A discussion of public policy concerning bilingual education looks at why and how policy should be re-focused on helping Limited English Proficient (LEP) students make academic gains. It first examines some characteristics of the highly diverse and rapidly growing LEP population, including varied academic background, tendency to reside in small…

With respect to the ultimate goal for limited English proficient students, it would appear that the policy of transitional bilingual education in the United States is explicitly non-bilingual, incorporating a minimalist form of bilingualism for the period students are in the programs, and viewing the first language as only instrumental insofar as…

Emerging issues and recent literature associated with language and curriculum development for exceptional bilingual students are discussed. Studies are cited which document student gains in achievement as a result of native language, English-as-a-second-language, or bilingual education strategies with handicapped limited-English-proficient (LEP)…

Based on a review of twenty-eight studies, this report examines the success of transitional bilingual education proqrams in leading to better performance in English and in nonlanguage subject areas. The following conclusions are offered: (1) Schools can improve the achievement level of language minority children through proper programs. (2) There…

The United States has become increasingly multilingual in recent decades, and while English is the most commonly spoken language, almost 11 percent of Americans prefer to speak another language at home. Bilingualism is promoted by governmental units at the federal, state, and local levels through a variety of programs, particularly in education…

Since many of the concerns motivating research on bilingual education are inherently those of a conflict theory approach, it is not surprising to find increasing dissatisfaction with the traditional quantificational mode of research, as contrasted with the qualitative mode. There is likely to be a close link between research questions, method of…

The papers in this volume represent thoughts about the state of the art of teaching reading (with an emphasis on persistent problems) of many recognized authorities in the field of reading education. Eight of the articles were originally presented at a joint Reading Hall of Fame and International Reading Association (IRA) symposium at the IRA…

Linguistic and cognitive assessment of children whose home language is not English involves a number of complex issues: minority labeling, the relationship between cognition and bilingualism, "normal" data on bilingual development, and monolingual versus bilingual environment for children experiencing delay. This paper concentrates on reviewing…

The causes and effects of resistance to the acknowledgement and appreciation of the language skills and characteristics of United States Southwest bilinguals can be seen in both the Hispanic and Anglo communities. The cultural inferiority ideology of Americans to Mexicans is a historical cause of this resistance, and it is reflected in the…

This article surveys literature of research based on several early childhood bilingual education programs and guidelines. Common findings of each are outlined. It also includes a case study of instructional discourse in teaching language minority kindergarten children. (JL)

A core of courses is proposed for the training of French teachers and for the development of postgraduate studies in bilingual education: the nature of language, theories of language acquisition, and effective teaching methods. Collaborative research involving practitioners, researchers, and students will be increasingly important.(MSE)

Discusses the issues entailed in measuring bilingual competency in individuals and measuring the outcomes of bilingual education. Measurement instrument types are reviewed briefly and existing research is cited. The indications on bilingualism are taken from a 1967 seminar in Moncton, New Brunswick; the bilingual education indications, from the…

Noting the importance of language acquisition for children's physical, social, and cognitive development, this paper discusses first- and second-language acquisition in children. After providing background on second-language acquisition, the paper discusses the controversy surrounding bilingual education programs. The paper then explores what is…

Describes and evaluates an English-Hebrew program designed to develop biliteracy in kindergarten children. (FL)

Examines five biliterate (reading/writing mastery in two languages) educational settings for their functional approaches to language instruction and their different teaching methods. Notes the implications of such examinations and comparisons regarding regular English instruction and teaching English to speakers of other languages. (RL)