This annotated bibliography is reformatted and customized by the Center for Positive Practices. Some of the authors featured on this page include Mateo Martinez, Darlyn Meza, Roseann Duenas Gonzalez, Lia Alvarez, Kris Sloan, Richard I. Parker, Ambrosio Sabio, Eugene E. Garcia, Luz Maria Figueroa, and Maria Guadalupe De la Colina.
(2001). Limited-English-Proficient Students in Maine: An Assessment of Equal Educational Opportunities. This study evaluated equal educational opportunities available to Maine's language minority students, using information from four 1997 fact-finding meetings that included representatives from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights, local school superintendents, English as a Second Language (ESL) teachers and professionals, community advocates, and limited English proficient (LEP) students and their parents. Overall, Maine's school districts were required to use local funds to provide ESL instruction. They did not receive any appropriations from the state budget for ESL, nor were they reimbursed by the state for expenses incurred in providing resources to LEP students. Qualified ESL teachers were in short supply, and the state's stringent and inflexible requirements discouraged many otherwise qualified teachers from obtaining ESL certification. The state department did not routinely monitor school districts' Lau plan (educational programs for limited English proficient students) compliance or sanction those not in compliance. Many schools and communities did not meet LEP students' cultural needs, and some schools worked to minimize or eliminate LEP students' cultures and languages. The Maine legislature was uninformed, and in some cases hostile, to the concerns of LEP students and had not enacted several bills designed to benefit LEP students. Recommendations for action are presented. [More] Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Diversity (Student), Educational Finance
(2001). High Stakes Down Under for Indigenous Peoples: Learning from Maori Education in New Zealand; An Outsiders Perspective. This paper examines the education of New Zealand's Maori people, noting historical achievement and enrollment gaps between Maori and non-Maori students. This gap is due to family economics, educational resources, cultural and racial barriers at school, negative school attitudes among older Maori students, and the student achievement testing system. The paper discusses the history of Maori education, Maori traditional culture and society, Maori learning styles and teaching techniques, and the Maori cultural revival that began in the latter 20th century. It describes the proliferation of Maori education programs that began within the New Zealand public education system and through separate Maori initiatives since the mid-1970s. It concludes by examining present and future trends, noting that several reviews and policy documents dealing with every aspect of New Zealand's education system (published between 1987-89) profoundly affected the structure of New Zealand education. At the same time, the country became aware of the need to address culture, ethnicity, and race. Definitive evidence is not yet available on the outcomes of Maori education initiatives. Not all New Zealanders support Maori education programs, but despite opposition, biculturalism is advancing at a time when the survival of the Maori language and culture is in doubt. (Contains 30 references.) [More] Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Access to Education, Biculturalism, Bilingual Education
(2001). Language Ideologies: Critical Perspectives on the Official English Movement. Volume 2: History, Theory, and Policy. This collection of essays addresses the complicated and divisive issues at the heart of the debate over language diversity and the English Only movement in United States public education. Blending social, political, and legal analyses of the ideologies of language with perspectives on the impact of the English Only movement on education and in classrooms at all levels, the collection offers a wide range of perspectives that teachers and literacy advocates can use to inform practice as well as policy. The essays in volume 2 explore the political, legislative, and social implications of language ideologies, focusing in particular on the implications for policymakers and language-program administrators. Essays in part 1, Update and Document, are: (1) "Language Legislation and Language Abuse: American Language Policy through the 1990s" (Dennis Baron); (2) "Statement on the Civil Liberties Implications of Official English Legislation before the United States Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, December 6, 1995" (Edward M. Chen); and (3) "Acquiring a Slice of Anglo-American Pie: A Portrait of Language Shift in a Franco-American Family" (Robert S. Williams and Kathleen C. Riley). Essays in part 2, Language, Justice, and Law, are: (4) "Social Justice, Language Policy, and English Only" (David Corson); (5) "The New American Spanish War: How the Courts and the Legislatures Are Aiding the Suppression of Languages Other Than English" (Juan F. Perea); (6) "Bilingual Individuals and Language-Based Discrimination: Advancing the State of the Law on Language Rights" (Guadalupe Valdes); and (7) "'Shooting Themselves in the Foot': Consequences of English Only Supporters 'Going to Law'" (Randy H. Lee, and David F. Marshall). Essays in part 3, Language and Ideology, are: (8) "Lessons from Colonial Language Policies" (Alastair Pennycook); (9) "Three Newspapers and a Linguist: A Folk Linguistic Journey into the Land of English as the Official Language" (Lynn M. Goldstein); (10) "The Racializing Function of Language Panics" (Jane H. Hill); and (11) "Analyzing the Rhetoric of the English Only Movement" (Amanda Espinosa-Aguilar). Essays in part 4, Official English, Official Language, and the World, are: (12) "Not Only English: English Only and the World" (Robert B. Kaplan and Richard B. Baldauf, Jr.); (13) "Language and Democracy in the USA and the RSA" (Geneva Smitherman); and (14) "The 'Normalization' of Minority Languages in Spain" (Cynthia Miguelez). An afterword, "Lessons, Caveats, and a Way Forward" by Thomas Ricento, is attached. [More] Descriptors: Adult Education, Bilingual Education, Cultural Pluralism, Educational Legislation
