Fifty years after the Lau decision, dual-language programs face critical challenges, particularly a national teacher shortage, especially in bilingual programs representing less commonly taught languages like Mandarin Chinese. This study explores the workplace environments of 13 Mandarin Dual Language Bilingual Education (MDLBE) teachers in a…

The author discusses bi-lingual elementary education, with examples from various ongoing programs, giving background philosophy, experiences in setting up a program, discussion of the significance of the Lau v. Nichols decision, and some thoughts on future direction. (MB)

In the wake of the 1974 decision handed down by the Supreme Court in Lau v Nichols, there has been a burgeoning of training programs, workshops, conferences, and graduate programs in bilingual bicultural education. This paper examines some of the sources of these developments and attempts to put theory and practice into historical, cultural, and…

Highlights the more common objections raised to the Notice of Proposed Rule Making (1980) regarding bilingual educational rights of national origin minority children and responds to those objections with factual information. (CM)

This position paper gives the results of informal surveys carried out by the Bilingual-Bicultural Task Force of the California State Department of Education. Only 60 to 65% of the teachers in the state bilingual programs are judged bilingual and 50% bilingual-biliterate. Almost all of the teacher aides are judged bilingual, and a large percentage…

There have been four major court decisions affecting bilingual education: Lau v. Nichols, Serna v. Portales, Aspira v. the New York Board of Education and Keyes v. Denver School District No. 1. Lau v. Nichols was an action brought by non-English-speaking Chinese-origin students claiming to be denied an education because they could not comprehend…

This document reviews the arguments and the ruling in the Lau v. Nichols case, and the general legal foundation for bilingual education. On March 25, 1970, a suit was filed by 13 non-English-speaking Chinese students in the District Court in San Francisco, on behalf of nearly 3,000 Chinese-speaking students, against the San Francisco Unified…

Examines how U.S. public schools have responded to increasing numbers of limited English proficient students, given the limited supply of bilingual teachers and, in this context, examines language segregation in desegregated schools. Educational policymakers have a difficult time reconciling desegregation goals' requirements for comprehensible…

This paper sets forth the position of the Michigan State Board of Education regarding bilingual instruction. First is a summary of policies already established as a result of the adoption of "The Common Goals of Michigan Education," the rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court as enunciated in Lau vs Nichols, federal legislation (ESEA Title…

Frequently-asked questions about English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) instruction are posed and answered. Questions address the following: the goals of ESL instruction; how ESL differs from bilingual education; how students needing ESL are identified; where interpreters are found; the "Lau Decision"; how to find out how much English the…