School systems that track students into certain classes and academic programs based on ability end up worsening disparities between high and low performers, according to a far-ranging report that offers recommendations for improving education across Europe. The study, commissioned by a branch of the European Union (EU), also found that bilingual…

The English language skills needed by bilingual high school students, particularly Spanish speaking students with limited English ability, are considered. Secondary level bilingual students' needs differ from those of elementary school bilingual students because of the diversity of student backgrounds, variety of curricular demands, and diversity…

This report summarizes a follow-up study of the first cohort of 5,500 limited-English-proficient (LEP) students to be mainstreamed in Newark, New Jersey schools using English-language proficiency as the sole criterion for moving from bilingual to regular classrooms. The mainstreamed cohort was compared to regular students using basic achievement…

Examines the issue of meaningful education for Creole-speaking students, particularly Haitians, in the context of U.S. bilingual programs. The discussion focuses on the home language, Creole, as it is used in the school system and what the value is attached to it in an attempt to provide these students with effective instruction. (41 references)…

During the 1979-80 academic year the Bilingual Program in Community School District 16 in New York City, which served first through sixth graders, emphasized four areas: student achievement in English and Spanish reading, mathematics, and Puerto Rican history and culture; staff training; parental involvement; and supportive services. Student…

The English language achievement of 213 Spanish speaking students in grades K-3, who receive English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction in the context of a bilingual program, is compared to that of 104 similar students who receive ESL instruction within the traditional school program, in order to probe whether enrollment in a bilingual program…

This catalog describes 342 tests appropriate for identifying the needs of bilingual students, for diagnosing their ability, and for assessing programs. The tests are appropriate for ages kindergarten through adult, and are written in the following languages: English, Spanish, Arabic, Cambodian, Cantonese, Chinese, Cherokee, Chamorro, Crow,…

The report describes a federally funded project to develop a program process and model through which urban educators can be trained to develop locally appropriate bilingual education instructional materials. The first chapter summarizes the procedures used in the project, from needs assessment and literature review through formation, efforts, and…

Literature on bilingual education suggests that the material used in teaching second language writing has an impact on the quality of the text. In addition, the material interacts differently with the level of bilingual proficiency of the students. This paper attempts to explore the written stories of three deaf students, which were produced under…

One result of the all-time high in population mobility is that in many school systems monolingual and monocultural students are the exception rather than the rule, particularly in urban areas. This shift in demographic realities entails enormous challenges for educators and policymakers. What do teachers need to know in order to teach effectively…

Mexican American children have made poor progress in special education programs as currently structured. Existing data appear to indicate that minority children, particularly Mexican American, continue to be placed in special education out of proportion to their numbers in the general population. Although the Education for All Handicapped Children…

A discussion of distance learning looks at the ways in which it does or does not address issues of cultural pluralism and the needs implied by this. Introductory sections look at the way in which current telecommunications socialize individuals of all ages and at the difficulty of research into this process. Media technology applicable in the…

In this manual for volunteers working with Puerto Rican children in Boston, background information is provided about Puerto Rican history and culture. In addition, a detailed description of the Puerto Rican community in Boston is included. There is a short description of the bilingual education program in Massachusetts and a longer description of…

The articles in this volume are divided into the three panels from the conference, after introductory presentations. First is the introduction by the editor, Rosalie Pedalino Porter, followed by the article which provided the seed that germinated into the other papers of the conference, "Rethinking Bilingual Education" (Charles L. Glenn). The…

The goal of the East Texas State University Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) Title VII Bilingual Education Project was to improve the education of limited, and non-English speaking, students in North Texas area schools. This was accomplished by training undergraduate bilingual teachers, in-service teachers (masters program),…