Failure to include nonnative English speaking students in a testing program, something that is especially important in a state where a high school graduation test is administered, can cost students the opportunity to practice for the test, as well as the opportunity for diagnosis of educational attainment and feedback about their progress. For…

Although a growing body of research points to the potential benefits of bilingual education, there are a number of commonly held beliefs that run counter to research findings. Based on current research, this digest clarifies some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding language use and bilingual education in the United States. The fallacies…

This edited volume describes the population of heritage language speakers in the United States and outlines what needs to be done to help them develop their languages for use in academic and professional arenas. The book is divided into an introduction plus 14 chapters in 5 sections. The introduction, "Charting a New Course: Heritage Language…

The last several years have seen a dramatic increase in the popularity of two-way immersion (TWI) programs around the country. These programs integrate native English speakers and language-minority students for academic instruction and aim to promote bilingual proficiency, high academic achievement, and cross-cultural awareness. The expanded…

Schools and teacher education programs have begun to rethink preservice and inservice professional development to take into account the need for teachers to work effectively with students learning English. New approaches to teacher education are based on the belief that English language learners' access to challenging content can be enhanced…

NCLEnotes is published twice yearly by the National Clearinghouse for ESL Literacy Education and the Center for Applied Linguistics. Volume 8 includes the following articles: "Speaking of Pronunciation" (MaryAnn Cunningham Florez); "NCLE Coordinates ESL Research Priorities"; "Reading in English"; and "A Standards Sampler." The regular features,…

This Digest discusses cultural influences that may lead to the inappropriate diagnosis of a young student as developmentally delayed, and the need to use assessment instruments that are appropriate for use with culturally and linguistically diverse families. In order to determine the appropriateness of norm-referenced instruments for children from…

There are no good figures on the number of limited English speakers who are also illiterate in their native languages. This data is worth having because there is research indicating that literacy in the native language plays an important role in the acquisition of oral English and the development of English literacy. This digest reviews recent…

This book describes the characteristics of secondary schools in the United States that make it difficult for immigrant students to succeed. These include the following: fragmented school days and instructional programs in which English-as-a-Second-Language and content area teachers work in separate departments and rarely interact; the complex…

This book was written for scholars, policymakers, and educators and provides both an introduction to issues in literacy and language diversity and compelling questions for those who work in the field. Based on national data, the extent of language diversity in the United States is explored; what is known about English literacy, native language…