The author of an article on the relationship between first-language (L1) and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) writing instruction comments on a response to that article. Focus is on the integration of L1 and ESL instruction at the university level and on the conditions under which college writing teachers work. (MSE)

A followup of 380 limited-English-speaking Hispanic children in 20 Texas elementary schools found that most acquired English oral language skills at expected rates and were reading in English at expected levels by third grade. Reading achievement was related to instructional factors and early oral competence in either language. Contains 22…

Calls upon Canadian Aboriginal communities to take control of their children's education by breaking free of inappropriate Western educational practices; moving from rhetoric to action in the areas of native language instruction, outdoor learning, involvement of Elders, and parent participation; and developing community-based evaluations of…

The O'odham Nation is developing an O'odham dictionary in collaboration with the University of Arizona. The project is unique because it is conducted by tribal members and funded by the tribe. The group is proposing locating language centers throughout the reservation to mobilize community involvement in the project and to assist the Nation's…

In Chiapas (Mexico), the public schools call themselves bilingual, but in reality they consider traditional languages inferior and teach only in Spanish. Sna Jtz'ibajom, a Chiapas group that preserves Mayan culture through oral and written literature, founded a community school that has taught over 2,000 men, women, and children to read and write…

In the European Schools model, linguistically and culturally diverse students receive most of their education in their first language but must learn at least two other languages. Content teaching of other subjects in the target languages and the regular mixing of different language groups promote multilingual proficiency and cultural pluralism at…

Examines the efforts of indigenous communities in the United States to maintain and revitalize their languages by restoring traditional learning environments and creating new ones. Describes immersion programs in Hawaiian and Navajo, bilingual education programs, master-apprentice programs, development of a Hualapai writing system and resources,…

This paper explores the presence of African American Vernacular English patterns in the reading of one child over a 20-week period. In this paper, I present insights from linguists about African American Vernacular English, list linguistic patterns characteristic of African American Vernacular English speakers, examine the relationship between the…

This paper analyzes the process of intergenerational language shift from a sociolinguistic perspective and proposes a pedagogical model for expanding the stylistic range of heritage learners, targeting the development of writing proficiency. The model proposes that the curriculum should be organized so that students initially draw on their…

This article systematically reviews research on elementary reading programs for English language learners and other language-minority students. It focuses on studies that compared experimental and control groups on quantitative reading measures. Among beginning reading models, research supported structured, phonetic programs emphasizing language…

Five Spanish teachers working in California elementary schools participated in this project. Although they were assigned to teach in mainstream English programs, they noticed that some of the Latino students in their classrooms were officially classified as English language learners (ELLs) and, as such, had difficulties understanding their…

Language is a means by which different minds communicate ideas to one another. It is also a means our minds use to understand ourselves, other people, the world around us, and the relationships among them. In language acquisition, we are basically developing a code that we will use to understand, formulate and communicate ideas. The acquisition of…

The dominant influences that forged curriculum policy in relation to the literacy curriculum in New Zealand during the 1930s can be seen to be enmeshed in the politics of the wider context of what de Castell and Luke have identified as the "literacy ideologies of the British Empire". It was these literacy ideologies and concerns over the…

In this article, the authors explore the personal, familial, and academic stakes of Native language loss for youth, drawing on narrative data from the Native Language Shift and Retention Project, a five year (2001-06), federally funded study of the nature and impacts of Native language shift and retention on American Indian students' language…

Six Aboriginal languages have been designated as official languages of the Northwest Territories (Canada) along with English and French. However, more than legislation is needed to support efforts to reclaim Aboriginal languages and culture. Both missionary schools and federally administered public schools (1940s-60s) disrupted the transmission of…