(2001). When Exemplary Gets Blurry: A Descriptive Analysis of Four Exemplary K-3 Spanish Reading Programs in Texas, Bilingual Research Journal. A study of four high-performing third-grade Spanish reading programs in Texas found six common features: explicit support for Spanish literacy and biliteracy; high expectations; skills-driven reading instruction beginning in kindergarten; shared understanding of program practices; alignment between Spanish and English programs; and explicit targeting of the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) test. (Contains 52 references.) Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Educational Attitudes, Educational Practices, Grade 3
(2001). Guia para padres y maestros de ninos bilingues (A Parents' and Teachers' Guide to Bilingualism). Parents' and Teachers' Guides Number 5. This book provides a practical introduction to questions about bilingualism. It is for parents and teachers who are themselves bilingual, for monolinguals who want to know more, for those with some intuitive understanding of bilingual situations and for those who are starting from the very beginning. The book poses questions that people often ask about raising bilingual children and then provides straightforward answers written in direct, plain, nontechnical language. The book deals with questions about family education, language issues, and other problems that commonly arise. Answers are intended to raise awareness of what challenges may be faced as bilingual family life develops and what decisions have to be made. The book is divided into six sections, each of which is divided into one to four page subsections consisting of a question and its answer. Sections concern family, language development, problems, reading and writing, education, and concluding issues. Also included is a glossary of terms and an index. References to other sources are provided as needed throughout the text. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingualism, Code Switching (Language), Cognitive Ability
(2001). Honduras: Community-Based Education Project. Social Assessment and Indigenous Peoples Development Plan. PROHECO, ADEL and the Intercultural Bilingual Program. The New Agenda of the Honduran government proposes the provision of preschool and primary school education for all Honduran children, including those living in isolated areas and in extreme poverty. The Community-Based Education Program (PROHECO) was launched in February 1999, and by December 2000 some 820 schools serving 39,540 students were in operation. This paper reports on a Rapid Rural Appraisal of PROHECO in 49 communities, as well as the Intercultural Bilingual Program (EIB) in indigenous communities. Under PROHECO, the responsibility for preschool and primary education is shared by the State and the civil society, parent/community associations administering the programs are autonomous, and schooling may be conducted provisionally in any appropriate building. The first part of the report discusses the current status of PROHECO schools, the relationship of PROHECO to community social capital, the educational and cultural relevance of instruction offered by PROHECO schools, the creation of community education associations, teachers shortages and perceived risks of becoming a PROHECO teacher, school buildings, accountability, teacher and parent concerns about the new model, and recommendations. The second part of the report presents an overview of the indigenous peoples of Honduras, their languages, and their political and educational history. EIB accomplishments are reviewed, and the first pilot project merging PROHECO and EIB is described. EIB objectives for 2001-2005 are discussed, as well as the needs for bilingual teachers and culturally appropriate curriculum. Descriptors: American Indian Education, Bilingual Education, Community Schools, Culturally Relevant Education
(2001). Basta Ya! Latino Parents Fighting Entrenched Racism, Bilingual Research Journal. In response to their children being turned away from the bilingual school, a group of Latino parents organized to pressure the Lompoc (California) Unified School District to guarantee educational equity. A systemic analysis of components leading to parental activism focuses on leadership, knowledge as power, cultural conflicts, anti-immigrant sentiments, planned strategies, and lack of trust. (Contains 24 references.) Descriptors: Activism, Bilingual Education, Culture Conflict, Elementary Secondary Education
(2001). Keys to Success for Bilingual Students with Limited Formal Schooling, Bilingual Research Journal. A bilingual teacher in a multiage 4th-6th-grade classroom has met the special academic needs of limited-English-speaking migrant students who immigrated from Mexico with little previous schooling. Her strategies and techniques include an accepting classroom environment, high expectations for every student, building on student background knowledge and experience, and use of culturally relevant materials. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Teachers, Classroom Environment, Classroom Techniques
(2001). Intensive Intervention in Reading Fluency for At-Risk Beginning Spanish Readers, Bilingual Research Journal. A study assessed an intensive fluency intervention for low-achieving at-risk beginning Spanish readers in grades 1-2. Data from 53 first- and second-graders in bilingual classrooms in southeast Texas indicated that implementing intensive reading fluency interventions in bilingual classrooms is feasible and valuable if conducted with fidelity and if students are highly engaged. (Contains 74 references.) Descriptors: Beginning Reading, Bilingual Education, Grade 1, Grade 2
