This collection of papers examines how language policies in education serve the interests of dominant groups within societies, how policies marginalize some students while granting privilege to others, how language policies in schools create inequalities among learners, and how schools can further the educational, social, and economic interests of…

The standards-based education reform movement has serious implications for students who are English language learners (ELLs), particularly with regard to wide scale assessment. Standards-based reform has been promoted nationwide through two federal initiatives--the Goals 2000: Educate America Act and Title I of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary…

This paper explains how oral competence in foreign languages is developed by applying constructivist pedagogic methodology to the four language skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Foreign language constructivist methodology departs from the information processing model and behaviorist teaching that guide the transmission of…

Expectations of performance in a foreign language are important predictors of future achievement. Two types of bias occur in foreign language learning: self-enhancement bias, which pertains to students who are unrealistically optimistic about their ability to learn a foreign language; and self-derogation bias, which pertains to those students who…

This guide is useful for pre-kindergarten educators who work with second language students who wish to document their students' language development over time. Although the purposes may vary among various practitioners and audiences, overall this handbook is intended to provide guidance in how to capture students' language proficiency in reliable…

This volume reports the findings of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. The formal charge to the panel--a distinguished group of expert researchers in reading, language, bilingualism, research methods, and education--was to identify, assess, and synthesize research on the education of language-minority children and…

Specific student attitude problems in compulsory language courses are described and solutions to them are presented, including first-day pep talks, teacher approval and positive attitudes, use of interesting topics, props, provision for student creativity, skillful use of questioning, and use of novelty. (MSE)

Describes schedules and activities of the summer and weekend foreign language immersion programs at the State University of New York College at New Paltz. Gives some highlights of last summer's program. (EKN)

In response to O. Weininger's article, programs in various countries are cited in defense of the efficacy of early language immersion. The importance of flexibility is stressed, as is need to examine bilingual immersion in the light of educational, social, linguistic, and "political" goals, as well as psychological theory. (PP)

The importance of fully exploring the values and limitations of early language immersion programs is reiterated. The need to take children's class advantages into account in judging the effectiveness of such programs is emphasized. (PP)

Teachers working with Asian refugee children describe their approaches to problems involving language acquisition, culture differences, and psychological adjustment. Tips are offered on peer teaching, creating a supportive atmosphere, and English language development. (FG)

Issues relating to multicultural education are addressed in seven articles including: (1) the development of cross-cultural competency and tolerance; (2) multicultural guidance; (3) multiethnic representation in reading materials; and (4) moral education in multicultural settings. (RC)

Presents results of a survey undertaken to determine (1) the situations in which Dutch students (secondary and higher education level) and workers would be required to use French, German, and English, either for personal or professional tasks; and (2) what gaps existed in actual proficiency in these languages. (AM)

Gives the guidelines for a unit of study based on creative activities. Defines procedures, rules of the game, and basic information. The exercises provide instructions and suggestions to stimulate the learners to gradually build a fictional world as a backdrop for the interaction of characters emerging from group work and discussion. (MES)

By means of the Kay Elementrics Visi-Pitch and a split screen, students are able to compare their voice traces with the model's, thereby seeing prosodic, phonemic, and allophonic distinctions they were unable to hear. (PMJ)