This report describes the impact on the Dade County, Florida, public school system of the 125 Cuban (and some Haitian) refugees arriving in the Mariel exodus. In September 1980 the school system had to absorb 13,000 new refugee students. Preparing for the students included hiring many bilingual teachers, reopening schools that had closed,…

Describes a teacher training course designed to meet the differing language proficiency needs of bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language teachers, as well as the needs of teachers learning to implement content-based strategies for teaching language. (15 references) (GLR)

Students who speak minority language and have limited proficiency in English are currently the fastest-growing population in public schools in the US. In this article, the author reports the findings of his preliminary study on five school districts that had experienced significant influxes of immigrant students. These five school districts…

Two reports concerning the education of limited-English-proficient students are presented. The Task D160 report presents information on current and planned state certification requirements for bilingual education and English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) teachers, and the ways in which these requirements address or do not address the challenge of…

Bilingual education and Mark's Meadow Laboratory School involves the use of adult tutors who work with non-English-speaking children within one of two international classrooms. The tutors serve not only as teachers but as psychological supports for children undergoing both linguistic and cultural adjustment. (GC)

Describes a bilingual program where bilingual students and students taught in English are integrated socially and academically. The program fosters strong bonds between monolingual and bilingual students and teachers, acceptance of individuals regardless of ethnicity, development of English without loss of the native language, and better ties with…

Feichtner describes Project ALIVE (Addressing Language Issues in Vocational Education), a California inservice training program for vocational instructors. Appleby presents results of a project evaluation in two school districts, which showed teachers and students both acting as change agents. (SK)

Participants at a conference on staffing multilingual schools reported that the rapid and significant increase in the number of limited English proficient (LEP) students throughout the country is compounding the existing problem of bilingual/English as a Second Language (ESL) staff shortages. The following concerns were outlined: (1) school…

The article examines the need for bilingual educators, the reasons why few individuals choose to become bilingual special education teachers and the types of bilingual special education graduate training programs which are currently available. (DB)

A 2-year bilingual vocational education program in the Richmond (Virginia) area for language-minority secondary school students is profiled. The students are generally limited-English-speaking refugees, and the program is designed to prepare them for educational mainstreaming or transition to jobs. Incoming students (61 in 1990-91) are assessed…

In view of the growing numbers of Potentially English Proficient (PEP) students (students whose first language is other than English, who are from different cultural and/or ethnic backgrounds, and who have the potential for becoming English proficient), it is suggested that the preparation of mainstream teachers on issues of PEP education should…

Experiences in teaching a course in developmental mathematics to Indochinese students who were uncertified bilingual teachers employed by the Minneapolis Public Schools are described. The students received training in basic mathematics while being exposed to a college-level course taught in English. Results of a placement test are noted, as well…

This report reflects the efforts of the federally mandated National Advisory and Coordinating Council on Bilingual Education (NACCBE) to search for ways by which local school systems can exercise greater choice of teaching methodologies while still meeting their responsibilities of teaching English to all of their non-English speaking students. It…

A Mexican American teacher/administrator describes her experiences with bilingual education as a limited-English-proficient child, college student, bilingual teacher, graduate student, district administrator, teacher of bilingual teachers, and employee in a federal technical assistance center, and traces the impact of Title VII (the Bilingual…

Austin Independent School District provided full-day prekindergarten to 5,196 4-year-olds in 2008-2009 at 66 schools. Seventy percent or more of students made measureable gains on a test of receptive vocabulary, and average gains showed growth about two times greater than that expected for 4-year-olds after a 7-month period.