Traditionally, the curriculum guiding many language programs has centered on the teaching of a "foreign" language to an audience of primarily second language learners (e.g. del Valle, 2014). Such a philosophy has relied on the belief in the existence of a single linguistic standard and an idealized community of native speakers from other…

This paper presents a collaborative effort between a Head Start lead teacher and an educational scholar, focusing on a Head Start classroom in a non-traditional migration area in Pennsylvania. The joint initiative, called "Juntos," was undertaken to support children's bilingualism in a context where English is the dominant language. The…

This article presents a case study of the perceptions of Spanish heritage speakers enrolled in introductory-level Spanish foreign language courses. Despite their own identities that were linked to the United States and Spanish of the Borderlands, the participants felt that the curriculum acknowledged the Spanish of Spain and foreign countries but…

This study examined student and program characteristics that are related to English proficiency and content area achievement for English language learner (ELL) students in one urban district in Connecticut. The study found that ELL students in special education had English proficiency scores significantly lower than the mean for all ELL students…

This "Stated Briefly" report is a companion piece that summarizes the results of another report of the same name. The study examined student and program characteristics that are related to English proficiency and content area achievement for English language learner (ELL) students in one urban district in Connecticut. Study authors found…

We examined the progress of kindergarteners who entered the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in 2008-09 and in 2010-11 who were identified as limited in English proficiency (LEP). For the 2008-09 cohort, English proficiency increased steadily over time. Few were able to exit LEP status in their first three years in WCPSS (10.5%); this…

Portuguese is the sixth-most-spoken native language in the world, with approximately 240,000,000 speakers. Within the United States, there is a growing demand for K-12 language programs to engage the community of Portuguese heritage speakers. According to the 2000 U.S. census, 85,000 school-age children speak Portuguese at home. As a result, more…

Teaching content through a foreign language presents students with the double challenge of having to understand new concepts and of doing so through a foreign language. To be successful in meeting this challenge teachers have to adapt their teaching style and the tasks they work on with their students. Often, however, they do not know how to do…

This report describes Austin Independent School District English language learner (ELL) students who were more likely to exit the language program within 5 years of 1st-grade enrollment. A summary of student academic performance associated with successful program exit and long-term ELL status is provided.

The Strengthening Early Childhood (Bilingual) program was designed to develop English language skills for pupils in grades one and two who were below the twenty-first percentile when tested on the Language Assessment Battery (LAB) in English. One hundred thirty-eight students were seen by three teachers and three paraprofessionals in groups of ten…

Programs for the teaching of foreign language to groups both in and out of the schools are examined for reasons why they were not successful. Emphasis is placed on faulty planning and insufficient funding. A proposal is made that the National Institute of Education undertake an investigation of present centers of bilingual and bicultural education…

An effort has been made in this study to elucidate what social implications are inherent in the environmental teaching situations, and their correlation to the basic purposes and aims of each language instructional program. FLES, English as a Second Language, and Spanish for Spanish-speaking children programs are discussed. It is pointed out that…

A review of 10 major studies, conducted since 1976, assessing the effectiveness of Title VII bilingual education programs suggest that bilingual education is a viable instructional program for children of limited English-speaking ability. The studies examined are: "Bilingual Education: An Appraisal of Empirical Research," Zappert and…

Describes a successful reciprocal bilingual exchange program between Anglophone fourth-year high school students of Spanish and native speakers of Spanish in an elementary school. Plans and specific activities are outlined for weekly interactions which serve as a sociocultural and linguistic bridge between the two groups of Spanish speakers. (PMJ)

A study investigating the design of elementary school programs for limited-English-speaking children is reported and the resulting recommendations for a program designed for Hispanic migrant children in a Washington school are presented. The three major issues addressed include: the appropriate amount of instruction in native language arts; how to…