This paper investigates the Irish-language adscape through an analysis of the profile of two Irish-language newspapers, "Foinse," published in the Republic of Ireland, and "La," published in Northern Ireland. The advertising in both papers is analysed in terms of products and services advertised, advertisers represented and…

The Center for School Success (CSS) at New Visions for Public Schools was founded in 1999 to document and disseminate innovative educational practices demonstrated by New Visions' schools that hold promise for increasing student achievement throughout New York City. Over the first year, CSS concentrated its initial documentation efforts on…

Background/Context: As a case study in minority language restriction, the German example provides a useful historical counterpoint to more recent debates regarding the place of non-English languages in American schools. Purpose/Objective/Research Question/Focus of Study and Research Design: This historical analysis examines the role of education…

It often comes as a surprise to people that many deaf people refer to themselves as being members of Deaf culture. The American Deaf culture is a unique linguistic minority that uses American Sign Language (ASL) as its primary mode of communication. This tipsheet provides a description of Deaf culture and suggestions for effective communication.

Paulo Freire's framework pursues social justice, or liberation. Students and teachers critically think about the conditions of their realities, for the purpose of constructing and attempting solutions, referred to as "action" by Freire. Reflection-action is possible through collaboration, or dialogue--interdependent and concurrent…

Using a language-centered perspective about culture, this book aims to provide culture-based interpretations for language-in-use and for broader discourse issues. The first three chapters present an overview of language and culture in the United States and introduce the concepts and vocabulary for understanding language and cultural complexity.…

The Basque Country in Spain has seen a resurgence in the Basque language (Euskara) and support for bilingualism and bilingual education. Two-thirds of students choose to learn in Euskara and fewer than one-third in Spanish. Schools using Euskara as the language of instruction are achieving better results. (SK)

Two ways of looking at literacy are as technical skills or as social practices. Effective teaching of bilingual learners must build on students' experiences and knowledge and involve linguistic-minority parents. (SK)

Responds to an article by Strubell on "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," by suggesting that the Catalonian situation is a civic and inclusive nationalism that has an ethnic dimension (defined in linguistic terms). The paper discusses the general theory of nationalism and ethnicity, examines the case of Catalan, and…

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," focusing on nationalism. After describing nationalism; nations and other communities; languages; and language, ethnic and national identity, and nationalism; the paper concludes that many factors give language a crucial place in nationalism in many…

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," focusing on the position of Castilian-speaking individuals resident and working in Catalonia. The paper notes that the policy of assimilating migrants is no longer accepted without question, and it suggests diglossia as the only way to provide…

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," arguing that, in a globalizing world, Barcelona, Madrid, and Valencia must resolve their differences and unite against the Anglo-Saxon language and culture which threaten to enter the equation and overtake them all. The paper suggests that Catalonia…

Outlines an agenda for a dialogue that focuses on the relation between acquired language proficiencies (verbal abilities) and non-verbal abilities. Shows the relevance of this to language testing, framing the problem within a general theory of signs and deriving certain testable hypotheses concerning it. (Author/VWL)

Highlights the recognition of Meankieli, a former Finnish dialect, in the Torne Valley region of Sweden. The recognition of Meankieli as a language rather than a dialect in Swedish minority language legislation is an important language-planning decision with the potential to affect the whole linguistic ecology of the Torne Valley. (Author/VWL)

Suggests that language planning and policies that seek to protect the interests of linguistic minorities must be based on a realistic analysis of power relations that exist between the groups concerned. Argues that such an assessment is complex and exemplifies some of the difficulties involved through reference to the situation in Catalonia,…