Common instructional practices in the teaching of language minority students are described. The case study of a fourth grade classroom in Longmont (Colorado) illustrates how a teacher's enthusiasm for literacy instruction creates an environment where all students, including the Hispanic language minority, can be active participants. (SLD)

Puerto Ricans have been largely ignored in the current debate over English as a national language. Once the rhetoric of language restrictionists is discarded, the real issue becomes that of the political empowerment of Puerto Ricans. The history of language policy in relation to Puerto Ricans is also reviewed. (SLD)

A study investigated the impact of peer revision on writers' final drafts in two rhetorical modes, narration and persuasion, among 14 Spanish-speaking college students of English-as-a-Second-Language. Results revealed 74% of revisions made in peer sessions were incorporated into final drafts, and writers made many further self-revisions,…

Describes an interactive computer simulation where the student assumes the role of a reporter searching for a missing biologist in Columbia. The search involves simulated news broadcasts, documentary footage, and interviews with Colombians, all in Spanish. The student accesses help via electronic archives (translated words) and faxing the editor.…

Research described oral texts produced by second- and third- generation bilingual Chicano Spanish speakers when required to carry out a set of functions in only one of their available codes. Analysis focuses on characteristics of planned, noninteractive spoken language produced in Spanish by university students in a classroom setting, compared…

The effectiveness of an explicit, systematic reading intervention for first-grade students whose home language was Spanish and who were at risk for reading difficulties was examined. Participants were 69 students in 20 classrooms in 7 schools from 3 districts who initially did not pass the screening in Spanish and were randomly assigned within…

The enlargement of the European Union (EU) has strengthened the position of English, a situation which has led some voices to warn against the hegemony of this language. Yet, very few studies have been undertaken in contexts where English is added to the presence of both a minority and a majority language. This is the case of the Basque Autonomous…

This study examined ethnic and language group differences on dimensions of parent-rated and teacher-rated parent involvement after adjusting for the influence of family socioeconomic factors. A total of 179 teachers and 481 parents provided information on parent school involvement for a sample of ethnically and linguistically diverse first-grade…

In this article, the author critiques six articles. Five of the six articles are about motivation in language learning, an area which has seen considerable theoretical and empirical development over the last decade. The articles she reviews include: (1) Udo Jung's report on the top twelve "most prestigious FLT (foreign language teaching) journals"…

The purpose of this study was to understand relationships between English proficiency and academic performance for a group of English language learners (ELLs) from 4 elementary schools. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to examine scores from the Language Assessment Scales, the Woodcock-Munoz Language Survey, and the Colorado…

This article focuses on the findings of two multicultural feminist critical researchers who research with, for, and about Puerto Rican and Dominican youth and children. Across the research, participants developed peer structures, challenged school pedagogies, and maintained relationships with teachers. The authors present the article in two…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose and demonstrate an evidence-based scenario design framework for assessment-based computer games. Design/methodology/approach: The evidence-based scenario design framework is presented and demonstrated by using BELLA, a new assessment-based gaming environment aimed at supporting student learning of…

The 2008 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, a joint conference with the Michigan World Language Association, focused on learning about the diverse backgrounds and needs of today's students and discovering new ways to help them succeed in reaching the goal of language proficiency. A wide variety of workshops and…

This study investigated the needs of low-literate students participating in a Human Resources Administration/City University of New York (HRA/CUNY) program offering English-as-a-Second-Language and employment-related training to low-income Hispanic women receiving welfare. It identified participants in need of literacy instruction based on grade…

The main goal of this practicum was to increase general science achievement and improve acquisition of Spanish as a second language in a group of 21 sixth-grade Spanish immersion students. The students were having some difficulty with Spanish learning due to lack of Spanish science vocabulary, lack of appropriate science materials accommodating…