Majhanovich, Suzanne (1993). The Mainstreamed Environment in Canada: Is There a Place in French Immersion for Learning Disabled Students?, Canadian Journal of Special Education. This article reviews 30 years of experience with French immersion second-language instruction and concludes that most children with learning disabilities can benefit from the experience of a bilingual (immersion) education. For children with language handicaps who need to learn a second language, bilingual (immersion) instruction is better than traditional French instruction. Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education, French, Immersion Programs, Instructional Effectiveness

Ruiz, Nadeen T.; Figueroa, Richard A. (1995). Learning-Handicapped Classrooms with Latino Students: The Optimal Learning Environment (OLE) Project, Education and Urban Society. Describes a longitudinal research project to introduce holistic-constructivistic pedagogy into bilingual special education classrooms. The authors report the process of teacher change as teachers shifted from a medical model to a contextual-performance model for viewing abilities and disabilities, the changes in students' attitudes toward reading and writing, and student metacognition regarding effective literacy-related strategies. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Constructivism (Learning), Curriculum Development, Educationally Disadvantaged

Illinois State Board of Education, Springfield. (1983). Phase I Mandates Studies and Definition of Schooling. Final Staff Recommendations. This report synthesizes two research projects initiated by the Illinois State Board of Education on the development of a definition of schooling and on the analysis of mandates implemented by the state for special education, bilingual education, and instructional programs in elementary and secondary schools. The report is presented in five sections. An overview of the studies conducted on mandates provides the staff's impressions regarding the purposes served by the studies and establishes a context for relating schooling and the mandates that were examined. A section on schooling and the mandates presents the researchers' findings and conclusions regarding a working definition of schooling for use by the Illinois State Board of Education and also derives generalizations about the nature of schooling from an aggregate analysis of the mandate studies. A section of recommendations addresses future policy courses regarding instructional programs, driver education, physical education, special education, and bilingual education mandates. This section also notes the changes from previous recommendations and provides advice on a working definition of schooling. Finally, a summary of action recommendations encapsulates the policy judgments of the entire report.   [More]  Descriptors: Definitions, Educational Objectives, Elementary Secondary Education, Policy Formation

Texas Education Agency, Austin. (2000). The Texas Successful Schools Study: Quality Education for Limited English Proficient Students. A study by the Texas Education Agency examined the variables contributing to the academic success of economically disadvantaged and language minority students. Data were collected from seven high-achieving elementary schools with high poverty rates and high percentages of limited English proficient (LEP) students via teacher questionnaires; interviews with teachers, administrators, and parents; classroom observations; and an analysis of LEP students' performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Findings indicate that these effective schools had clear missions, high expectations for success, principals that were instructional leaders, frequent monitoring of student progress, an emphasis on instructional focus and time on task, a safe environment, and good relations with parents. Each of the school's principals had a master's degree and extensive training and certification in bilingual education and English as a second language (ESL). All teachers of LEP students were bilingual or ESL certified. Both Spanish and English were used for direct instruction and were given equal prestige. Teachers collaborated on developing integrated curricula. Phonics lessons were reinforced through technology, and manipulatives were used extensively in teaching math and science. There was a strong focus on integrating test skills practice into curriculum delivery. Teachers were supported with staff development. After-school tutoring and enrichment were present at all seven schools. Case studies of the seven study sites are presented, followed by detailed data on student performance. Seven appendices present study scope, design, and methodology; enrollment and teacher statistics; staff characteristics; composite study results; student performance analysis; study questionnaire; and evaluation form. (Contains 62 references)   [More]  Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Case Studies, Disadvantaged Youth

Schultz, Jeffrey D., Ed.; Haynie, Kerry L., Ed.; McCulloch, Anne M., Ed.; Aoki, Andrew L., Ed. (2000). Encyclopedia of Minorities in American Politics. Volume 1: African Americans and Asian Americans. The American Political Landscape Series. The last 30 years of U.S. political history have seen dramatic strides in the impact that minorities play in U.S. politics. This first volume of a two-volume set addresses the historical and contemporary impact of two of the largest minority groups in the United States. Divided into two sections, the encyclopedia addresses the political struggles of African Americans and Asian Americans. The work draws attention to those events, people, and ideas that have shaped, and will continue to shape, the political dialogue of a diverse country. The entries cover people, events, court cases, movements, and organizations that have shaped the political struggles of these 2 groups. Longer entries address some of the key issues that face minorities in U.S. politics today. These "issue entries," such as those on affirmative action, immigration, bilingual education, and political participation were written to give context to current politics and to show how these issues might be resolved. For example, the entry for education identifies Booker T. Washington, the Tuskegee Institute, and W.E.B. DuBois. The passage also discusses Brown v. Board of Education, de facto segregation, and separate but equal. Every entry has a bibliography that can serve as the next step for further research by the user of the volumes. In addition to bibliographies, entries are cross-referenced internally through the use of bold-faced type and "See also" listings at the end of the entry to offer other areas the reader may want to investigate. Appendixes include reprints of selected important documents and speeches; a directory of organizations that are directly or indirectly involved in politics is provided for each minority group; and a timeline. Descriptors: Asian Americans, Blacks, Citizenship, Civil Rights

