This paper examines the ambiguity in defining terms within the field of bilingual education, noting problems with poor professional development available to teachers selected to participate in bilingual education programs. The first section discusses terminology within bilingual education programs, focusing on the following: transitional bilingual…

This report from the Comptroller General to Congress is designed to assess the effectiveness of the Bilingual Education Program and to suggest ways to improve its administration. The program as originally conceived is described, and funding, participation, and recent legislative developments affecting bilingual education are discussed. It is…

This publication presents four suggested language arts curriculum units. They represent a cross-section of materials that have been developed to deal with the learning problems of students with special language difficulties. Originally developed for grades 7-12, these units may be adapted for use in adult education or at other grade levels. They…

Describes the history and phrasing of questions related to English language proficiency on U.S. censuses since 1890 and details the changing definition of language minorities. Describes and relates the Children's English and Services Study and the 1976 Survey of Income and Education to language-related questions on the 1980 census. (SB)

Interim results of the American Institutes for Research study on the impact of the ESEA Title VII Spanish/English Bilingual Education Program imply that certain inferences can be made about the program, inferences which are unjustifiable. By providing only statistical averages on a national sample, the report does a serious disservice by failing…

State after state is wrestling with federal legislation's mandate to respond to the needs of students whose native language is not English. Much ambiguity, confusion, and frustration surrounds the issue of bilingual-bicultural education. This paper begins by describing the confusion which often surrounds the English component in a bilingual…

This publication presents three suggested language arts curriculum units. They represent a cross-section of materials that have been developed to deal with the learning problems of students with special language difficulties. Originally developed for grades 7-12, these units may be adapted for use in adult education or at other grade levels. They…

Reviews research literature on the effectiveness of bilingual education programs. Argues that scientifically valid evaluation studies offer no consistent support for transitional bilingual education as a superior practice for improving the English-language achievement of limited English proficient (LEP) children and, in fact, suggest evidence of…

The Bilingual Education Act of 1968 (also know as Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965) recognized that the educational needs of Limited English Proficient (LEP) students could not be met by traditional, English-only instruction. This legislation provided funding to state education agencies and local school districts to…

Since the 1960s, the U.S. Department of Education has enthusiastically embraced bilingual education. In this paper, the author evaluates the federal bilingual education program. Based on her studies of the implementation of bilingual education in California, Massachusetts, and New York City, she concludes that the program is of dubious value. She…

This paper presents an overview of the impact of the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title VII Spanish/English bilingual program. Student, teacher, and project data were collected in 38 projects in their fourth or fifth year of funding, along with data from non-Title VII comparison schools. The research design of this national study is…

Explores the alternatives best suited to teach limited English proficient students in the United States, and considers whether those alternatives are aimed at developing and conserving language resources. Also offers a brief history of bilingual education in the United States from 1550 on. (JB)