Mandarin Chinese is the fastest growing foreign language by number of students in the world [Ding and Saunders 2006. "Talking up China: An Analysis of China's Rising Cultural Power and Global Promotion of the Chinese Language." "East Asia" 23 (2): 3-33], but little is known about how it is taking hold in compulsory education in…

Research in culturally responsive instruction (CRI) to improve literacy learning was explored through study of Hawaiian-focused charter schools. Building on work by Au, an indigenous framework reflecting the work of these schools was developed, highlighting five elements: (a) literacy in indigenous languages; (b) community connections; (c) a…

The aim of this paper is to discuss intercultural competence (IC) from a languacognitive perspective, whose main assumption is the interface between language, cognition and culture manifested in meaning construction. The article first emphasizes the centrality of language in the process of meaning construction. As a result, in the following…

This study examines factors impacting teacher learning during and after an online professional development program focused on teaching English language learners in U.S. schools. Research focused on nonbilingual K-12 teachers' changing perspectives on the role of students' native languages in classroom teaching and learning during and after the…

The social nature of language learning and development has been widely acknowledged, as has the importance of family relationships in language learning processes. The role that the first language plays in the literacy development of English language learners (ELLs) and their families is irrefutable. Advocates of family literacy programs have…