This article focuses on the papers presented in a colloquium on issues related to minority languages that constitute research topics. The papers from this colloquium touch upon a number of research issues and their social implications. In particular, the papers pay attention to ethical questions, which relate to the social sciences in general, but…

This article reports on a study that addresses the following question: why do some children exposed to two languages from early on fail to speak those two languages? Questionnaire data were collected in 1,899 families in which at least one of the parents spoke a language other than the majority language. Each questionnaire asked about the home…

In the past, much discrimination against deaf people was based on the assumption that they were in fact people without language--that is, dumb. "Dumb" carried the sense of being not only mute but also stupid, as in a "dumb" animal. The status of deaf people has changed in important ways, as deaf activists and scholars have reshaped the idea of…

This section presents brief synopses of empirical research and theoretical discussions in peer-reviewed journals. The aim is to disseminate findings and perspectives in fields related to TESOL and to provide access to the diverse conversations among scholars in the field.

This article discusses one aspect of a research study that explored the school experiences of Cambodian American students. Due to their invisibility in the school setting and also in the literature on school reform, these children from refugee families are often overlooked as schools attempt to "close the achievement gap." Through their…

Debates surrounding linguistic heritage in Northern Ireland have primarily centred on Irish (Gaelic) and Ulster-Scots. However, closer analysis suggests that there have long been other languages spoken in the region. Cantonese, Mandarin, Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese are all spoken throughout Northern Ireland as the region experiences…

Teacher educators use children's thinking activities as a means to prepare prospective teachers to teach mathematics. Research in methods courses and student teaching practica has shown these types of activities help prospective teachers deepen their own mathematical knowledge as well as better understand how children think. This study…

The contact between Dominicans and Puerto Ricans is targeted for study as much for its linguistic import as for its social context. Dominican and Puerto Rican Spanish are considered varieties of Caribbean Spanish that differ only by a few phonological and syntactic patterns and a small number of lexical items. Although both varieties are heavily…

This digest focuses on educators' collaborations among themselves and with parents in reforming schools to serve language minority students well. Examples are provided from the Program in Immigrant Education, a national program working to improve the education of immigrant students in secondary school. Specific attention is focused on the…

This paper describes the potential of linguistic rights concepts, particularly those within the Act on Linguistic Policy, focusing on the normalization of Catalan in Spain. It suggests ways in which the law can be useful in increasing the use of Catalan. After an introduction, the paper presents the legal framework within which the linguistic…

This guide was produced by the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instructional Educational Programs (NCELA). NCELA, authorized under Title III of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), supports the Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English…

Developed a model for the concurrent development of assessments in two language versions and tested the model with classes of seven bilingual teachers who developed the assessments in English and Spanish. Results show that the model allows assessment developers to give deeper consideration to culture in test development. (SLD)

Responds to an article by Strubell, "Language, Democracy, and Devolution in Catalonia," arguing that the nationalism that already exists is viewed as the norm and suggesting that the Catalan nationalism and its attempts at affirmative action are menacing. The paper worries that demographic realities might push Catalan nationalism into…

Reviews political debates over the effects of California Proposition 227, which restricted bilingual education. Identifies effective strategies for teaching language-minority students: valuing culture, native language use, staff development, community involvement, and student assessment. Asserts that Proposition 227 is flawed. (SK)

Outlines some of the key complexities and controversies that surround the advocacy of minority language rights, most notably via the movement of linguistic human rights (LHR). Argues that while the LHR movement has much to offer, particularly in articulating how minority languages might come to enjoy some of the privileges accorded majority…