Describes an immersion program for native Spanish-speaking university students from the University of California, Los Angeles, that was created to help them fulfill the language requirement. Reasons for the program, student characteristics, language characteristics, expected goals and outcomes of the program, and program observations are provided.…

Describes Latin America's bilingual intercultural education (BIE) programs. Explains that BIE attempts to provide education in both Spanish and native languages. Finds that future BIE teachers speak but do not write the indigenous language or have insufficient schooling. Urges inservice training programs, basic teacher training, and training of…

Suggests that the notion of near-native language ability, as currently used in the language teaching profession, should be re-examined. The concept of native speech is complex and often idealized, involving not only a teacher's language skills but also sociocultural norms, peer perceptions, and attitudes about ethnic or regional usage. The concept…