Interviews with 32 Mexican-descent college students examined teacher actions in high school that had impacted students' academic success. Positive and negative teacher actions were described in the areas of cultural understanding, stereotypes, expectations of students, and exclusion from or inclusion in classroom activities. Recommendations for…

Interviews with an urban Los Angeles first-grade teacher and observations of her class illustrate how social and cultural issues are brought into the classroom, creating an environment in which students learn to "read the world," acquiring social and cultural literacy as well as the more commonly perceived personal literacy. When…

A case study of an English language learner in a rural Oregon middle school found that his performance in social studies dramatically improved under concept-based instruction. Methods such as concept-based instruction, which align curriculum and instruction with assessment, may offer solutions for schools serving culturally and linguistically…

A study examined Spanish-speaking children's attitudes about being and staying bilingual. Classroom observations and interviews with 15 fifth-grade students, 12 parents, and 2 teachers at a Texas elementary school indicated that despite being in a supportive bilingual environment, students believed they would have to struggle to maintain their…

A study examined the effects of a new Hong Kong policy requiring Chinese as the language of instruction on secondary students' learning of science. Science achievement test scores at 100 secondary schools indicate that previous use of English to teach science may have hampered students' ability to grasp material due to the high-level thinking…

A survey examined knowledge of the bilingual education program at a Houston (Texas) kindergarten among 19 Hispanic American parents. Few parents were familiar with the bilingual education practices and policies at their children's school, and their expectations for English-language instruction varied widely from what was actually happening in the…

This book chronicles how a group of migrant workers in Cobden, Illinois, developed their own hybrid writing system that used the Spanish alphabet to capture English speech sounds. The event illustrates Freirean ideas about literacy and power and offers lessons for improving English instruction. (TD)

Survey of 125 educational professionals working with culturally and linguistically diverse and exceptional (CLDE) students in the Washington D.C. area found that most had the training and skills to work with CLDE students. However, respondents did not know the roles, responsibilities, and practices of other professionals working with CLDE students…

Colorado Student Assessment Program (CSAP) results in third- and fourth-grade reading and writing, 1999-2001, were compared for Latinos taking the English or Spanish CSAP and all Colorado students. Latino students had equivalent or higher scores on the Spanish CSAP compared to the English CSAP, but had lower scores than all students, regardless of…

A descriptive study addressed student attrition in two Title VII Bilingual Education Career Ladder Programs for Hmong paraprofessionals and traditional-age college students working toward teacher certification in Wisconsin. Surveys showed that dropouts were disproportionately male and nontraditional students; factors included financial problems,…

A study examined 10 exemplary bilingual educational programs to identify characteristics that contributed to the high academic performance of their students. Twenty-five indicators of success were identified in the areas of school leadership, support, and instructional practices. All 10 programs were committed to maintaining students' primary…

A case study of three Eastern urban schools examined the difficulties inherent to measuring bilingual program success. Results indicate that significant data sources were available, but they were rarely disaggregated in a fashion conducive to showcasing bilingual programs. Teacher involvement in establishing, reviewing, and monitoring assessment…

Suggests abandoning the inequitable practice of requiring language-minority and international students to demonstrate English proficiency before pursuing a U.S. college degree. Proposes a model that incorporates multilingual student recruitment, use of sheltered techniques and supported academic instruction, English for academic purposes (rather…

In a primary English immersion class in California, a teacher resisted Proposition 227's mandated English immersion and the school's linguistic hegemony by blending English and Spanish during reading and writing activities. Hybrid literacy practices facilitated successful literacy acquisition in two languages for many students but did not meet the…

The Navajo Nation wants a 2-year Navajo language requirement for regional colleges. At the same time, literacy in academic English is required for Navajo students wishing to enter the sciences, medicine, and law. The difficulties students face as they make the transition from English to Navajo and from Navajo to English are described. Four…