This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Cheryl Stanley, Jeanne Lopez-Valadez, Tucson. Arizona Univ., Washington Office of Education (DHEW), Linda M. Cohen, Santa Fe. Assessment New Mexico State Dept. of Education, Jack Lyday, Ruth Love Holloway, Michael Strong, and Trenton. New Jersey State Dept. of Education.
(1998). ASL Proficiency and English Literacy within a Bilingual Deaf Education Model of Instruction, Topics in Language Disorders. Examines the theoretical models and arguments in the debate concerning possible relationships between natural sign language proficiency and English literacy. It presents findings of a study with 155 school-aged deaf children that supported such a connection. Descriptors: American Sign Language, Bilingualism, Deafness, Elementary Secondary Education
(1982). Impact of Indochinese Refugees on California Community Colleges. A study was conducted to assess the impact of Indochinese refugees on the California community colleges through the identification of the number of refugees, a description of their needs, and an analysis of the resulting implications for college programs and budgets. Findings, based on existing data from the colleges and state and federal agencies, included the following: (1) 34% or 192,000 of the Indochinese refugees in the United States were residing in California; (2) the main reasons for settling in California were family reunification, climate, support services and communities, and an urban cosmopolitan environment; (3) 45% of the refugees were 17 or younger and 39% were between 18 and 34 years of age; (4) 65% of the refugee population was receiving public assistance as of March 1981; (5) an estimated 41,448 refugees enrolled in California community colleges in fall 1981, representing a 41.6% increase over fall 1980 figures and accounting for 15% of college enrollment growth; and (6) 80% of those enrolled were taking six or more units and nearly 55% were attending college full time. The impact on college programs has been felt most in the areas of English as a Second Language, student services, and in the need for additional staff, services, and programs. Study conclusions emphasize the important role of community colleges in providing bilingual and vocational education and their inability to fully meet refugee needs within existing budget restrictions. Data tables are appended. Descriptors: Adults, College Attendance, Community Colleges, English (Second Language)
(1982). The Education of Ethnic Subgroups in Contemporary Hungary. Hungarian state policy affecting ethnic minorities (Slovaks, Germans, Croatians, Rumanians, Serbians, and other groups) has been greatly influenced by political and social developments in the country. The pluralist perspective that Hungary has maintained throughout most of its history dates back to King Istvan I's 11th century admonition that foreigners increase a country's strength. With the rise of modern nationalism in the mid-19th century, the multiethnic policy was temporarily abandoned in favor of assimilationist concerns. The recent return to pluralism largely resulted from Hungary's dependence on the support of its national minorities during the 1956 Hungarian revolution. Current policy, which sees minorities as links to neighboring socialist states, requires the acceptance of diversity and the rejection of forced assimilation of ethnic groups. This policy is supported by constitutional provisions and other legislation, and has been translated in education in the form of programs designed to integrate rather than assimilate national minorities. The abandonment of the "automatism" stance (the assumption that minority problems would be automatically overcome with the advent of a socialist regime) in favor of deliberate planning resulted in dramatic improvements in minority education, bilingual and minority language instruction, and other minority cultural and educational activities. Whether Hungary will continue to move toward multiculturalism will depend on the country's educational/cultural administrators. Descriptors: Bilingualism, Continuing Education, Cultural Activities, Cultural Pluralism
(1977). Primer for Community Education. Continuous recent Teacher Corps involvement with community-based education has led to a conceptual framework for implementing programs. This framework results in better delivery of services to the community through grass roots community development and the use of school facilities for providing programs. The major role of the community coordinator is to make community residents aware of their needs and to stimulate and coordinate the existing community resources. The coordinator should develop a strong and effective process model and establish school-community and interagency councils. As they develop confidence and experience, these councils gradually become responsible for maintaining an effective community education program. The school-community council can use task forces, a site coordinator, interns, aides, volunteers, institutions of higher learning, state agencies, and the business community to promote program development. A sequential system consisting of needs assessment, goal setting, establishing objectives, designing the program, and monitoring, assessing, and evaluating should be followed. Examples of successful community education activities carried out in Far West Network projects include: community education workshops, involvement in community affairs, bilingual and multicultural education, and interagency coordination. Descriptors: Administrator Role, Change Agents, Community Coordination, Community Education
