discuss the pedagogical implications of the model. [More] Descriptors: Written Language, Bilingual Education, Deafness, Vocabulary Development
(2011). Teaching and Learning in Two Languages in African Classrooms, Comparative Education. In sub-Saharan Africa, education conducted through a European language is associated with low school achievement. Both teachers and learners may often not be fluent enough to use the language as a medium of instruction. In these circumstances, both also make use of a common African language. They switch between two languages in the plenary classroom and–less commonly–learners talk in the African language when working in groups. These uses of African languages are often condemned by authorities and teachers feel uneasy about them. In other parts of the world, bilingual education is often planned, supported by authorities, underpinned by theory and its procedures well-defined. In the absence of such planning, teachers in Africa tend to generate their own creative bilingual practices. In this article we describe the extent to which this occurs, the forms it takes and the possible educational value these practices may have. We discuss the attitudes of teachers and authorities to the use of two languages. The article focuses in particular on the way low learner ability in the medium of instruction limits talk and necessitates bilingual interaction, and outlines ways in which teachers can make adjustments to the management of bilingualism in the classroom which facilitate learning in a European language. It emphasises the relative absence in African teacher education of the specialist pedagogy which learners with low ability in the medium of instruction require and proposes that bilingual education be formally recognised and promoted by authorities. [More] Descriptors: African Languages, Bilingual Education, Foreign Countries, Bilingualism
(2010). On the Relation between the Signing and Reading Skills of Deaf Bilinguals, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. In this paper, we will describe the theoretical underpinning of many bilingual education programs for deaf children: Cummins' Linguistic Interdependence theory. Then, we will review some of the studies that have been conducted on the relation between reading and signing skills, and discuss how difficult it is to interpret their findings within Cummins' framework. We will present new data on the relation between deaf children's vocabulary knowledge and morpho-syntactic skills in Sign Language of the Netherlands and spoken Dutch that imply that Cummins' theory may be too narrow as an educational model of bilingual programs for deaf children. [More] Descriptors: Sign Language, Bilingual Education, Deafness, Bilingual Education Programs
(2015). Strategic and Organisational Considerations in Planning Content and Language Integrated Learning: A Study on the Coordination between Content and Language Teachers, International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. Content and language integrated learning (CLIL) is generally recognised as a fruitful example of bilingual education. However, success in CLIL may not be straightforward and may require the establishment of coordination between content and language teachers. The aim of this study is to investigate if content and language teachers are able to plan a number of different types of coordination at the curricular level: between the foreign language (FL) subject and the content subjects, between the language subjects (L1 and FL) and between the content subjects. Lesson plans from 27 primary schools have been analysed paying attention to this three-level coordination to determine to what extent the objectives, contents and activities of the language and content subjects are common and, consequently, reflect these three types of coordination. Results show that teachers are aware of the potentiality of this three-level coordination, and that they easily coordinate objectives and contents but they find more difficulties in designing activities in a coordinated way. Results in this study thus suggest that teachers can plan effectively curricular organisation and provides useful recommendation on how this coordination should be made. [More] Descriptors: Language Teachers, Cooperating Teachers, Second Language Learning, Teaching Methods
(2010). Home Language and Educational Attainments of Ethnic Minorities in Western China, Chinese Education and Society. This paper discusses effects of home language usage on minority student educational attainment in western China. Using survey data, the author finds that non-Chinese-speaking minority students are at a disadvantage in the transition to senior secondary schools. However, their transition to junior secondary schools is even more complicated. Rural non-Chinese-speaking minority students are at the greatest disadvantage, whereas non-Chinese-speaking minority students in the northwest benefit from a relatively complete bilingual education system there. [More] Descriptors: Language Usage, Secondary Schools, Speech Communication, Bilingual Education
(2012). Educational Equity Policies and the Centralization of American Public Education: The Case of Bilingual Education, Peabody Journal of Education. Sixty years ago, federal guidelines regarding the instruction of special populations in American public schools were nonexistent. Racial minorities, language minorities, women, the poor, and those with physical and mental disabilities had not been identified as groups that needed special protections. Much has changed since then. Federal legislation that is designed to ensure that all of these groups have access to equal educational opportunities in the United States is now in place. This article examines the evolution of policies surrounding bilingual education to illustrate that the need to ensure the educational opportunities of certain student populations compelled the federal government to become more involved in the governance and oversight of American public education. The implementation of such federal "protection policies" designed to expand educational opportunities for traditionally underserved groups of students ultimately fortified and solidified the federal government's more pronounced role in public education. [More] Descriptors: Educational Strategies, Language Minorities, Equal Education, Federal Legislation
