Linguistic Diversity
and
Teaching Non-Native Speakers of EnglishWebsites
Who's Left Behind: Immigrant Children in High and Low LEP Schools -- a Sept. 2005 report documenting that 70% of the nation's LEP students are enrolled in 10% of the nation's schools. And, most of these schools are poorly funded and struggle to provide appropriate services for these students, many of whom come from backgrounds of limited resources.Top Ten Immigration Myths and Facts -- a useful analysis of common myths and misconceptions about immigrants and immigration.
The National Immigration Forum -- an organization that "advocates and builds support for public policies that welcome immigrants and refugees to the United States."
Teen Immigrants: Five American Stories -- a documentary that "introduces you to the hearts and minds behind unfamiliar faces, helping to break down negative stereotypes, celebrate diversity, and gain tolerance and understanding across lines of color and nationality. The program portrays the variety of challenges young immigrants face, but it also emphasizes what we all have in common." -- at this website tyou may read a transcript and interviews and view clips from the documentary.
A Road Map to the Bilingual Education Controversy -- an excellent overview site with lots of useful information, explanation, and links.
Bilingual Education in the United States: Historical Development and Current Issues -- a good overview of history and current controversies and developments by Carols Ovando, one of the leading scholars on this topic.
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition -- a site funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education that provides up-to-date statistics, information about recent developments, research and more.
Double the Work: Challenges and Solutions to Acquiring Language and Academic Literacy for Adolescent English Language Learners -- a 2007 report to the Carnegie Foundation report, by the Alliance for Excellent Education, about the experiences of and effective programs for teens who are non-native speakers of English -- includes a number of good policy recommendations.
English Language Learners -- a good overview page about bilingual education and much more, with many links to recent articles and research -- by Education Week.
TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) -- the website of this national organization -- includes lots of good links, position papers, materials for teachers, and more.
Does Bilingual Education Work? -- a look at the research and evidence.
A Meta-Analysis of the Effectiveness of Bilingual Education -- a 1998 review of bilingual education research by J.P. Greene, professor at the Univeristy of Texas.
Myths and Misconceptions about Second Language Learning: What Every Teacher Needs to Unlearn -- a good article about common misconceptions held by many, including teachers, about English Language Learners (e.g., the younger the child, the more skilled in acquiring a second language).
Anatomy of the English Only Movement -- a background and history of this political movement to limit and eliminate the use of blingual education in the U.S.
Position Paper on English Only Legislation in the U.S. -- scroll down the page until you find this title -- this is a statement by the TESOL organization (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) critical of the English Only Movement -- it includes a good review of many popular assumptions and arguments associated with English Only legislation.
James Crawford's Language Policy Website -- extensive research, review, and analysis regarding the debate over bilingual education.
Effects of the Implementation of Proposition 227 on the Education of English Learners, K-12: Findings of a Five Year Study -- a longitudinal study, published in 2006, that suggests Proposition 227 (an "English-Only" policy in California that limits the use of bilingual education in that state), has not produced significant improvement in English learning.
Bilingual Education Resources on the Internet -- lots of good resources and links.
A Toolkit for Effective Instruction of English Language Learners -- teaching ideas, lesson plans, and more.
Portraits of Four Schools: Meeting the Needs of Immigrant Students and Their Families -- an excellent report about four schools that are part of the School of the 21st Century project, a school reform model that is community based and associated with the School Development project at Yale University -- good details about effective schools and educational policy and practice.
Bilingual Research Journal -- a publication of the National Association for Bilingual Education -- full text articles online presenting quality research about bilingual eduation and bilingualism.
Best Evidence: Research Foundations of the Bilingual Education Act -- a 1997 report funded by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
Does Bilingual Education Work? -- another article that addresses key points in the debate.
Bilingual Education Works -- an article by Stephen Krashen, a researcher interested in the debate over bilingual education.
What Now for Bilingual Education? -- an article from Rethinking Schools.
Bilingual Education is a Human and Civil Right -- an editorial that argues bilingual education is a fundamental right.
Bilingual Education and Latino Civil Rights -- an article presented by the Civil Rights Project at Harvard University.
National Association for Bilingual Education -- an organization that supports and advocates for bilingual education.
"How Did You Learn to Write in English When You Haven't Been Taught in English?" The Language Experience Approach in a Dual Language Program -- a good article from the Bilingual Research Journal, about the value of truly bilingual schooling.
Crosscultural Differences in Learning Styles of Secondary English Learners -- a good article about culturally linked learning differences that are valuable for teachers to understand.
Working with Culturally & Linguistically Diverse Families -- very good recommendations based on research.
Bilingual Education: New Visions for a New Era -- an article about how two schools in California are addressing the needs of ESL students differently since bilingual education was eliminated in that state in 1998.
CLNet Bilingual Education -- discussion boards, history, instructional programs, and more.
