This series of audiotapes (cassettes) uses a legend from different island communities in the Pacific to model ways parents can read with their children. English is on one side, and Ilocano--the indigenous language of the inhabitants of northwestern Luzon, Mindoro, Mindanao, Philippines--is on the other. (Author/KFT)

Symposium panel presentations on teaching official languages (French and English) in Canada include: "Social Stakes of English and French Teaching in Canada Over the Last 25 Years" (Roger Collet, Jan Finlay, Alan Lombard, Paul Ruest); "Evolution of the School-Community-Family Linkages" (Fernand Langlais, Roger Arsenault,…

This study explores the relationship between English and Japanese in bilingual children. The Bilingual Verbal Ability Tests (BVATs) were administered to 40 children of Japanese heritage and their mothers residing in the San Francisco Bay Area. All the subjects were either enrolled in bilingual programs in public elementary schools or attending…

Summarizes the results of a survey documenting language use among the rural and urban populations, educational levels, occupations, and ethnic groups of Kazakhstan. Reveals that efforts to promote Kazakh over Russian have largely failed. Includes a wealth of statistical information on groups and activities within Kazakhstan. (MJP)

Argues that citizenship education in Laos' national curriculum is contradictory and problematic. Notes that this curriculum excludes the rights or practice of ethnic minority cultures and languages. Discusses implications for girls and minority groups participation in the wider society. Asks general questions about implications for gender and…

Presents the educational stories of elementary heritage language teachers in Toronto (Canada). Interviews explored the complexities of teaching in the heritage language program. Some issues identified were a communication gap between parents and children; and professionalization, certification, and integration into the educational mainstream. (SM)

This article discusses the various cultural interpretations of severe disabilities and the role of enculturation in determining family expectations and participation within the special education system. Research-based techniques and ideas are presented to facilitate increased competence with families in which English is not the first language.…

This article reviews literature on barriers to the participation of culturally and linguistically diverse families in the special education process, highlights cultural issues educators need to consider, and discusses strategies for facilitating family participation in the development of the Individualized Family Service Plan and the…

The cases of Estonia and South Africa illustrate how a lack of coherence between a language policy and that policy's implementation plan can reduce both the policy and the implementation plan to symbolic acts of no benefit to students or communities. Comparison of these countries' language-in-education plans highlights the need to examine…

This paper discusses how teachers and English-speaking parents can address the needs of second-language families. Teachers can establish a dialog through home visits or school meetings. Parents can invite the families to attend school meetings, provide interpreters, and form committees for foreign-born parents. (SM)

Examines major critiques from the literature on the Professional Development School (PDS) equity agenda and accomplishments, referencing works from literature on PDSs, diversity, urban education, and multicultural education. The paper focuses on issues related to poor or working-class learners in PDS settings and learners from non-European racial,…

Used discrete-time survival analysis technique to examine whether, and at what age, a national sample of 3,624 children first entered a childcare center. Found that after controlling for household-economic factors, the household's social structure and mother's language, childrearing beliefs, and practices predicted probability of selecting…

The situation of students with disabilities who also have limited English proficiency is addressed, including the identification of these students and a discussion of why it is important for them to participate in state and district assessments. Steps are recommended to ensure that these students are included so that they reap all the benefits of…

Evaluated a restructured literacy methods course intended to empower teachers to teach linguistically diverse students, examining the impact of the course redesign and team teaching. Data from observations of student teachers and focus group interviews indicated that participants felt well-prepared to teach second language learners, though they…

More than a decade ago, no one held out much hope for the poor, immigrant children at Kennedy Middle School. Nobody thinks that now. This article presents how Kennedy Middle School transformed and beat all the odds to be a "school to watch." In many ways, Kennedy Middle School has become a model of middle-grades improvement. Test scores,…