This case study investigated spontaneous interpersonal communication in a high school Spanish classroom, using instructional conversation as a framework for analysis. Instructional conversations are collaborative, extended verbal exchanges in which students develop a coherent topic, supported by the teacher's contingent questions and feedback. The…

Being a Hispanic female faculty member in South Texas can be a challenge. This chapter discusses three pedagogical tools (caring, challenging, and consulting) that we use to create a classroom climate that enhances Hispanic students' success by engaging and motivating them to succeed in one of the poorest areas of the country.

The programs WordSmith and VocabProfile were used to research lexical differences between essays written in English by Spanish undergraduates and a set of essays independently judged as being of TWE grade 6 standard. The results indicated that writing by this group of students was generally characterised by low lexical variation, a preponderance…

This action research study explored if changes in the reading curriculum, specifically implementation of critical literacy approaches that acknowledge bicultural students, increase student learning as perceived by teachers and students in a Catholic elementary school, where students have been chronically performing at the lowest level in the…

Spanish for second graders is explored in the instructional and assessment activities of the unit six Spanish as a Second Language strand. The function of the strand is to help provide the English-dominant child with the structures and vocabulary needed for effective communication in a bilingual environment. Focus, objective, and materials for…

A total person-concept program combined the development of vocational, communication (English), living, and leadership skills in persons of limited English proficiency. The program, which included vocational, English language, and leadership development classes, had as its objective providing participants with new experiences to develop…

This course guide is intended for classroom use by teachers of secondary level science to Spanish-speaking students of English as a second language (ESL). Both science instruction and acquisition of English scientific terminology are emphasized, within the framework of increasing overall student proficiency in English. The book is prefaced with a…

"Infinity Factory" is a television series which presents mathematics in a common-sense way to help children understand the usefulness of mathematics in their own lives. The 52-programs in the series are for children ages 8 through 11, especially black and Latino children. While covering decimal systems, measurement, estimation, mapping…

The "Infinity Factory" television series was developed to help children ages 8 through 11 to understand the usefulness of some basic mathematics skills for everyday life. Aimed primarily at black and Latino children, the series concentrates on: the decimal number system; measurement, especially the metric system; estimation; mapping and…

"Infinity Factory" is a television series which presents mathematics in a common-sense way to help children to understand the usefulness of mathematics in their own lives. The programs are for children ages 8 through 11, especially black and Latino children. Along with mathematics, the programs present a positive approach to the cultural…

The paper chronicles the struggles and challenges of teaching in a 6-week summer bilingual education program in a small town in Oregon. The program was a cooperative effort between a small town school district and Oregon State University at Corvallis. Teachers and researchers who entered into this project looked into the use of bilingual…

In spring 2006 California released its first ever school-level Academic Performance Index (API) scores for English Learners (ELs). These EL-API scores were based on California Standards Tests taken in the spring of 2005, and make it possible to identify how well schools were doing with this student population. It is not unexpected that elementary…

This paper provides an introduction to the Mexican-American culture, describing (1) cultural diversity and linguistic policies in the United States; (2) cultural and linguistic studies that have examined the backgrounds of Mexican-American individuals; (3) the characteristics of this population; (4) issues on discrimination and human relations;…

This article contains results from an online survey that asked 66 college-level language program directors of French, German, and Spanish in (he United States about policies and procedures governing foreign language writing at their respective institutions. Survey categories included (1) general Information, (2) Information regarding practices and…

Fifty-four students were followed over 10 years and tested with native language measures in first through fifth grades and measures of foreign language aptitude and foreign language proficiency in high school. All students had completed two years of Spanish, French, or German. Students were divided into three groups based on their scores on the…