Discusses the teaching of Spanish to native Spanish speakers, looking at the history of the field and the experiences of bilingual students. Suggests that while bilingual educators and Spanish language teachers may see themselves as quite different from each other, their students may perceive their classes as similar. Reference is made to a study…

Two policy documents supporting education for ethnolinguistic or socioeconomic minorities in Catalonia are examined, identifying underlying assumptions and the views of cultural diversity implicit in them. It is concluded that the policy is formulated vaguely, incorporates contradictory statements, and neglects learners' first languages. Further…

Twelve Spanish-speaking school-aged children participated in an 8-week pretest/posttest design investigation targeting improvement of their communicative competence through a narrative intervention program. Also examined the efficacy of providing an intervention in the children's native language. Findings revealed that use of a narrative…

Reviews the literature about preschool immersion education for Indigenous languages. Describes the two oldest and best known of such programs: Kohanga Reo ("language nests") in Aotearoa/New Zealand and Punana Leo in Hawaii. Looks at existing U.S. programs, particularly Arapaho preschools in Wyoming. Outlines major themes and issues in developing…

Discusses the historical perspective relating to current problems facing mother tongue instruction in Sierra Leone and examines post-independence policies to highlight the institutional bases of mother tongue education and to consider causes of inertia and negative attitudes towards it since independence. (Author/VWL)

Analyzes the social and educational objectives for teaching English as a second language in Quebec schools. Further research is needed about appropriate teaching methods and appropriate ages for beginning instruction. The sociopolitical context of Quebec must be considered to assign highest priority to developing students' native languages. (CB)

Describes recent trends in bilingual education for aboriginal peoples in northern Siberia, USSR. Discusses teacher education in Siberian aboriginal languages, production of native language textbooks, and efforts to retain and revive northern aboriginal languages. Contains 14 references and specific information on 27 aboriginal languages. (SV)

Focuses on how parents and teachers can help bring nonnative English-speaking children become literate in both their native language and in English. The activities most likely to ensure success in achieving these goals are those which can be done with the materials at hand in the context of normal daily living and in which everyone is happy to…

The information gained from analysis of bilingual students' writing can be used to inform instruction that helps students improve their writing in Spanish and English. The writing of one native Spanish-speaking third grader is analyzed, and instructional strategies are given for helping the writer improve content and mechanics. (Author/TD)

A multisensory structured language (MSL) approach was utilized with two groups of at-risk high school students (n=63), taught in either English and Spanish (MSL/ES) or Spanish only. Foreign language aptitude improved for both groups and native language skills for the MSL/ES group. A group receiving traditional foreign language instruction showed…

This article examines how children and adolescents learn language and literacy, arguing that the crux of learning occurs through social interaction in which content is being discussed and negotiated. It also reviewed emerging issues related to the improvement of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction in elementary and secondary schools.…

Literacy in South America must be understood in terms of the linguistic diversity there, where only 2 of 14 nations and territories are monolingual. Oral traditions, standardization of indigenous languages, nonstandard varieties of colonial languages, bilingual education and mother tongue literacy, literacy teaching, and politics are discussed.…

Surveyed urban educators in England to study educational practices related to teaching community languages and training teachers in those languages for bilingual education. Responses of 17 educators show few opportunities at the primary level for children to learn their home languages in school. (SLD)

In two Texas elementary schools with similar student demographics but different school and district environments, teacher expectations about bilingual education students were influenced by differing bilingual education goals, beliefs about the value of student native language, teacher beliefs and district expectations about curriculum, and the use…

The literature on language diversity, linguistic human rights, and language renewal is reviewed, and Web sites dedicated to Aboriginal languages are examined. The Internet provides a resource center where grammars, lexicons, fonts, and other resources can be developed; a means of learning languages; and a medium for communicating in Aboriginal…