(1976). The Redwood City Bilingual Education Project, 1971-1974: Spanish and English Proficiency, Mathematics and Language Use Over Time. Working Papers on Bilingualism, No. 8. This paper reports on the Redwood City study of bilingual schooling for Mexican American bilingual children (grades 3-5), a sequel to Cohen's original study (Cohen, 1975). At the end of six years of bilingual schooling, the comparison group was surpassing the bilingually-schooled children in English reading, while the Bilingual group was generally stronger in Spanish reading. In Spanish vocabulary and storytelling, the Bilingual group was stronger. In English vocabulary the results were mixed and in storytelling the Comparison group appeared to have an edge. In math, the results were mixed. Finally, the Bilingual group reported using more Spanish than the Comparison group, and more Spanish than English. The Bilingual program appeared to contribute to the maintenance of the Spanish language by encouraging the use of Spanish among the students involved. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Schools, Bilingual Students, Bilingualism
(1990). New Mexico Educational Perspective 1989. This fold-out chart provides information about educational achievement in New Mexico for 1988-89. Demographic and educational indicators are summarized for the 88 school districts with over 292,450 students in 633 public schools in the state. The New Mexico Assessment System measures student achievement in language arts, social studies, science, mathematics, and reading in grades 3, 5, and 8. New Mexico students are required to demonstrate competencies with regard to 13 defined goals in the following areas: communication, quantitative, aesthetics, physical health, science, social skills, cultural knowledge, analytical thinking, life skills, technology, environment, personal and interpersonal health, and lifelong learning. Six graphs indicate students' achievement in the assessment program and on the New Mexico Direct Writing Assessment and the New Mexico High School Competency Examination. Brief descriptions are provided for educational programs in the following areas: (1) special education; (2) Chapter 1 grant awards; (3) bilingual and multicultural education; (4) other federal assistance programs including Indian education; (5) school transportation; (6) student nutrition; (7) instructional materials; and (8) vocational education. A brief summary is presented of educational initiatives that are being introduced in New Mexico schools, which are designed to serve as models for other schools. Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Educational Indicators, Educational Trends, Elementary Secondary Education
(1989). Training Limited English Proficient Students for the Workplace: Trends in Vocational Education. Occasional Paper in Bilingual Education. New Focus, Number 11. With the decline of manufacturing, industry faces the layoff of many low-skilled workers and a shortage of skilled workers. To fill the gap, workers will need more skills, often those not taught in schools. Language minority individuals are most affected by these changes. The situation has brought a new political focus on the role of vocational education in the overall educational system. Proponents of vocational education see it as an alternative to the academic-only program; it provides a transition to careers for the non-college bound, and a stepping stone for those seeking higher education. The level of participation of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students in vocational education programs is difficult to determine, but a steady increase is suggested. LEP enrollments are skewed toward business, trade, and industry. Federal legislation attempts to provide accessibility, quality, and coordination of vocational education for this population. Currently, model programs in the Chicago Public Schools and at Florida's Miami Jackson Senior High School are addressing the specific needs of LEP students. The development of Vocational English-as-a-Second-Language (VESL) courses parallels these efforts. Educators, parents, and policymakers can all contribute to improving educational and employment preparation and services to LEP youth. [More] Descriptors: Educational Needs, Educational Trends, Federal Legislation, Job Skills
(1986). Houston Independent School District: Secondary School Profiles, 1985-1986. This document describes standardized test performance of pupils in secondary schools of the Houston Independent School District (HISD). Tests reported include the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and the Texas Educational Assessment of Minimum Skills (TEAMS). In addition to achievement scores, this report contains information about the students, staff, expenditures, and instructional programs which play a role in student achievement at each campus. Prefatory information provides a framework for the appropriate interpretation of the data. Campus profiles on each of the 67 secondary schools contain information on the following: grade levels, enrollment, cluster manager, school organization code number, school mail route, magnet school, per pupil expenditures, educational staff members, average class size, professional staff per pupil ratio, racial and ethnic percentage, free and reduced lunches, student attendance rate, mobility, special education, percentage of limited English proficient, teacher attendance rate, number of teachers with advanced degrees, teacher experience, special instructional programs, student transfers, feeder schools, receiving schools, and test data. Special instructional programs included in profiles are basic skills, bilingual, magnet, special education, and supplemental. Descriptors: Magnet Schools, Profiles, School Demography, School Statistics