Burkett, Ruth S., Ed.; Macy, Michelle, Ed.; White, James A., Ed.; Feyten, Carine M., Ed. (2001). Preservice Teacher Education. [SITE 2001 Section]. This document contains the papers on preservice teacher education from the SITE (Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education) 2001 conference. Topics covered include: preparing tomorrow's teachers; insights for pre-service teachers about computer use; geographic information systems in teacher education; digital cameras in education; integrating technology in research courses for preservice teachers; a computer-assisted coeducational and transdisciplinary experience; technology integration in reading and science; preservice teachers' experiences in a technology-rich urban K-12 school setting; unique collaborations in preservice teacher programs; the evolution of a curriculum in technology and pedagogy; multiple delivery systems; a Holocaust World Wide Web site; creating collegial networks; cooperative teaching and learning in information technology (IT) and modern foreign languages; analyzing bilingual education preservice teachers' learning outcomes in a computer literacy course; the next generation of professional development; the role of IT in the classroom and its implications for preservice teacher education; a planning model for integrating technology and educational methodologies in the preservice teacher education program; curriculum models for computing and IT; economics, information literacy, and teacher education; constructivist use of technology; understanding the leadership role in promoting reading outside the classroom; technological capacities of distance education teachers; standards-based reflection; anchored instruction using WebQuests in post-baccalaureate teacher education courses; virtual learning, Web videos, and elementary mathematics teacher education; teacher education changes, transitions, and substitutions; graphic representations for learning; observations of the computer use of preservice teachers; using Dreamweaver 3 for generating preservice Web-based teaching portfolios; perceptions of preservice teachers' technology competency skills in Arizona; learning with Internet resources; culture clash in the college classroom; using multimedia and technology to teach mathematics and science; preparing teachers to succeed in online professional development courses; empowering teacher through cognitive literacy skills development; teacher preparation and online learning; addressing teacher concerns toward technology; technological tools and mathematical guided discovery; the R.O.A.D. (Read, Own, Apply, Discuss) system for enhancing teacher professional growth; building a professional cyberspace community; Internet use in teacher education; student teacher educational technology use; a collaborative teacher preparation technology project; educational technology at the University of Florida; assessing faculty attitudes toward information technology; a collaborative approach to integrating technology and information literacy in preservice teacher education; PT3 (Preparing Tomorrow's Teachers to use Technology) first year accomplishments; reducing distances between colleges via Web CT; technology and problem-based learning; effectiveness of an exemption exam for an introductory educational technology course; and a computer endorsement program. Most papers contain references.   [More]  Descriptors: Computer Uses in Education, Curriculum Development, Educational Technology, Elementary Secondary Education

Australia Parliament, Canberra. Senate Employment, Workplace Relations, Small Business and Education References Committee. (2000). Katu Kalpa: Report on the Inquiry into the Effectiveness of Education and Training Programs for Indigenous Australians. An inquiry into Indigenous education by an Australian Senate committee examined government reports produced in 1989-99 and conducted school site visits and public hearings. During the inquiry, it became clear that educational equity for Indigenous people had not been achieved, and Indigenous participation and achievement rates lagged behind those of the non-Indigenous population in most sectors. Much of the inquiry focused on rural and remote regions, where Indigenous people have limited access to education. Chapter 1 of this report provides an overview of Indigenous educational policies, historical context, issues of self-determination and community control of schools, and educational funding. Other chapters discuss the evolution of a national Indigenous education policy; social and community issues (poverty, kinship, cultural differences, child rearing, attitudes toward schooling and work, low school attendance, racism, alcoholism, family problems, crime and imprisonment); curriculum issues (inclusion of Aboriginal culture and language, status of Aboriginal English, "two-way" education, mainstream educational reforms, use of technology); literacy education, bilingual education, and the teaching of Aboriginal languages; teacher education (lack of Indigenous teachers and staff, community-based teacher training, rural recruitment and retention, salaries, teaching conditions, specific training for teaching Indigenous students); postsecondary education (vocational education and training, adult education, higher education); impact of health on education (inadequate health care, Indigenous health problems, otitis media, community health education, malnutrition); and cultural diversity and differences in educational needs across remote, rural, and urban areas. Recommendations are presented in each chapter. Appendices list goals of the Aboriginal Education Policy, submissions received, witnesses at public hearings, site visits, and acronyms.   [More]  Descriptors: Aboriginal Australians, Attendance, Bilingual Education, Child Health

