This paper asserts that fostering pacific cohabitation, harmonious multiculturalism, and sustainable development are the main challenges facing the regions of Russia today. It notes the importance of involving Russian linguistic and cultural minorities in the formulation, adoption, application, and evaluation of protection policies, as well as…

Within the paradigm of cultural pluralism, four areas seem worth exploring in depth: (1) language and power; (2) multiculturalism vs/as cultural pluralism; (3) English itself--the discipline, course, and class; and (4) individual vs/as the collective. Language and power include the primary paradox facing the English teaching profession, that in a…

A government study reveals that many students of non-English-speaking background in New South Wales (Australia) miss out on instruction in English as a Second Language, that their community languages are allowed to lapse, and that the relationships among different groups in the schools are not given the attention they deserve. (SLD)

Describes a three-step plan is described that general and special educators can use to obtain assessment information from children with linguistically diverse backgrounds. The steps include identifying the assessment's purpose (which involves how students approach learning tasks, apply their knowledge, and attain final outcomes), knowing the child…

Considers language acquisition, language maintenance, and language instruction among ethnolinguistic minorities through the unique perspective of writers who belong to ethnolinguistic minorities and write in a language other than their mother tongue. Focuses on the works of Tahar ben Jelloun and Sayed Qashu. (Author/VWL)

Describes how teachers can better understand adopted, language-minority students. Notes the importance of avoiding a classroom climate that classifies people into neat categories, avoiding stereotyping, learning about the student's birth country, and remembering that the meaning of a situation may vary by culture. Discusses special needs of young…

Presents an overview of the geological and historical context of Catalan, explaining that today, Catalonia has both a political and cultural definition. Section 1 focuses on territory in political and cultural terms. Section 2 discusses Catalan and the Romance dialect continuum. Section 3 examines cultural centers and political allegiances. (SM)

The success of English-as-Second-Language (ESL) students in higher education will be influenced by language issues. ESL teachers, in particular, need to prepare their students for higher education, but the success of these students also involves equipping teachers in all disciplines to be language teachers and support language learning in their…

Discusses the Cheche Konnen center at TERC which collaborates with 12 districts nationwide to explore ways to improve science education for elementary and middle school students whose first language is not English. Reviews a conversation between one group of teachers about a classroom transcript of student talk and activity, bearing in mind the…

Studied French-language minority access to higher education in Ontario, Canada, using student enrollment data for 15 to 25 years (depending on the level). Findings show how the provision of French-medium programs is followed by an increase in minority enrollments and a preference for French-medium programs, even as the reduction in French-medium…

Estimates earning differentials for knowledge of 13 minority languages in three Canadian cities. Conditional on knowledge of a majority language, knowledge of a minority language relates to lower earnings, though the negative differential diminishes for languages with large local populations. This suggests a positive human capital effect that is…

Traces the United States Bilingual Education Act (BEA) from its inception in 1968 through its most recent reauthorization in 1994 as the primary federal legislative effort to provide equal educational opportunity to language minority students in the United States. (Author/VWL)

Introduces this special issue of the journal. Examines why there is a focus on Sweden, perspectives on the role of first languages in Sweden, historical perspective on historical and territorial minority language policy in Sweden, and the debate on the role of English. (Author/VWL)

A concern with the role of the 'Other' in geography in higher education has led to work on the incorporation of marginalized social groups into learning contexts. Recently some authors have discussed the role of language in teaching, and in particular the dominant role of the English language in marginalizing non-Anglophonic students and subject…

Language minority students, while often underrepresented in traditional gifted programs, can benefit from "heritage language" courses focused on developing academic proficiency and exploring challenging content in their home language. We describe how heritage language courses can provide an appropriate venue for the identification of gifted…