(1977). Education in the United States: A Brief Overview. The summary version of "Progress of Education in the United States of America", is intended for use by educational policymakers abroad and for all persons who are interested in educational development in the United States. The report is presented in seven chapters. Chapter I identifies general principles of American public education, as expressed in the Constitution and state statutes. Chapter II outlines the structure and organization of elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education and emphasizes the importance of adult education programs. Chapter III reviews the educational roles of the federal and state governments. Chapter IV describes how school curricula are determined and developed and how entrance and graduation requirements are set. Chapter V examines teacher education programs and notes the widespread existence of inservice programs for teachers on all levels. Chapter VI discusses federal involvement in educational research and information services, bilingual and bicultural education, competency based education, and reading comprehension programs. The final chapter cites statistics related to enrollment, teachers and instructional staff, schools and school districts, high school and college graduates, school retention rates, and expenditures. Tables of data are presented in the appendix. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Comparative Education, Curriculum, Data Analysis
(1969). The EPDA Institute in Bilingual Education for Teachers of Spanish to the Spanish Speaking (Univ. of Arizona, June 16-August 8, 1969). Final Report of the Director. An 8-week summer institute (three weeks background and preparation, two weeks practice, three weeks summary and translation) was conducted to improve and reorient the abilities of selected high school teachers by giving advanced academic training in the areas of Mexican language, literature, and culture; and by relating these areas of experience to the teaching of Spanish to Spanish speakers in the American Southwest. Four participants were Anglos; 24 were native speakers of Spanish in the Southwest. A core of continuing classes included study of the literary and cultural heritage of modern Mexico, teaching methodology, and culture conflict. Flexible scheduling allowed for a number of guest lectures, field work with junior and senior high school students (demonstration classes, tutoring, etc.), an unscheduled field trip to Huasabas, Sonora (in isolated rural Mexico), extracurricular newspaper and theatrical groups, and films. Participants gained (1) new knowledge of books and other materials suitable for the classroom; (2) new knowledge of programs in other districts, some with federal funding, designed for Mexican-Americans; (3) new awareness of Mexican-American publications, organizations, and activities across the Southwest; (4) a clearer idea of the nature of large-scale public dissent and its repercussions, planned and otherwise, personal and organizational; and (5) for the Anglos, a sharp awakening to what it feels like to be a minority. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Hispanic American Literature, Institutes (Training Programs), Mexican Americans
(1984). Teaching Reading to Language Minority Students. Papers Presented at the Annual Teaching of Reading in Bilingual Education Conference (3rd, Denton, Texas, June 13-15, 1984). Five papers from a conference designed to examine current and emerging practices for promoting literacy among second language learners of English are presented. The unifying theme of cultural pluralism covers a variety of topics: positive attitudes toward reading, schema theory, teachers' verbal interaction strategies, the assumption that children can successfully acquire two languages simultaneously, and rhythmical structures of language. Papers and authors are: "Promoting Literacy in the Classroom: From Theory to Practice" (David L. Brown and Sheryl L. Santos); "Reading Comprehension Instructional Strategies: Aids for the Bilingual Reader" (Idalia Rodriquez Pickens); "Teachers' Questions During Reading Instruction to Limited-English-Speaking Students" (Michele Hewlett-Gomez);"A Framework for Developing Early Language and Reading Skills in a Bilingual Nursery Setting" (Irma Guadarrama); and "Oral Interpretation: A Metacognitive Strategy for Reading" (Marjory Brown-Azarowicz). [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Cognitive Style, Cultural Pluralism
(1985). Helping Educators Prepare Their Students for the High School Proficiency Test. This booklet describes a number of activities initiated in the State of New Jersey to improve academic standards and to help teachers prepare their students for taking New Jersey's High School Proficiency Test (HSPT). The HSPT, administered to all public school ninth graders, is more demanding than the previously used Minimum Basic Skills Test. The HSPT is required for high school graduation, starting with the ninth grade class of 1985-86, and it demands competence in writing, reading, and practical mathematics. The New Jersey State Department of Education has mounted an extensive effort to help local school districts meet the challenge of the HSPT. These programs involve improvement in reading, mathematics, and writing skills; increased student attendance; a reduction in disruptive behavior; job training; and services for high school dropouts. Publications, workshops, and training programs are available for teachers; they cover the secondary school curriculum content, help students review for the test, and address bilingual and special education needs. A number of demonstration projects have been created, as well as programs aimed at urban schools. A two-page bibliography is appended. Descriptors: Basic Skills, Grade 9, Graduation Requirements, High School Graduates
