Controversy surrounding the role of non-English languages in American education has a long history. In the 100 years in which the American Educational Research Association (AERA) has been in existence, two Supreme Court decisions have addressed this issue ("Meyer v. Nebraska," 1923, and "Lau v. Nichols," 1974); federal…

Classrooms the world over are full of people who, for different reasons, are learning additional languages and/or are studying through languages that are not their first. Gaining insight into such contexts is complicated for researchers and practitioners alike by the myriad of contextual variables that come with different implementations and make…

One of the main challenges confronted by higher education in the 21st century is to internationalize its programs and to make students more globally competent. This challenge is not new, but it has become increasingly complex. Gutek (1993) explains how the efforts to internationalize the university in the United States became particularly…

This paper focusses on the teaching of non-linguistic subject matters in a second or third language through bilingual education. We investigate how this specific educational framework influences the development of linguistic competence as well as disciplinary knowledge. Based on a large-scale corpus of classroom interactions collected in bilingual…

Teachers in traditional bilingual settings confront strict program requirements under the guise of No Child Left Behind (NCLB), excessive assessment demands (state, district and program assessments in both English and Spanish), and negative attitudes about bilingual education from many in the political and public spheres. Since 1998, the passage…

Four types of geometric configurations used in illustrating bilingual education plans are described. The first type and one of the earliest consisted of a matrix form with horizontal/vertical columns. Three instructional designs based on this figure are a full-immersion approach, a dual language transitional plan, and a third plan in which the…

Administrative problems that have been solved or accepted during eight years of early immersion programs are discussed including choosing locations, staffing, costs, logistics, and the need for suitable pupil progress reporting. (JMF)

Presents a theory that all developing and developed bilinguals have a preferred and a second language (L2) and that the bilingual increases L2 competence through fluctuating activity between bilingual preferred L2 medium-oriented communication and monolingual L2 message-oriented communication. Discusses implications of the theory for language…

School failure of Spanish-speaking Mexican-origin children is complex and not attributable to language factors alone. Although dual-language immersion has promise, educators must consider possible negative effects, quality of instruction in minority languages, effects on intergroup relations, and issues of language and power. (SK)

Meier and Krashen, both employed in California's education system, do an injustice to students in rehashing an already settled battle. Fed up with two decades of failure, California voters replaced bilingual education with structured English immersion. Meier and Krashen offer no suggestions for coping with Proposition 227. (27 references) (MLH)

Offers an overview of current challenges of preparing foreign language teachers in United States schools. Discusses the growing demand for foreign language classes in elementary and middle schools; longer internships for preservice teachers; ongoing professional development; more bilingual and immersion programs; and the trend toward…

There is more to French immersion programs in Canada than social class analysis. Program success is determined not by social class per se, but by use of appropriate strategies, staff, resources, and curriculum implementation. (CJ)

Canadian Parents for French is an association of concerned parents supporting the French language programs, particularly immersion and core programs, in the Canadian school system. They are investigating solutions to problems in individual districts and are a force with which the government must reckon. (JMF)

Presents areas of agreement among professionals on research and theory in language teaching as it is applicable to classroom methodology and contrasts these with assumptions held by many teachers and laypersons. Considers the practical implications of these points of accord and presents recommendations for teacher training and the development of…

This paper examines pedagogical and methodological considerations involved in language immersion programs in Kyrgyzstan, discussing bilingual education program goals, how children acquire first languages, how language and content can be taught and learned simultaneously, and steps that have been taken to make immersion programs successful in…