Over the past decade, a growing number of complaints have been made against Australian education authorities over the language of instruction used to teach deaf children. The complaints, made under the "Disability Discrimination Act", were lodged with the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission for investigation and possible…

The study sought to establish the attitudes of Kenyan speakers (n = 210) towards three varieties of English: (1) ethnically marked Kenyan English, (2) standard Kenyan English and (3) native speaker English (British, American, Australian, etc). Of the three varieties, the most preferred by both rural and urban respondents for use in the media and…

Research has identified a host of factors that likely contribute to the disparity in achievement, negating the possibility that a one-size-fits-all answer exists. Therefore, the initiatives highlighted in this issue of "Early Developments" address a variety of approaches. This issue of "Early Developments" includes the following articles: (1) The…

A total of 1,718 pre-K students had valid PPVT-III/TVIP pre- and posttest scores, and an analysis showed that 77% were in the average range at post-test in their language of instruction. An analysis of 2007 Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) reading and mathematics data for a cohort of students who attended pre-K in the 2002-2003…

In this article, the author describes how he created an approach that he terms "Mathematics as a Second Language" (MSL) for teaching ELL students mathematics. The main components of MSL are vocabulary activities, journals, group work, and projects. He used MSL to teach prealgebra to ELL students, as well as to native English speakers, for two…

The academic language needed for success in college or university courses can be challenging for nonnative English speakers (NNES). Institutions have implemented initiatives such as study partnerships, Supplementary Instruction, content-based language courses, and technology-based support to strengthen the English skills of NNES. This study…

The author of this article shares her teaching experience in Macau, China, that shapes the curricular emphasis in Canadian schools. The International School of Macao (T.I.S.) is a privately owned school offering a Canadian curriculum. Much of her very positive experience as an "expat" teacher is a result of the "pioneering"…

Language transmission occurs both in the domestic and in the public domain. These domains are typically represented by the home and the school. Viewed from the perspectives of majority-language versus minority-language speakers, language transmission becomes a very different issue. In the case of majority language speakers, language transmission…

This article examines findings from a national survey of a sample of special educators who serve students with moderate to severe disabilities who are English language learners (ELLs). The survey requested information related to respondent assessment and instructional practices, second language resource availability, satisfaction, and language…

The teacher's guide is designed to accompany video recordings (not included here) of second language classroom interactions, and used to enhance language teachers' understanding of the dynamics of target language use in the classroom. An introductory section offers arguments in support of the use of the target language and offering specific…

With increasing pressures being placed on early childhood teachers to provide academic programs, many are turning away from programs that foster pretend play. This study examined two contrasting approaches to teaching preschool children and considered their effects on children's linguistic and social abilities. One of the teaching approaches…

The relationship between oral language and academic success as a rationale for the study of narrative structures is discussed in order to determine Northern Ute children's acquisition of "school language" structures. In addition, this paper compares hypotheses concerning the expected linguistic behavior of Northern Ute children in…

Immersion is defined as a method of foreign language instruction in which the regular school curriculum is taught through the medium of the language. The foreign language is the vehicle for content instruction; it is not the subject of instruction. Different questions pertaining to the following subjects are answered: (1) long-range goals of a…

A discussion of the use of Japanese in the English language classroom in Japan proposes that whatever justification is given for the English-only classroom is based on two flawed arguments: (1) outright rejection of the traditional grammar-translation method; and (2) the false assumption that an English-only requirement is an essential element of…

In the complex ethnic mosaic of Macedonia, the Romani people (Roms) have maintained their separateness while at the same time functioning as an integral and accepted part of everyday Macedonian life. This paper reports that, although Roms seek to participate in Macedonian formal educational institutions using their own language, the Romani…