(1989). The Role of Educational Technology in the Education of Limited English Proficient Students. New Focus No. 9. Occasional Papers in Bilingual Education. Significant advances in hardware and software have increased the possible applications for educating limited-English-proficient students. Two major studies have focused on technology and its relationship to the education of this population. There is a great diversity of hardware currently in use in schools, either stand-alone computers or computer networks. Several emerging technologies have potential applications: videocassette recorders, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM), videodisks, and computers that recognize speech. There is also a variety of available software in the form of drill and practice, tutorials, simulations, games, and applications of databases, spreadsheets, programming, authoring languages and systems, and word processing. Ideally, software should be both instructional and intellectual, and whatever its use, software should not supplant the teacher but provide new methods and tools for learning. The use of word processing offers a number of advantages for teaching reading and writing to limited-English-proficient students. Factors affecting the successful implementation of technology include lack of appropriate software, inadequate software integration into the curriculum, lack of compatibility between hardware and software or between hardware components, lack of funding to support repairs and maintenance of computer systems, and lack of teacher training. Correction of these problems and increased student and teacher access are recommended. [More] Descriptors: Audio Equipment, Computer Assisted Instruction, Computer Oriented Programs, Computer Software
(1973). The Assumptive Basis of Right to Read: New Solutions for Old Problems. The Right to Read Effort was established to help eliminate illiteracy in the United States. Major thrusts involve translating research and placing it in the hands of practitioners, the coordination of basic planning at the local school level, retraining existing personnel, and insisting on individualized and personalized reading instruction. Guidelines issued to the 31 of the 50 states involved in the Right to Read Effort ask the states to assess their existing resources, to look at their certification rules and regulations and their impact on the teaching of reading, and to provide technical assistance to their local districts. Thus far, the Right to Read Effort has employed some 47 experts in reading as technical assistants, established 106 demonstration projects and additional special projects, and appointed 31 Right to Read Directors. Schools throughout the country have exemplified the efforts of Right to Read. Policies and practices which are being explored for future dissemination through Right to Read include preschool education, bilingual instruction, parental participation, adult education, and effective developmental programs. One of the main missions of the Right to Read Effort is to continue to develop ways of utilizing what has already been learned. [More] Descriptors: Illiteracy, National Programs, Program Descriptions, Reading
(1992). Re-Thinking the Education of Teachers of Language-Minority Children: Developing Reflective Teachers for Changing Schools. Occasional Papers in Bilingual Education. FOCUS Number 6. Teacher training and development programs must adapt to shifting political, demographic, and program realities. This will require rigorous self-examination. Preparation of personnel to meet the needs of growing populations of language-minority students must include plans to address three distinct teacher audiences: bilingual educators; English-as-a-Second-Language teachers; and mainstream teachers. The primary goal of university-based teacher education programs is to help teachers create challenging learning environments. Emphasis should be on practice and assumptions underlying practice, not discrete skills. This calls for teacher training in reflection on classroom practice and its effect on students. Teacher education programs in colleges and universities should: institutionalize change in teaching practices; provide teachers with teaching techniques to promote student use of higher-order cognitive skills; aim at long-term, ongoing student language development throughout the curriculum; provide opportunities for teacher trainees to interact with minority language students; assess the extent to which their curricula address this group's needs; implement specific initiatives to train bilingual teachers; and increase faculty diversity. Inservice teacher education should focus on the following: reversing the teacher shortage; teaching instructional process over skills; promoting reflective practice; supporting communication between teachers; ensuring program quality; and providing ongoing technical assistance. A 49-item bibliography is included. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Teachers, Cooperation, Cross Cultural Training