Adult basic education fails to recognize fundamental differences between instructors and students whose native language is not English or whose home language is a nonstandard English dialect. Solutions include using the additive model of literacy development, using home languages first, and increasing understanding of linguistic minority groups.…

The effects of key words and previewing on the rate of words read correctly and the reading comprehension of a language minority student (age 10) were analyzed. The student read more words correctly and answered more comprehension questions accurately after the material was previewed and key words were discussed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

School failure of Spanish-speaking Mexican-origin children is complex and not attributable to language factors alone. Although dual-language immersion has promise, educators must consider possible negative effects, quality of instruction in minority languages, effects on intergroup relations, and issues of language and power. (SK)

Discusses the Tamil language situation in Singapore, which lends itself ideally to the study of minority-language maintenance. Examines attempts to maintain Tamil, a highly diglossic language in emigration and concludes that the well-meaning bilingual education system actually produces a situation of subtractive bilingualism. (Author/VWL)

Explores ironies of educational reform in the United States as experienced by three second language (L2) learners attending a school attempting to transform itself into a high-performance elementary school in California's Silicon Valley. Drawing on the concept of "fast capitalism" and critical discourse analysis, findings reveal discourses of…

Investigated the spelling development of 60 third and fourth graders from a variety of linguistic backgrounds and compared the spelling development of students from five language groups. Students from the different backgrounds had remarkably similar spelling development. There were differences in spelling development of English-speaking students…

Argues that in Europe over several centuries, the relationship between democracy and language policy in multilingual countries has been complex, noting that Catalan has thrived in democratic periods where devolution has advanced, and the causes of most problems facing Catalan are nonlinguistic. The paper examines language and democracy, language…

Examines potential ways to view bilingual education in a more liberatory perspective. Summarizes the global, historical context of bilingual education, and outlines principles and features of six models of formal bilingual education. Discusses how language use in school can empower or disable language minority students. Views bilingualism as a…

This article is a revised version of a keynote address given at CALICO 1999. It describes the rapidly changing demography of the U.S. school population and the implications of these changes for pedagogical practices. Discusses implications of research priorities and directions for the work of those concerned with improving the effectiveness of…

Points out the difficulties that English language learners may have and advocates that teachers help students acquire academic scientific language from words that can mean different things in science and be confusing. Recommends using graphic organizers, providing vocabulary support, and pre-writing and reading activities as possible ways to help…

Presents a detailed study of the language planning situation in Sweden with particular emphasis on minority languages. Suggests Swedish language policies towards minorities have been nationalistic, reluctant, and directed towards assimilation. (Author/VWL)

Discusses the political schism that has driven public policy toward how to educate English language learners in the United States. Highlights some of the effects of Proposition 227--the California initiative that replaced bilingual education with structured immersion--such as calling attention to the educational needs of language minority…

The dominant paradigm in research on bilingual education is limited, yielding little for educational policy. Recommends an alternative paradigm, highlighting strengths and limitations of each, examining how they are employed in the bilingual education debate, noting policy-relevant findings from each, and concluding that only the alternative…

In January 1998, 12 francophone school boards were established in Ontario, up from 4 in 1989. This new level of autonomy brings with it the new political reality of accountability. Francophone school boards, in addition to educating students within provincial policies, are responsible for maintenance of French language and culture to ensure…

Discusses the need to modify higher education's European-oriented curriculum and culture to become more inclusive of other cultures and languages and to refuse to comply with the status quo, noting that in the coming years, present-day minorities will become the majority. Higher education institutions must regard diversity as an asset and…