This paper addresses an important topic--the isolation and or lack of inclusion of immigrant children in U.S. schools. Immigrant children constantly pour into U.S. schools and, especially as newcomers, their opportunities for authentic interaction with mainstream peers are limited. How can schools provide authentic language opportunities for…

A study investigated the relationships between anxiety experienced by students in the second language classroom (usually associated with test anxiety, fear of negative evaluation, and communication apprehension), irrational thoughts associated with these anxieties, and classroom achievement among three groups of language learners. The Foreign…

This paper describes the General Educational Development (GED) Testing Service's Spanish Test Adaptation Project. The GED Tests are designed to give those who have not graduated from high school the opportunity to earn a diploma that is recognized by institutions of higher education and employers. The purpose of this project is to develop, based…

All states are addressing the problems of accommodations for English Language Learners (ELL's) in state assessment systems, but Massachusetts is noteworthy for the way in which it handles this problem. Since the early 1980s, over 40 states have created a statewide assessment program. Testing in these states is typically modeled on the National…

A study investigating the factors most important in creating and maintaining English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) programs for Hispanic women in prison is reported. The study was undertaken by an ESL teacher who was also an inmate in a maximum security women's correctional institution. Introductory sections describe the prison, inmate population,…

This journal publishes scholarly articles on all aspects of language pedagogy, linguistics, foreign cultures and languages, and comparative, classical, and foreign (Asian, French, German, Italian, Luso-Brazilian, Scandinavian, Slavic, Spanish, and Spanish American) literatures. It is published annually, based exclusively on a representative number…

This module on how to choose and keep a checking account is one of ten in the Money Smart curriculum, and includes an instructor guide and a take-home guide. It was developed to help adults outside the financial mainstream enhance their money skills and create positive banking relationships. It is designed to enable participants to open and keep a…

Critical language awareness refers to how conscious people are of the ideologies hidden in the language. A study was carried out to determine whether such a critical perspective towards text could be developed in an English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) context. This paper evaluates the results of the application of methods of critical discourse…

Data from the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) were used to explore how learning environments within bilingual classes where students perform very well on the Spanish version of the TAAS are shaped by forces surrounding the TAAS and how this shaping process affects teachers. Four elementary schools were selected based on the high…

"Family Connections 1" consists of 30 four-page issues for families of children aged 3-5 years. Each issue begins with a front-page message to families on such topics as parents as first teachers or how children learn through play. Issues also feature activities for families to do together and selections to read aloud to children. A…

This brochure advises high school students about the economic advantages of attending college, the affordability of college, and getting ready for college. Written in Spanish, it explains the average costs of a college education and describes the availability of financial aid in general terms, briefly reviewing grants, loans, work-study programs,…

Assesses how discrimination and biculturalism have affected the Chicanos' ability to communicate bilingually in a monolingual society. Using a historical perspective, the sociocultural significance of Chicano bilingualism is discussed in terms of code switching, language dominance, and cultural values. (JAC)

An experimental program involving kindergarten children and parents in an evening Spanish course was successful and enthusiastically received. Problems encountered included differing learning styles, abilities, and interests between parents and children. In some cases, other family members also became involved. (MSE)

The interaction patterns of eleven Spanish-speaking preschool children in two bilingual programs were observed for one year. In predominantly English-speaking classrooms, greater English proficiency was related to English use with peers. In prevalently Spanish-speaking classes, English proficiency was more related to interaction in English with…

Results indicated that: communicative competence (CC) is distinct from linguistic competence (LC); LC in English and CC in English/Spanish are related to cognitive/academic learning proficiency and field independent learning style; and self-concept is positively related to LC in English, to CC in English/Spanish, and to academic achievement.…