This document consists of eight double-sided briefs addressing aspects of the field of early childhood education. Titles of the briefs are as follows: (1) "Early Childhood Care? Development? Education?," outlining the distinctions between these terms; (2) "Planning for Access: Develop a Data System First," highlighting Brazil's…

Reports a study comparing various combinations of the English language with the local language for science instruction in three Kenyan primary schools. Concludes that science concepts were acquired more effectively when English was used in combination with local language and recommends implementation of a language of instruction policy. (LS)

Investigates the administration and interpretation of deaf educational policy at a regular education campus. There was a breakdown in translation of policy and a lack of articulation between the County and the District, as well as confusion regarding language use in the classroom and a lack of knowledge concerning the bilingual education of the…

Suggests that Native students entering school in Ontario (Canada) are not treated equally with regard to support for or valuing of their Native language. Overviews research related to second-language instruction and provides policy recommendations for Native-language students, second-language instruction, deaf education, and developing a…

From 1949 to 1957, the Chinese Communist Party's language policy took a pluralistic approach. A Chinese-monopolistic language policy was dominant, 1958-77. A pluralistic approach was again adopted from 1977 to the present. The Chinese experience illustrates how language minorities everywhere must balance maintaining their home language with…

This article examines the legal instruments and educational politics affecting deaf persons' educational rights in Spain. We present a historical view of deaf education in Spain before and after the Congress of Milan (1880) and then introduce educational legislation and practices in recent decades. At present, Spanish legislation is moving toward…

The purpose of this bulletin is to examine general policies and principles of English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education, to assess the status of the ESL program at the state level in Oregon, and to examine ESL programs in two Oregon school districts. The study is concerned with both the quantitative (demography, budget allocations) and…

Educating limited-English-proficient students (LEP) in the nation's public schools is an unmet educational need with national impact and a history of minimal compliance with Federal laws. The Lau v. Nichols decision of 1974 placed responsibility on school districts to ensure that LEP students were identified and provided with a language response…

This theme issue presents an overview of the standards movement, and examines some difficulties in implementing high standards in an equitable manner for all students. "Faster Than a Plymouth: Reflections on the 'Opportunity To Learn Standards'" (Bradley Scott) discusses the need to create similar experiences and opportunities for…

A study surveyed parents (n=329) of 1989 and prospective 1990 first-year primary school entrants in Scotland's Western Isles concerning Gaelic-English bilingual education policy. Results indicate only 39% of 4- and 5-year-olds had two native Gaelic-speaking parents, although attitudes toward the language were very positive. Half the parents read…

In 1981-82 the Legislative Assembly's Special Committee on Education held 43 public hearings throughout the Northwest Territories to gather information on all aspects of public concern about education. Written in English and Inupiaq, this document outlines problems related to: (1) preparation for a traditional Native life versus preparation for…

This paper examines bilingual early childhood programs in Aotearoa, New Zealand, in Wales, and among the indigenous people of the United States. The first section of the paper describes bicultural programs as programs that promote an acknowledgement of the ways people of each culture live, communicate with one another, and understand their world.…

This work is one in a series that focuses on nine languages representing the bulk of the second language learning effort in Australian education (Arabic, Modern Standard Chinese, French, German, Modern Greek, Indonesian/Malay, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish). These languages were categorized as the Languages of Wider Teaching. Key areas addressed…

The first Seminario Internacional Sobre la Educacion Bilingue (International Seminar on Bilingual Education), under the aegis of the National Association for Bilingual Education and the Mexican secretary for public education, brought together professionals from Canada, the United States, and Mexico in Oaxtepec, Mexico in November 1986 to share…

A study of bilingual education programs and policies in private and parochial schools in the United States was undertaken to determine whether these schools were using their potential for development of instructional techniques. Bilingual education programs were broadly defined to include transitional, maintenance, or other programs in English…