The school-aged population in the United States is becoming more culturally and linguistically diverse, while achievement gaps across content areas persist. At the same time, more rigorous academic demands are being placed on all students, including English language learners (ELLs). Teachers of ELLs face the double challenge of promoting English…

The numbers and status of limited- English-proficient (LEP) students who are supported by federal funds appropriated under the Bilingual Education Act are reported. The investigation included interviews with officials of relevant state and federal agencies, reviews of state reports and pertinent studies, and collection of statistical information…

Illiteracy is a serious problem for older people, particularly for older minorities. Of the 23 million adults in the United States classified as functionally illiterate, 44 percent are over 50, and those 60 and over account for about one-third of the totally illiterate population. Being illiterate to whatever degree diminishes the employment…

An overview of adult education programs and services for limited-English-proficient adults is offered. The population targeted by these programs and services is estimated at 4 to 6.5 million United States residents, refugees, and immigrants. Adults and out-of-school youth 16 years and older are eligible for federal adult…

This paper examines the relevant literature on American Indian dialectal variations of English and efforts to maintain American Indian languages through bilingual education programs. The preservation of the ancestral Lakota dialect of the Siouan language is discussed in terms of the implications for educational program planning. It is concluded…

This report examines the issues involved in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs for Indochinese refugees. The cultural and linguistic characteristics and resettlement patterns of Indochinese ethnic groups are discussed with respect to the different educational needs of these groups. The policies and services of…

The purpose of this paper is to examine the benefits of early childhood education (ECE) for children whose proficiency in English is limited. Specifically, the paper (1) defines the basic characteristics of limited English proficient (LEP) children; (2) discusses educational risk factors and preschool enrollments of LEP children; (3) presents the…

The transcript of this hearing on the reauthorization of the Bilingual Education Act and the prepared statements of witnesses, are presented here. The Bilingual Education Act, enacted in 1968, is a major federal education authority that provides educational services primarily for school-age, limited-English-proficient students (LEP). A study of…

The Canadian federal government will commit $25 million to an initiative aimed at assisting immigrant women. The initiative will support settlement orientation, and language and skills training to help immigrant women adapt to Canadian life and enhance their employment opportunities. Funding areas include the following: (1) delivery of basic…

This paper presents a historical overview of the field of bilingual education and vocational education. The extent of the need for bilingual vocational education is described along with the status of current programming. The description of the state of the art includes program design, assessment practices, instructional materials, personnel, and…

The first meeting of the National Literacy Summit 2000 convened 150 leaders from adult education and literacy and other related fields for a 2-day intensive working meeting to begin building a national consensus on how to move adult and family literacy forward in the 21st century. Comments and suggestions offered by summit participants were…