(2006). The Importance of a Theory-Informed Understanding of Additive Bilingual Education: Supporting Bilingualism and Biliteracy in a Melbourne Primary School, Babel. While Government commitments to supporting instruction in languages other than English have largely been honoured, bilingual education as a form of learning has not been widespread. Acknowledging the benefits of learning a language other than English, the most recent Australian national languages policy statement nonetheless makes no mention of bilingual education as a possible mechanism by which this or other policy goals might be achieved. As such, those primary schools offering bilingual learning opportunities for students from immigrant and refugee backgrounds operate in a sociopolitical and educational climate that offers little support for such pedagogical initiatives. The result is that these schools–even those with long-established traditions of offering bilingual education–need to remain focused on the theory-informed pedagogical principles that underpin these programs. This is essential in order that these bilingual education programs are rigorously defended in a national context that frequently undervalues linguistic and cultural diversity, and marginalises ESL issues. This article reports on one primary school setting and the perspectives students, parents, and staff have articulated recently in relation to bilingual education. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Education Programs, Cultural Pluralism, Educational Opportunities
(2010). The Prediction of Reading Levels between Second and Third Grade Limited English Proficient Students in a Bilingual Program, ProQuest LLC. The purpose of this study was to predict the third grade English reading TAKS scores while considering the same students' native language, Spanish, reading level as assessed by a state-approved reading assessment, the Evaluacion del desarrollo de la lectura (EDL), from the end of the second grade year. In addition, this study was been designed to investigate the impact of SES on LEP students' English reading performance. Research has indicated that LEP students who have developed their first language are more likely to experience success in reading in their second language (Crawford, 2004; Cummins, 1999, 2000; Escamilla, 1999). In Texas, however, there is still an ongoing debate concerning when students should be transitioned from Transitional Bilingual Education programs. Given the review of the literature, the following hypothesis was presented: Second grade Spanish reading levels and SES for LEP students in a bilingual education program will significantly predict the end of year third grade English TAKS score for these same students. A nonexperimental, quantitative design was used to address the research questions. The researcher used multiple linear regression to determine the efficacy of second grade Spanish reading level and SES in predicting third grade TAKS English reading scores. Two independent variables were used: second grade Spanish reading level and the socioeconomic status of the students' families. The dependent variable was the third grade English TAKS scores from the first administration. The sample was 84 third grade students who were Limited English Proficient who participated in the bilingual education program in one of three public schools during the 2008-2009 school year. The results of the study did not show a significant relationship between SES and TAKS, but they did show a significant relationship between EDL and TAKS. Addressing the final research question, the EDL and SES combined explain a small (9%) amount of the variability in TAKS. Recommendations are given for further longitudinal studies to be conducted in the areas of bilingual education programs, reading in a second language and socioeconomic status. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Socioeconomic Status, Reading, Second Languages, Program Effectiveness
(2010). Modernization Discourse, Academic Advocacy, and Vested Interests: The Promotion of English-Medium Instruction in Chinese Schools, International Journal of Educational Reform. Like many other developing countries around the world, China is witnessing a growing prominence of English in its school system. One immensely popular form of English provision in the country is Chinese-English bilingual education for majority-language students, which involves the varying use of English as a medium of instruction in the teaching of various school subjects. An overview of this recent development was presented in an earlier article (Hu, 2010). As its sequel, this article presents a critical analysis of the major driving forces behind the current craze for English-medium instruction in China. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Criticism, Educational Change, Foreign Countries
(2011). Program Evaluation and Strategic Language Planning at the Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, ProQuest LLC. The purpose of this study was to formulate and conduct a needs assessment identifying which present factors may contribute to the implementation of a bilingual education program using Jamaican Sign Language and Jamaican Standard English (JEBE) at The Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf, a non-governmental school serving deaf children in Jamaica. The purpose of this study was to: (1) explore the potential this program has to transition to bilingual education methodology, (2) identify key elements of language planning, and (3) develop a strategic plan for review in consideration of transition and implementation to a JSL/English bilingual program at The Caribbean Christian Centre for the Deaf. Program evaluation techniques were used to conduct a needs assessment and strategic recommendations were made. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: www.proquest.com/en-US/products/disserta… [More] Descriptors: Program Evaluation, Language Planning, Deafness, Bilingual Education