Bertha Pérez

Critical Need for Bilingual Education Teachers: The Potentiality of Normalistas and Paraprofessionals

Abstract Case study methodology was employed to explore the potentiality of normalistas and paraprofessionals as prospective bilingual education teachers. The evidence of this study suggests that both normalistas and paraprofessionals offer fertile ground for bilingual teachers. The evidence further suggests that careful selection of the potential candidates is crucial. Moreover, the teacher preparation program must creatively examine and implement a program of study that meets the needs of the target group. The findings also reveal that as the participants move through teacher preparation courses, members of both cohorts are willing to challenge old notions formerly held. The normalistas are recognizing that the U.S. system differs significantly from the Mexican educational system. While drawing on the richness and merits of the Mexican system, these immigrants are open to seeing merit in U.S. educational methods. Conversely, the paraprofessionals are beginning to question the deficit model pervasive in many of the schools in which they have worked and to take a different stance toward authority figures.

Language and culture: Critical components of multicultural teacher education

This article identifies components of a course on multiculturalism in teacher education. The course proposes four stages of awareness: ethnic identity exploration; development of knowledge in language and literacy acquisition; refinement of a repertoire for cultural ways of teaching and learning; and selection of a teaching style. A variety of readings and activities for teacher education are proposed.

Using Cultural Tools to Develop Scientific Literacy of Young Mexican American Preschoolers.

Building on the home cultural practices related to science can facilitate scientific literacy development of preschoolers. Using a sociocognitive and sociocultural approach and funds of knowledge as a theoretical framework, this article describes how Mexican American parents and young children identified the science concepts and knowledge learned from common activities found in their homes through the Family Institute for Early Literacy Development. Science skills and concepts were found in many activities related to Mexican American cultural practices such as gardening, cooking and home remedies. Parents were informed of the type of scientific readiness knowledge that schools expect children to bring from home, and in turn parents were able to explain to their children those concepts during the institute and at home. The success of the institute is founded on the opportunity given to parents to understand and implement school expectations for their young children.

literacy and instruction in African American communities: Shall we overcome?

Contents: Preface. Part I: Theoretical Perspectives on Language and Literacy. B. Perez, Literacy, Diversity, and Programmatic Responses. B. Perez, Language, Literacy, and Biliteracy. B. Perez, Writing Across Writing Systems. Part II: Language and Literacy Acquisition in Diverse Communities. T.L. McCarty, L.J. Watahomigie, Language and Literacy in American Indian and Alaska Native Communities. M.E. Torres-Guzman, Language, Culture, and Literacy in Puerto Rican Communities. T.T. Dien, Language and Literacy in Vietnamese American Communities. J-M. Chang, Language and Literacy in Chinese American Communities. H.L. Smith, Literacy and Instruction in African American Communities: Shall We Overcome? A. Davila de Silva, Emergent Spanish Writing of a Second Grader in a Whole-Language Classroom. Part III: Literacy Development in Multilingual, Multicultural Classrooms. B. Perez, A. Nordlander, Making Decisions About Literacy Instructional Practices. B. Perez, Creating a Classroom Community for Literacy. B. Perez, Literacy, Curriculum, and Language Diversity.

Constructs Children Use in Developing First and Second Language Literacy.

The purpose of this review is to outline the current understanding of the process of emergent literacy development for linguistically diverse children. Within the broad spectrum of emergent literacy and/or home literacy, a small body of literature examines how children come into literacy (reading and writing) in languages other than English. Some tentative themes have emerged from the literature and research reviewed. First, the process of literacy development can be viewed as a sequential developmental task. Some researchers characterize the acquisition of literacy as a “psychogenetic” process. Second, while the literacy development process appears to be generally predictable across languages, some tasks or aspects appear to be specific to the language and writing system. Children create principles or hypotheses to develop literacy specific to their understanding of their native language. Third, children bring these developing emergent literacy experiences to the task of learning English literacy.

Biliteracy practices and issues in secondary schools

Literacy has emerged as one of the major focuses of attention in education of linguistically and culturally diverse youth. During the last decade, a number of issues related to literacy have dominated the discussion about minority education. Much of the discussion about literacy and biliteracy is about the complex notion of literacy and is fraught with myths, hidden assumptions, over generalizations, and demands for immediate responses to the challenges presented. This discussion is particularly heated when related to biliteracy or literacy in a second language. The biliteracy or second language context issues include many of the same complexities, contradictions, and debates found in first language literacy. Second language literacy can best be understood by expanding perspectives from first language literacy, reading, and writing.