California Referendum Mandates "English-Only" -- an article about the ballot initiative in California which eliminated bilingual education in that state.
An Analysis of Proposition 227 in California -- good analysis and review of the impact of Proposition 227 in California, which eliminated bilingual education in that state.
Bilingual Education: Strike Two -- an article about Arizona voters choosing English-only instruction.
Education World: The Bilingual Education Debate -- this article discusses the growing opposition to bilingual education as well as the different types of bilingual education.
Obituary: The Bilingual Ed Act, 1968-2002 -- an essay about changes in federal legislation.
Points on SAT-9 Performance and Proposition 227 -- a good discussion of the test used in California to assess language and academic achievement.
The "English for the Children" Organization -- website of the "English only" group that wants to eliminate bilingual education from U.S. schools.
National Association for Bilingual Education -- a national organization that promotes "educational excellence and equity through bilingual education."
Advocacy for Language Minorities: Examining the Issues -- a good set of letters and public statements in suport of bilingual education and the fair treatment of language minorities, by Professor Jill Kerper Mora, at San Diego State University.
The Rice School/La Escuela Rice: A New Way of Learning -- a fully, two-way bilingual school in Houston, Texas, where ALL students, both native speakers of English and Spanish, learn in both Spanish and English.
Evergreen Elementary School Builds Skills with a Two-Way Language Curriculum -- a good article about a two-way bilingual school in Olympia, WA.
Resources for Mainstream Teachers of English Language Learners -- an excellent list of links with specific information about different cultural/linguistic groups and with information about the teaching of different disciplines.
Educating Language-Minority Children -- a good report with clear guidelines for teachers.
To Meet Your Students Where They Are, First You Have to Find Them: Working With Culturally and Linguistically Diverse At-Risk Students -- good case study examples and recommendations.
Promoting Successful Transition to the Mainstream: Effective Instructional Strategies for Bilingual Students -- describes an effective transitional bilingual program in Los Angeles.
Helping English Learners Increase Achievement Through Inquiry-Based Science Instruction -- a study reports that inquiry-based science instruction improved performance not only in science, but in math, reading, and writing.
Families Absorb Language Through Children -- an article about some U.S. public schools in which some of the instruction is in a language other than English (e.g., Spanish, French, Japanese, German, etc.)
Planning Instruction for English Language Development: A Knowledge Base and Teaching Strategies -- a guide "for teachers who wish to enhance their knowledge base and repertoire of teaching strategies for promoting language and literacy development with bilingual learners."
Fostering Second Language Development in Young Children -- an article about teachers educating children with limited English skills -- guides educators working with linguistically diverse students and helps them recognize that bilingualism is a process that occurs in stages.
PASO Partners Bilingual Program -- a good example of bilingual lesson plans and teaching ideas for elementary math and science.
Responding to the Demographic Challenge: An Internet Classroom for Teachers of Language-Minority Students -- a good essay and lots of links and resources.
English as a Second Language -- a resource site for ESL learners who want to improve their English through use of materials and links on the internet.
Immigrant Education Issues -- extensive resources relevant to educating immigrant students.
Portraits of Four Schools: Meeting the Needs of Immigrant Students and Their Families -- a report on what four schools are doing to work effectively with immigrant students and their families -- conducted by a research team at Yale University.
Everything ESL -- everything ESL offers free resources, lessons, games, tips, and much more for teachers of students learning English. The lesson plans include links to worksheets and additional information on the particular topics.
Model Strategies in Bilingual Education: Professional Development -- this website contains links to information to accommodate language and linguistic diversity in schools.
Bilingual Education -- this website offers information pertaining to many different forms of bilingual education from English as Second Language to Two-way immersion programs.
Raising Multilingual Children -- this website is great for parent's who want to raise bilingual or multilingual children. It offers resources and books for parents to learn about a child's inner instinct to want to learn language and to communicate.
International Email Classroom Connections -- in 1992, IECC was created as a web service to facilitate international pen pal exchanges. Through e-mail pen pals or classroom project exchanges students are encouraged to create friendships with people from other cultures and countries.
Dave's ESL Cafe -- this site offers a variety of materials for ESL and EFL teachers and students. Teachers and students can go into individual chats or group chats to discuss issues of relevance.
About.com free online Spanish Dictionary -- this site offers audio clips of individual words in both Spanish and English.
The Immigration Debate in the Classroom 2007 -- extensive resources for teaching about the immigration debate in the U.S. -- lot of good links and resources.
See also, topic pages within this site about Latino Issues and Asian-American Issues.
Some Good Books and Articles
Ambert, A. 1991. Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language: A Research Handbook. Garland.Campano, G. 2006. Immigrant Students and Literacy. Teachers College Press.
Crawford, J. 1999. Bilingual Education: History, Politics, Theory, and Practice. Bilingual Education Services.
Crawford, J. 2000. At War with Diversity: U.S. Language Policy in an Age of Anxiety. Multilingual Matters.
