Sandra H. Fradd

Literacy skills in science learning among linguistically diverse students

With the increasing diversity in the nations schools, literacy plays a critical role for students simultaneously learning English as a new language and developing the knowledge of academic content. This study focuses on two aspects of literacy related to science performance: (a) interpretations of science task cards depicting a series of activities; and (b) written language samples summarizing science tasks. Three groups of elementary students and teachers participated: (a) monolingual English; (b) bilingual Spanish; and (c) bilingual Haitian Creole. The study included student dyads and teachers of the same language, culture, and gender. Three science tasks included: weather phenomena; simple machines; and buoyancy. While literacy played an important role for all three groups, the results highlighted the specific difficulties that students experienced in developing and expressing their understandings of science activities. The findings underscore the need to consider the multiple roles that literacy plays in science learning in order to provide instruction responsive to the needs of students learning English as a new language.

Development of a knowledge base for ESOL teacher education

Abstract This paper considers the process of constructing a knowledge base for preparing teachers of English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) by examining initial efforts at knowledge base development within a university-based teacher education program. The paper (a) reviews the literature on the knowledge base in teacher education, (b) describes currently available resources and efforts toward TESOL knowledge base development, (c) describes knowledge base development within the context of a university’s teacher education program and describes the components of a TESOL knowledge base in this program, and (d) advocates for a TESOL knowledge base to enhance the profession at the national and international levels.

Instructional Congruence to Promote Science Learning and Literacy Development for Linguistically Diverse Students

With increasing numbers of students from diverse language and cultural backgrounds, the nation is challenged to achieve the goal of high academic standards for all students. In this chapter we have presented a model of instructional congruence to promote linguistically diverse students’ achievement inscience. We have described how fourth-grade elementary teachers who shared the language and culture of their students established instructional congruence to promote students’ science learning and literacy development. Instructional congruence occurred as teachers mediated the nature of academic content and inquiry with students’ language and cultural experiences. A discussion of the implications instructional congruence for teacher enhancement concludes this chapter. With adaptations for specific learner needs, the model can be extended to other groups at the margins of science, including students from low socio-economic levels, students with disabilities, and female students. The practical knowledge of teaching by the individual teachers in the research can be incorporated as an important part of theoretical knowledge required for effective instruction (Ladson-Billings, 1994, 1995). This knowledge base can be shared with teachers from a variety of backgrounds to make science available for all.

Bilingual Special Education and This Special Issue

Bilingual special education is a new discipline that has emerged because of the problems faced by linguistic minorities with the conduct of special education. As current research studies indicate, the progress and innovations ushered in by P. L. 94–142 have not been extended to linguistic minorities, particularly Hispanic children. This special issue suggests that the medical-model, reductionistic paradigm underpinning special education is inimical to bilingual pupils. It proposes a paradigm shift and a redefinition of bilingual special education.

Science for All: A Promise or a Pipe Dream for Bilingual Students?.

Abstract Scientific and technological literacy are important learning outcomes the nation has committed to develop in order to maintain a globally competitive economy. Students who bring to school diverse languages and cultures provide a rich resource of experiences on which to develop a scientifically literate work force. Unfortunately, in spite of the national commitment to “science for all,” the process of promoting scientific literacy has not yet been fully operationalized across school settings. This article compares and contrasts opportunities for science learning at two schools with diverse student populations, one suburban and one urban. Three sources of information are considered: (a) students’ prior knowledge and backgrounds, (b) perceptions of teachers and administrators, and (c) the schools’ instructional environment. Vast differences are found in the science learning opportunities at these two sites. As the nation strives to promote equitable learning opportunities, these data sources provide...

Learning to Do Science: Influences of Culture and Language

Educators and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are expected to evaluate increasing numbers of students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and to provide services within general education classrooms for students with language learning disabilities. To cope with these challenges, educators and SLPs must have an understanding of classroom curricula. Much of the information available on classroom demands has focused on the cognitive and linguistic skills essential for literacy in language arts. Little information is available on the cognitive and linguistic demands essential for scientific literacy. This article presents a discussion of the components of scientific literacy or discourse and a description of the academic and social participation structures of science lessons in four classrooms of elementary school students learning English as a second or third language. The data from the classroom observations are interpreted in terms of the discourse requirements of scientific literacy and cultural influences on discourse.

Hispanic Students at Risk: Do We Abdicate or Advocate?:

With the rapid growth of Hispanic student populations in the United Stages comes a corresponding increase in the number of students who have limited English proficiency as well as disabilities. Specific educational interventions, such as programs of English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and bilingual instruction, are needed to enable these students to enter the mainstream. The chief obstacles to bilingual special education are the paucity of personnel training programs that include cross-cultural communication, and a lack of awareness of the need for these services. Transdisciplinary teaming is a cost-effective, appropriate approach to providing the services which both handicapped and at risk language minority students require.

Spanish as an Economic Resource in Metropolitan Miami

Abstract This article is a case study of Miami as a linguistic marketplace; its purpose is to inform educational policymakers of the economic and cultural advantage of developing a multilingual workforce. The growth of Metro-Miami’s Spanish language economy is a result of recent demographics and increased international trade and commerce. Although global education and proficiency in languages in addition to English have been recognized as essential in preparing a competent future workforce, serious statewide deliberations about language proficiency development overlook Florida students who already speak those languages. Therefore, national, state, and local policy recommendations are made for promoting bilingualism and biliteracy, countering the current process of language shift in immigrant populations, and changing the attitudes that pose multilingualism as a threat.

Developing a Personnel Training Model for Meeting the Needs of Handicapped and At-Risk Language-Minority Students.

In the last decade educators have begun to focus upon serving students who are limited in English proficiency and have special learning needs. Policy makers and administrators planning appropriate educational programs for these students find a critical lack of school personnel trained to assist them. The University of Florida has developed a model for bilingual/English as a second language (ESL) special education training at the graduate and undergraduate levels. This model, INFUSION, is a collaborative research-based model of training. Strengths of this integrative model are presented, along with a description of the process by which bilingual/ESL components are infused into special education curriculum. Four new graduate-level courses specific to this field are described.

Nationwide Availability of Services for Limited English-Proficient Handicapped Students

The 50 states and the District of Columbia were surveyed concerning their procedures for delivering educational services to limited English-proficient (LEP) handicapped students. Results indicated that few states have established procedures and guidelines for delivering educational services to their LEP handicapped students. Suggestions for developing and delivering educational services to LEP handicapped students are presented.