Elaine Hampton

Inquiry science in bilingual classrooms

Abstract This research was designed to determine the value of implementing a hands-on, inquiry science curriculum in classrooms where elementary children are developing second language skills along with their first language skills. The children were taught by interns from the University of Texas at El Paso in three elementary schools in the El Paso area. Half the instruction was in Spanish and half in English. The interns and in-service teachers provided evidence of the childrens concept development. The elementary students provided data via an attitude survey and written assessments from 107 fifth graders. The consistency of the data indicates that there was a strong positive feeling about the value of this inquiry approach for increasing the childrens language skills in both languages, that new science concepts were understood, and there was very little difference between children who chose Spanish or those who chose English to respond. The results of this research illustrate the value of a hands-on inquiry science program in a bilingual community.

The Highly Questionable “Highly Qualified” Label

Abstract The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 is instrumental in the national movement toward the use of one short answer test as the gate-keeping instrument to prevent or allow university graduates trained in education to enter the teaching profession. This investigation questions the wisdom of this test-based certification by looking at the impact on recent (university education program) graduates who have had difficulty passing the test. Four of these graduates provided information via in-depth interviews. The interview data provide evidence that raises questions about the value of taking these people out of the teaching profession. These people provide evidence of characteristics of qualified teachers such as academic success in many other areas and positive reviews from administration and teachers.

New Directions for the AMS Symposium on Education

AFFILIATIONS: Charlevoix—UNAVCO, Boulder, Colorado; PanDya—American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C.; briDger—San Jose State University, San Jose, California; gill, hamPTon, anD li—The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas; herman—Western Illinois University, Macomb, Illinois; Knox—The University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; sTaniTsKi— NOAA/Climate Program Office, Silver Spring, Maryland CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: Donna Charlevoix, UNAVCO, 6350 Nautilus Dr., Boulder, CO 80301 E-mail: donnac@unavco.org