Despite much rhetoric, foreign language teacher education lacks a substantial research base. Teacher education programs in general consist of subject-matter coursework, general education requirements, and specialized educational content, domains that have remained relatively unchanged in two decades. However, recent reform movements may have a…

This digest examines the emerging profession of teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) to adults who live and work in the United States, offering suggestions for beginning a career in this field and continuing to grow professionally. The fundamental duty of an ESL teacher is to facilitate development of communication skills in English, in…

A variety of programs have unsuccessfully attempted to address the career development needs of street youth (defined here as 16-24 year olds with no fixed address, low social support, and who support themselves through street activities such as prostitution, theft, and drug-dealing). This digest describes "Skills Plus," a…

Based on the findings of a content analysis of representative literature on educational technology, this report examines trends in educational technology from October 1, 1994 through September 30, 1995. Eight trends for 1995 are identified and discussed: (1) computers are pervasive in schools and higher education institutions and virtually every…

The teaching of African languages in the United States at the elementary and secondary levels is rare, but a number of schools offer one or more of the major African languages for instruction. This digest looks at the current state of African language instruction in the United States at the elementary and secondary levels and is divided into the…

Issues and steps in the search process for both faculty and administrators are considered, based on a review of the higher education literature, selected literature from the corporate and industrial personnel field, and conversations with personnel practitioners and consultants. After discussing organizational tasks for the search committee and…

Being an effective vocational teacher today means having knowledge and/or experience in four areas: a specific skill area; instructional planning, implementation, and evaluation; classroom and laboratory management; and occupational experience. Tomorrow's vocational teachers will need to be competent in all of these areas, but they will also need…

Although the teaching of English as a second language (ESL) is a relatively new profession, it is an old activity. Until World War II, ESL instruction in the United States was irregular. In 1940, the first ESL teachers enrolled in a University of Michigan training program based on structural or descriptive linguistics. The Army Language School…

This report discusses efforts in adult English as a Second Language (ESL) education to link language instruction to workforce and civic skills (skills needed for successful participation in the community). It looks at the social forces that underlie these efforts (shifts in the U.S. economy, welfare reform, accountability requirements, and learner…

School leaders, especially principals, will play a major role in determining how effectively public schools are able to respond to the challenges of the next century. This handbook summarizes, analyzes, and synthesizes literature on educational leadership. It also integrates theory and practice, containing ideas from practitioners. The volume…

One of the key challenges facing community colleges in the 1990's is the development of leadership that represents the diversity of students and local constituents. In a 1991 survey of 1,097 community college presidents, only 11% of those surveyed belonged to minority groups. Programs do exist, however, to help minority group members structure…

In 1990, Elizabeth Dole, then Secretary of the Department of Labor, established the Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills (SCANS) to determine the skills that youths need to participate in the workplace and the skill levels that entry-level jobs require. SCANS determined that workplace skills consist of foundation skills and…

Most teachers of English as a Second Language (ESL) face a number of challenges: large and heterogeneous classes, specialized student needs, and poor funding and employment continuity. Many work part time, often in more than one program and serving simultaneously as administrator and teacher. While most have college degrees, their training is…

An eight-step organizational approach to the problem of identifying, remediating, and, if necessary, dismissing incompetent teachers is described. Addressed to school superintendents, the eight steps are as follows: (1) establish "excellence in teaching" as a high priority for the district, (2) adopt and publish reasonable criteria for evaluating…

This digest is concerned with the need to develop standards and infrastructure for improving the employment, placement, preparation, and supervision of paraeducators in inclusive general and special education classrooms, Title I, multilingual/English as a Second Language, and early childhood programs. It discusses teacher responsibilities for…