Baca, Leonard, Ed.; And Others (1985). Exceptional Hispanic Children and Youth Annual Symposium (3rd, Denver, Colorado, June 20-21, 1985). Monograph Series, Volume 6, Number 1. The monograph presents eight papers delivered at the 1985 symposium on exceptional Hispanic children and youth. R. Rueda and J. Mercer begin with "A Predictive Analysis of Decision-Making Practices with Limited English Proficient Handicapped Students" which examines the generalizability of a path model to the referral process in two urban districts. J. Cummins follows with a discussion of the importance of the societal context in "Psychological Assessment of Minority Students: Out of Context, Out of Focus, Out of Control?" Traditional assessment practices and attempts to alter them for minority and/or culturally different students are covered in "The Assessment of the Bilingual Exceptional Child: Trends and Models" by L. Maheady. E. Duran then describes "A Model Program Serving Severely Handicapped and Autistic Students of Limited and Non-English Competencies." Administrator education is the focus of a paper by E. Brizzi and A. Gromfin "The Bilingual Special Education Administration Intern Project: New Partnerships in Training." J. Rodriguez reviews another such program, at Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts), in "The College Response to Bilingual Special Education: Training Program for Faculty and Administrators." In two concluding papers, A. Barona analyzes "The Role of a National Task Force on Bilingual Special Education," and J. Yates presents "An Overview of Research in Bilingual Special Education." An Inventory of Materials Displayed at the NCBE/BUENO Materials Exchange, the symposium's agenda, and a list of symposium participants concludes the document. Descriptors: Administrator Education, Cultural Differences, Demonstration Programs, Disabilities

Esquivel, Giselle B.; Yoshida, Roland K. (1985). Special Education for Language Minority Students, Focus on Exceptional Children. The article reviews research on bilingual special education in terms of instruction for language academic achievement (with information on such topics as increased learning time and the role of motivation) and instruction for developing social skills (the effects of poverty, cultural transition, and school failure). Descriptors: Disabilities, Elementary Secondary Education, Interpersonal Competence, Language Acquisition

Boston Public Schools, MA. Dept. of Implementation. (1984). Student Assignment Information, 1984-1985. Boston Public Schools. This booklet provides parents and students with information about individual schools and programs within the Boston Public School system. The first section answers common questions about enrollment procedures, school assignments, bilingual education programs, kindergarten, transportation eligibility, family changes of address, and parent involvement in the schools. In the next section, the Boston Public Schools' division into districts (I-VIII) is explained to show how the family's address determines child placement. The districts' separate programs are briefly described and their equality in status and quality to those offered in City-Wide School District IX is asserted. District IX schools are described in the next section. These are Magnet Schools, each of which is based on a major theme, and each of which may enroll students from all over the city. Magnet Programs and Special Programs are outlined in the next section; detailed are programs in vocational education, health careers, business education, international studies and language, college preparation, and the arts. The Hubert H. Humphrey Occupational Resource Center, one of the largest vocational education facilities in the country, receives special attention. Other services and programs offered by the Boston Public schools are described next, with specific information on bilingual education, Student Support Services, the Boston School Improvement Program, and the School Based Management project. The booklet concludes with a directory to the school districts which includes names, addresses, and breakdown on special programs and affiliations of each district. Descriptors: Elementary Secondary Education, Magnet Schools, Program Descriptions, Public Schools

