Because rural communities have different needs and resources from those found in urban settings, nontraditional education programs provide alternatives to those features of modern mass education that respond primarily to urban needs. This digest looks at a few nontraditional programs and strategies, the problems to which they respond, and the…

This digest provides a history of American bilingual education in Spanish from the late 1950's onward, to help educators serve Mexican American students. From 1958 to 1968 curriculum reforms influenced by the launch of Sputnik combined with an influx of Spanish-speaking immigrants from Cuba to effect development of bilingual programs in south…

The document offers a historical perspective, practical suggestions, and guidelines for assessment, placement, and programming of bilingual handicapped students. Chapter 1 on the scope of the problem looks at student, personnel, and instrument variables affecting assessment of bilingual exceptional students. Among the factors discussed are…

Two-way language development programs are full-time programs that use two languages, one of which is English, for the purpose of instruction. Ideally, these programs are composed of elementary or secondary students half of whom are native speakers of English and the other half of whom are native speakers of the other language of instruction.…

This document provides research-based information to help school district personnel select appropriate mathematics education programs for their limited English proficient (LEP) elementary school students. A review of the mathematics education literature is discussed in the context of the reform movement in school mathematics. Two instructional…

This monograph discusses the state of the art in child second language acquisition research. It is of particular interest to teachers, administrators, and others concerned with educating children whose first language is not English. The first chapter deals with preschool second language acquisition. It examines processes of acquiring the sound…

English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) practitioners are familiar with adult learners' stories of disruption, political trauma, and mental upheaval. Until recently, however, little attention has been paid to personal trauma and domestic abuse. Acknowledgement of the prevalence of violence generally, and of that experienced by those in the adult ESL…

Part of a series on the legal and governmental foundations governing education of handicapped and gifted children, the booklet focuses on bilingual special education. A review of the literature covers studies which have been conducted in a variety of bilingual program settings in the United States and several other countries. Cited among findings…

Nowadays all schools must be prepared to meet the challenge of an increasingly diverse student population, including many students who are not proficient in English. The effectiveness of various program models for language minority students remains the subject of controversy, and there are several factors to consider when selecting a program…

Bilingual vocational education (BVE) offers a way to improve both the job and English skills of workers with limited English proficiency (LEP). Initially using both the native language and English to provide job training makes instruction immediately comprehensible to the students. Gradually, the use of the native language decreases while English…

This digest presents information on bilingual-bicultural education for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. The premise of bilingual-bicultural education is that all children who are deaf or hard of hearing should develop communicative competency and that they need to be bilingual in order to function successfully in the family, school, and…

The academic achievement of limited-English-speaking (LEP) students has long been a major national educational concern. This digest focuses on: (1) factors that promote or inhibit academic achievement in a second language; (2) the length of time needed for LEP students to achieve at comparable levels in school with their native English-speaking…

There are an estimated 30 million people in the United States with native languages other than English. Within this group are a number of limited-English-proficient individuals. Whether seeking a first American job or better employment, this group encounters a job market that is changing drastically in the number of jobs it can offer to…

The organization of English as a second language (ESL) programs varies greatly, according to the student population, individual student characteristics, and district resources. They can be broadly categorized as either stand-alone ESL or ESL-plus. In general, stand-alone programs group limited-English-proficient (LEP) students together and…

This digest describes a research and development program being carried out in transitional bilingual education programs at five elementary schools in the Los Angeles area. Researchers have been collaborating with teachers and project advisors to develop, implement, and describe instructional strategies that improve the chances of students in these…