The existing minority language situation of French Canadians in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritime Provinces is examined, highlighting the historical, political, social, and educational aspects of bilingualism in Canada. Additive and subtractive forces in Canadian bilingualism and biculturalism are outlined for comparison. French…

The political and pedagogical issues arising from language legislation, language policy, and language planning in a bilingual country such as Canada are analyzed. The socio-historical context of bilingualism in Canada is reviewed, and Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (appended), which imposes a constitutional requirement…

The goals of language policies in Marxist-Leninist states tend to be applied in three stages: (1) pluralism, (2) bilingualism, and (3) monolingualism. The language policies in Bulgaria, particularly as applied to the Turkish minority, fit this pattern. A pluralistic language and education tradition in Bulgaria, inherited from the Ottoman Empire,…

Language teachers recognize that improving their foreign language proficiency is an ongoing process. New ways of evaluating teachers' language skills, and curriculum changes emphasizing performance highlight skill inadequacies. Many teachers have not reached functional language levels, and language skill upgrading is a more relevant issue than…

These bilingual education teacher training materials address the critical issue of effective planning and implementation of programs of bilingual education as well as efficient program evaluation. These materials are intended to provide the practical assistance necessary for successful bilingual program implementation. The first section of the…

Research in a Puerto Rican community in New York City was undertaken to explore the language climate in that community, which included the linguistic forms in use, their distribution and functions in daily life, community members' attitudes toward language, and the way in which language phenomena are influenced by various social factors. An…

In a survey of the Maori population of New Zealand, it was determined that the use of Maori is in alarming but not irreversible decline. The decline is most evident in urban areas, where Maori speakers face pressures from an English-speaking majority. Younger Maori were generally found to be less proficient than their older relatives. Even rural…

Provides a linguistically valid definition of minority language, as well as language expansion, contraction, and death. The definitional model presented features the establishment of a continuum which also is shown to have predictive power, yielding an effective operational definition of majority/minority status and predicting new data. (Author/CB)

Traces the historical background of language diversity in the United States. Argues that the desire to maintain English as the common language of the United States will be brought about more effectively through the American tradition of persuasion and democracy than through linguistic legislation. (ARH)

Discusses research on the development of different models of schooling in Catalonia and on the linguistic abilities and qualifications of teachers of Catalan. Recent research has shown that the proficiency of pupils of Catalan and Castillian is determined by environmental and individual factors. (Author/SED)

The use of traditional stories in American Indian language programs connects students' reading to their lives and familiarizes learners with the rhythms of the oral language. Puppet performances are one way of connecting reading programs to the Native oral tradition. A high school reading lesson in a first-year Hupa language class uses many…

It is suggested that despite its simplicity, neutrality, and practical nature, Esperanto is at risk of extinction because of the growing dominance of English as an international language. It is further proposed that in order to assure its maintenance, Esperantists must federate into a state with political autonomy. The first section of the…

This paper describes the American Indian Language Development Institute (AILDI), which can serve as a model for connecting school, community, and university resources to strengthen indigenous languages. Since 1978, AILDI has held annual summer institutes that team community-based native speakers of indigenous languages with academic linguists and…

This annual publication (published separately in English and Spanish) examines political, social, environmental, and educational issues concerning indigenous peoples around the world in 2000-01. Part 1 describes current situations and events in 11 world regions: the Arctic; North America; Mexico and Central America; South America; Australia and…

This paper describes the use of Theatre of the Oppressed (TO), a movement of radical theater and popular education designed for communities sharing common oppression, to help First Nations people return to and stabilize their mother tongues. It suggests that for many First Nations people, relearning their languages involves confronting histories…