(2001). The Power of Community: Mobilizing for Family and Schooling. Immigration and the Transnational Experience. This book presents an ethnography of community efforts in Carpinteria, California, to bridge ethnic differences, empower parents, and improve education for the town's diverse student population. Located on the central California coast south of Santa Barbara, Carpinteria has been home to generations of Mexican immigrants and their children. Over the past 15 years, a Latino parent organization, Comite de Padres Latinos/Committee of Latino Parents (COPLA), has become a formal agency through which Latinos can navigate the school system and advocate for their children's education. However, rather than focusing on the structure and merits of the organization, this book spotlights the individuals and families involved in COPLA. Many of these people are Spanish-speaking immigrants from Mexico, but their story encompasses a much wider community, including Latinos whose families have been in the United States for generations and European-Americans. Chapters detail the values and experiences of parents interacting with teachers and principals, attending COPLA meetings, making presentations to educators or other parents, supporting each other, creating community, building leadership, and helping their children with schoolwork and school problems. (Contains 189 references, notes, and an index.) Descriptors: Advocacy, Bilingual Education, Community Action, Elementary Secondary Education
(2001). Remaining and Becoming: Cultural Crosscurrents in an Hispano School. Sociocultural, Political, and Historical Studies in Education. Nortenos, or Hispanos, are Spanish-heritage residents of northern New Mexico whose ancestors settled in the region in the 17th and 18th centuries and were long isolated from the U.S. mainstream. The ebb and flow of cultural crosscurrents in northern New Mexico add richness and complexity to educational issues faced by the Norteno community. This book focuses on the role of schooling for Hispanos in one school district. It is an analysis about the ambiguity of education: the losses and gains that education brings and what future it can and should serve. It deals with the politics of identity and the concept of boundaries during a time of rapid change. Nortenos are divided between those who seek change and those who resist it, and a sense of urgency in both groups leads to debates about whether or not schools should teach the local language and culture. Conflicting loyalties of religion and culture are woven into this story, as are the cornerstones of Norteno society: family, faith, land, and language. By exploring historical factors and ideologies of a particular school within a particular community, the book aims to understand the community's expectations for the school as a fitting place for its children. The choices, contingencies, and options open for students are contextualized within the intersection of their own life histories, school and community histories, and contemporary circumstances of social change. (Contains 194 references and subject and author indexes.) Descriptors: Biculturalism, Bilingual Education, Cultural Maintenance, Culture Conflict
(2001). U.S. School Reform Policy, State Accountability Systems and the Limited English Proficient Student, Journal of Education Policy. Addresses the political and policy environment that has shaped the educational agenda for rising U.S. state accountability systems, highlighting these policies' effects on the limited-English-proficient learner. The hope for language-minority students lies in pressures on school officials to narrow the white/minority achievement gap. (Contains 64 references.) Descriptors: Academic Failure, Accountability, Bilingual Education, Educational Policy
(2001). The Expected and Unexpected Literacy Outcomes of Bilingual Students, Bilingual Research Journal. A study examined writing proficiencies of eight bilingual fifth-graders and their teachers' beliefs about their writing. Writing skills of strong second-language writers equalled those of strong first-language children. Weak second-language writers were not significantly behind first-language writers. Family literacy experiences and the relationship between first and second language proficiencies are discussed. (Contains 55 references.) Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Bilingual Students, Childrens Writing, English (Second Language)
(2001). Regional Identity, Language and Education Policy in Switzerland, Compare. Argues that identity and language issues are a powerful influence on education politics and policies in Switzerland. Uses the introduction of second language instruction as a case study to illustrate why and how education policy reflects Switzerland's cultural, linguistic diversity, and the strong local and regional identities of its citizens. Descriptors: Bilingual Education, Comparative Education, Cultural Differences, Cultural Traits
(2001). Hispanic Education in the United States: Raices y Alas. Critical Issues of Contemporary American Education. This book portrays what works in creating better educational opportunities and effective school reform for Hispanic Americans, offering a reflection on the bicultural experience of minority groups in U.S. schools and showing how and why educational reforms must seek to build upon rather than downplay the native culture and language of minority students. The book includes stories from the author's life and from the experiences of other teachers and students. The 10 chapters examine the following: (1) "An Introduction to 'Raices y Alas'"; (2) "Culturally Diverse We Are, Equal and United We Are Not"; (3) "It Doesn't Have To Be 'Either/Or'"; (4) "Hispanics: A Growing Immigrant People"; (5) "Culture and Education: Seeds of the Individual and Collective Identity for Hispanics in Schools"; (6) "Educational Approaches–What Works for Hispanics: General Constructs and the Early Years"; (7) "Educational Approaches–What Works for Hispanics: The Adolescent Years"; (8) "Educational Approaches–What Works for Hispanics' Preparation for Admission to Postsecondary Education"; (9) "Theoretical Perspectives on the Present and Future Educational Circumstances of the Hispanic Student"; and (10) "Of Raices y Alas." (Contains approximately 500 references.) Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Adolescents, Bilingual Education, Children