This text examines sociopolitical, economic, familial, and educational agendas that influence attainment of second language literacy. This book examines the sociopolitical, economic, familial, and educational agendas that influence an immigrant's attainment of literacy in a new language. Each agenda is introduced through illuminating case studies drawn from research in North America, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The book addresses teachers and teachers-in-training involved in second language education, whether their students are in special language classes, bilingual education, or enrolled in the mainstream curriculum. It also provides valuable insights to individuals responsible for developing second language literacy policies in the political, labor, and educational sectors.

A Co-Publication of Routledge, the Center for Applied Linguistics, and the International Reading Association This book is a shorter version of Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners, reporting the findings of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth. This book concisely summarizes what is known from empirical research about the development of literacy in language-minority children and youth, including development, environment, instruction, and assessment. This more accessible version of the full report is intended for teachers, administrators, and researchers and for use in a wide range of teacher preparation courses and in inservice/ staff development programs that deal with educating English language learners. Visit www.reading.org for more information about IRA books, membership, and other services. Visit www.cal.org to learn more about the Center for Applied Linguistics.

Currents in Language Learning provides programmatic state-of-the-art overviews of current issues in the language sciences and their applications in first, second, and bi/multilingual language acquisition in naturalistic and tutored contexts. Draws on interdisciplinary perspectives from linguistics, psychology, education, anthropology, sociology, cognitive science, and neuroscience Brings together a team of leading linguists to explore current issues Develops research agendas in areas including: progress and relevance in second language acquisition; usage-based linguistics; age effects in language learning; second language pragmatics; vocabulary knowledge; transfer of learning in second language instruction; language, literacy, and culture; academic language development in schools; practice theory; and evolutionary perspectives on language

How do we effectively teach children from homes in which a language other than English is spoken? In Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children, a committee of experts focuses on this central question, striving toward the construction of a strong and credible knowledge base to inform the activities of those who educate children as well as those who fund and conduct research. The book reviews a broad range of studiesâ€"from basic ones on language, literacy, and learning to others in educational settings. The committee proposes a research agenda that responds to issues of policy and practice yet maintains scientific integrity. This comprehensive volume provides perspective on the history of bilingual education in the United States; summarizes relevant research on development of a second language, literacy, and content knowledge; reviews past evaluation studies; explores what we know about effective schools and classrooms for these children; examines research on the education of teachers of culturally and linguistically diverse students; critically reviews the system for the collection of education statistics as it relates to this student population; and recommends changes in the infrastructure that supports research on these students.

In the past 30 years, a large and growing number of students in U.S. schools have come from homes in which the language background is other than English. These students present unique challenges for America's education system. Based on Improving Schooling for Language-Minority Children, a comprehensive study published in 1997, this book summarizes for teachers and education policymakers what has been learned over the past three decades about educating such students. It discusses a broad range of educational issues: how students learn a second language; how reading and writing skills develop in the first and second languages; how information on specific subjects (for example, biology) is stored and learned and the implications for second-language learners; how social and motivational factors affect learning for English-language learners; how the English proficiency and subject matter knowledge of English-language learners are assessed; and what is known about the attributes of effective schools and classrooms that serve English-language learners.

Discussion of case studies which test current theories on literacy with students, including second language learners. Covers issues of gender, parental involvement, assessment and unsuccessful readers. Includes index and references. Editors are academics lecturing in literacy at Victorian universities.

This book helps education professionals understand the changing social, political, and economic conditions for language and literacy instruction and second language learning in particular contexts.