Harrisonburg, Virginia, a community nestled in the fertile hills of the Shenandoah Valley, is emblematic of the demographic changes taking shape in the U.S. for some years now. The town's agricultural industry has attracted a large number of immigrant workers from Central America. In addition, Harrisonburg's refugee resettlement center has drawn…

Thousands of children and teens labor as migrant farmworkers across the United States. These youngsters, many who are immigrants, face challenges in completing their education and breaking the cycle of agricultural work. Such barriers are influenced by geographic instability, poverty, and sociocultural marginalization. Beyond these factors, and…

Data on the status of education for immigrant amnesty applicants in California under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA) are summarized. The amnesty applicants fall into two categories: immigrants who can prove continuous U.S. residency before 1982, and "special agricultural workers" who qualify if they worked in…

This paper discusses the development and testing of a literacy unit in basic English as a second language (ESL) for Canadian farmworkers based on the Freirian principles of designing adult education curriculum. The Freirian approach looks at adult learners in the context of their daily reality and uses literacy as a vehicle for the students'…

The Perspectives on Community College ESL series brings into practical focus a wide and diverse array of reflective work on ESL education in U.S. community college settings. It draws on the broad mission and constituencies that community colleges throughout the country must embrace in order to be effective. Volume two, Students, Mission, and…