Cummins, J. 1996. Negotiating Identities: Education for Empowerment in a Diverse Society. Ontario: California Association for Bilingual Education.
Cummins, J. 2001. Empowering Minority Students: A Framework for Intervention. Harvard Educational Review, 71(4): 649-675.
Darder, A. et al., (Eds.) 1997. Latinos and Education: A Critical Reader. Routledge.
Faltis, C. 2001. Joinfostering: Teaching and Learning in Multilingual Classrooms. Merrill Prentice Hall.
Fitzgerald, Jill. 2000. How Will Bilingual/ESL Programs in Literacy Change in the Next Millennium. Reading Research Quarterly, 35(4): 520-523.
Genesee, F. 1994. Educating Second Language Children: The Whole Child, the Whole Curriculum, the Whole Community. Cambridge Univ. Press.
Jobe, V. 2005. What Does It Take for English-Language Learners to Succeed in a Society Where They Are Not Expected to Succeed. Childhood Education, 82(1): 44-46.
Kottler, E. 1994. Children with Limited English: Teaching Strategies for the Regular Classroom. Corwin Press.
Krashen, S. 1996. Under Attack: The Case Against Bilingual Education. Language Education Associates.
Krashen, S. 1998. Condemned Without a Trial: Bogus Arugments Against Bilingual Education. Heinemann.
Lucas, T. et al., 1990. Promoting the Success of Latino Language Minority Students: An Exploratory Study of Six High Schools. Harvard Educational Review, 60(3): 315-340.
Macedo, D. 2000. The Colonialism of the English Only Movement. Educational Researcher, 29(3):15-24.
McCollum, H. et al., 1993. Model Strategies in Bilingual Education: Family Literacy and Parent Involvement. U.S. Department of Education.
McLeod, B. 1994. Language and Learning: Educating Linguistically Diverse Students. SUNY Press.
Ovando, C. et al., 2003. Bilingual & ESL Classrooms: Teaching in Multicultural Contexts. McGraw Hill.
Padilla, R. & Benavides, A. (Eds.) 1992. Critical Perspectives on Bilingual Education Research. Bilingual Press.
Padillo, A. et al., (Eds.) 1990. Bilingual Education: Issues and Strategies. Sage.
Perez, B. & Torres-Guzman, M. 2002. Learning in Two Worlds: An Integrated Spanish/English Biliteracy Approach. Allyn and Bacon.
Reyes, M. 1992. Challenging Venerable Assumptions: Literacy Instruction for Linguistically Different Students. Harvard Educational Review, 62(4): 427-446.
Reyes, P. et al., (Eds.), 1999. Lessons from High Performing Hispanic Schools: Creating Learning Communities. Teachers College Press.
Ribeiro, L. 2005. Multicultural Training: Familiarity Breeds Success. The Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education, 28.
Richard-Amato, P. & Snow, M. 1992. The Multicultural Classroom: Readings for Content-Area Teachers. Longman.
Slavin, R. & Calderon, M. 2001. Effective Programs for Latino Students. Lawrence Erlbaum.
Soto, L. 1997. Language, Culture, and Power: Bilingual Families and the Struggle for Quality Education. SUNY Press.
Spener, D. 1988. Transitional Bilingual Education and the Socialization of Immigrants. Harvard Educational Review, 58(2): 133-153.
Thomas, W. 1999. Accelerated Schooling for English Language Learners. Educational Leadership, 46.
Tse, L. 2001. "Why Don't They Learn English?" Separating Fact from Fallacy in the U.S. Language Debate. Teachers College Press.
Valdes, G. 2001. Learning and Not Learning Enlgish: Latino Students in American Schools. Teachers College Press.
Valencia, R. (Ed.) 1991. Chicano School Failure and Success. Falmer Press.
Valenzuela, A. 1999. Subtractive Schooling: U.S.-Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring. SUNY Press.
Varghese, M. & Stritikus, T. 2005. Nidie Me Dijo (Nobody Told Me): Language Policy Negotiation and Implications for Teacher Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 56(1): 73 - 88.
Walsh, C. 1996. Pedagogy and the Struggle for Voice: Issues of Language, Power and Schooling for Puerto Ricans. Bergin & Garvey.
Zehr, M. 2005. State Testing of English-Learners Scrutinized. Education Week, 15:3.
Zentella, A. 1997. Growing Up Bilingual: Puerto Rican Children in New York. Blackwell.
Zimmerman, L. 2000. Bilingual Education as a Manifestation of an Ethic of Caring. Educational Horizons, 78(2): 72-76.
Some Good Videos/Films
Bilingualism: A True Advantage -- a documentary about successful bilingual education.Hispanic Education at the Crossroads -- a film about educational issues and effective schools for Latino youth.
High School of American Dreams -- a documentary about a NYC high school for new immigrant youth who speak very little English.