This article answers some frequently asked questions about bilingual education. Suggests that a large percentage of the public is unaware of the benefits of bilingual education. (Author/VWL)

It had been a long 12-hour journey. As the passengers around us snored in slumber or pecked away at their laptops, we shifted in our seats for what seemed like the hundredth time and wondered (again, for what seemed like the hundredth time) if we were ever going to get to our destination. A low rumble issued from beneath our feet and finally, we…

This paper describes how more than 40 languages gained and retained legitimacy as subjects for graduation from upper secondary schooling and for tertiary entrance selection in the South Australian educational system. Essentially the process required conforming with administrative, curriculum and community structures and fitting the mould of…

Language shift among New Mexico Pueblo Indians threatens the loss of their oral-based cultures. Language revival for many Pueblos has resulted in school programs in which students are easily accessible and teachers are accountable to tribes rather than the state. Finding "Pueblo space" for the Native language in school, where it was…

This regional dossier aims to provide concise, descriptive information and basic educational statistics about minority language education in a specific region of Europe--the Northern Basque country. Aspects that are addressed include features of the education system, recent educational policies, main actors, legal arrangements, and support…

The Hispanic population of the United States is quite diverse and with each passing year, due to (im)migration patterns, more and more students are entering language classrooms with some degree of familiarity with the language. However, because of the tendency toward intergenerational loss of Spanish, the linguistic proficiency covers the…

There is a growing recognition of the need for Americans who are proficient in languages other than English; however, there is a great disconnect between these needs, state English-only education policies, and current federal education policy as realized through the No Child Left Behind Act (NLCB) of 2001. These policies are moving the country in…

This article analyses issues pertaining to language policy in Zimbabwean education beginning with the establishment of formal education under colonial rule. English is the official language of business, government and education, and the dominant language in the media. Official policy, before and after independence, has been characterised by…

Every society experiences migration and influxes of immigrants. The most common reasons for migration include political and economic obligations as well as wishing access to better educational opportunities. Although the concept of migration is as old as human history, Turkish society encountered the concept after World War II. Two million Turkish…

This paper discusses the current state of language instruction and accompanying materials and describes elements of the Classroom Library Project in South Africa. The Project was initiated by the Department of Education to increase the supply of suitable material in African languages for elementary schools. Highlights include: shortcomings in…

A discussion of public policy concerning bilingual education looks at why and how policy should be re-focused on helping Limited English Proficient (LEP) students make academic gains. It first examines some characteristics of the highly diverse and rapidly growing LEP population, including varied academic background, tendency to reside in small…

This text of Yup'ik (a southwestern Alaskan Eskimo language) orthography is intended for individuals wishing to read and write in Yup'ik as a first or second language. The first chapter gives details on the Yup'ik alphabet and contains a pronunciation exercise. Subsequent chapters present information, with exercises, on: vowels; double vowels and…

The manual is designed to teach writing to native speakers of North Slope Inupiaq, a regional dialect of Alaskan Inupiaq Eskimo. Spelling is emphasized. An introductory section for teachers details the use of the manual, chapter by chapter, and suggests classroom activities. The first chapter provides an introduction to the writing system of North…

This digest discusses the unprecedented U.S. need for individuals with highly developed competencies in English and one or more other languages and the untapped language resource: heritage language speakers. Sections address the range of proficiencies of heritage language speakers, the fragility of heritage languages, the limitations of current…

In the context of increasing criticism of bilingual education and the use of native language instruction, it must be remembered that they are based on a sound rationale. First, they address the need for continued learning as the child moves from one language to the other. Second, they address the need to diminish the alienation which children feel…