Dudley-Marling, Curt, Ed.; Edelsky, Carole, Ed. (2001). The Fate of Progressive Language Policies and Practices. Noting that progressive language policies have encountered and will always encounter fierce resistance, this book presents a collection of essays by progressive language educators, theorists, and policymakers that reflect on the fate of progressive language practices and policies. Part 1 comprises three contextualizing chapters that provide a theoretical and historical backdrop. The "insider" stories of part 2 show how local activity plays a major role in determining the outcomes of projects. Essays in part 1, Progressive Language Projects: Some Framing Issues, are: (1) "Turn, Turn, Turn: Language Education, Politics, and Freedom at the Turn of Three Centuries" (Patrick Shannon); (2) "Progressivism, Critique, and Socially Situated Minds" (James Paul Gee); and (3) "What Is Progressive about Progressive Education?" (John Willinsky). Essays in part 2, Progressive Language Projects: Some Stories, are: (4) "Schooling Disruptions: The Case of Critical Literacy" (Barbara Comber, Phil Cormack, and Jennifer O'Brien); (5) "Desegregation versus Bilingual Education: The Struggles of a School Community" (Caryl Gottlieb Crowell and Robert C. Wortman); (6) "The Struggle for Fratney School" (Bob Peterson); (7) "The Dool School Story" (Jane S. Carpenter and Elena R. Castro); (8) "A Dual Language Program in Phoenix and How It Grew" (John W. Wann, Irma Rivera-Figueroa, Juan Sierra, Brenda Harrell, and Martha R. Arrieta); (9) "Power, Politics, and the Demise of Progressive Education" (Frank Serafini and Carolyn J. Rogers); (10) "Politics and the English Language Arts" (Sheridan Blau); (11) "First-Language Support in the Curriculum" (Nanci Goldman, Joyce Rogers, and Brian A. Smith); (12) "The Rainbow Curriculum: Politics over the Rainbow" (Barbara Gerard); (13) "Two News, Two Views of Toronto Schools: Learning from Broadcast News (or, Lessons on Becoming Articulate)" (Don Dippo); (14) "Sexism in English: A Good News/Bad News Story" (Alleen Pace Nilsen); (15) "'Students' Right to Their Own Language': A Retrospective" (Geneva Smitherman); (16) "In a Contact Zone: Incongruities in the Assessment of Complex Performances of English Teaching Designed for the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards" (Anthony R. Petrosky and Ginette Delandshere); and (17) "The International Problems of Shifting from One Literacy to Another" (Miles A. Myers).    [More]  Descriptors: Bilingual Education Programs, Elementary Secondary Education, English Instruction, Language Arts

Fischer, Louis; Schimmel, David; Stellman, Leslie (2003). Teachers and the Law. Sixth Edition. This book is about teachers and the laws that affect them. New to this sixth edition are new court cases and a chapter that highlights likely controversies in the coming years, including school choice, high-stakes testing, control of the Internet, and gang clothing. The book is divided into two parts. Part I, "The Legal Aspects of Teaching," addresses questions related to teacher contracts, dismissals, tenure, collective bargaining, liability, child abuse, defamation, and copyright laws. Part II, "Teachers' and Students' Rights," explores legal issues related to the scope and limits of personal freedom of expression, covering such topics as religion and conscience, personal appearance, due process, privacy, homeschooling, bilingual and multicultural education, student records, sex and racial discrimination, free speech, and academic freedom. The book follows a question-and-answer format. Most of the questions and answers are based on reported court cases. Each chapter begins with an overview and ends with a summary and endnotes. Included in appendices are selected provisions of the U.S. Constitution, a summary of major civil laws affecting schools, and a list of legal resources for teachers. The book also contains a glossary, a selected bibliography, and a subject index. Descriptors: Academic Freedom, Collective Bargaining, Contract Salaries, Copyrights

San Diego City Schools, CA. (1972). Materiales en Marcha para el Esfuerzo Bilingue–Bicultural (Materials on the March for the Promotion of Bilingualism/Biculturalism), December 1972. This newsletter seeks to promote the concept of bilingual-cultural education. Among its articles are "Political Power and Bilingualism,""Saturday Fun for Joao and Maria,""Student Selected Geography Texts," and "To Become Aware of One's Reality." Included is a list of distributors of educational materials in Spanish and Portuguese. Some of the articles appear both in Spanish and English. Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingualism, Cultural Awareness, English (Second Language)

Yanez Cossio, Consuelo (1991). The Implementation of Language Policy: The Case of Ecuador, International Review of Education/Internationale Zeitschrift fuer Erziehungswissenschaft/Revue Internationale de Pedagogie. Traces the development of Ecuador's program of indigenous bilingual intercultural education. Describes the acceptance of a common alphabet for all indigenous languages; the "Macac" educational model; and the creation of bilingual primary and secondary schools and teacher training colleges. Stresses the importance of intercultural exchange. Descriptors: Cultural Pluralism, Educational Policy, Government Role, Indigenous Populations

Sharkey, Judy (2000). School Policies and Practices as Roadblocks to Academic Success. This brief paper (a 9-page copy of remarks delivered at the panel) was presented as part of a panel on identifying the factors that impede the academic success of English language learners. It is a descriptive study of the students at a large public high school (2,300 students with an English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) population of 50) in central Pennsylvania. Two areas that affect students' academic success focused on in this paper are the absence of teacher certification in bilingual ESL education in Pennsylvania and the tendency to place English language learners in lower-track classes. Examples of these phenomena are described in some detail and followed by explanations of how and why negative consequences occur for the learners. One reference, a previous article by the author, is included.   [More]  Descriptors: English (Second Language), High School Students, High Schools, Interviews