Bilingual, Multilingual, and Multicultural Education Commons^™

Editorial: Bilingual Educators As Professionals: The Need For Standards, Aida A. Nevárez-La Torre

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Front Matter

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Travel As A Ritual Toward Transformative Consciousness: Juxtaposing Che Guevara’S Biography And Teacher Candidates’ Narratives, Yishan Lea

All Faculty Scholarship for the College of Education and Professional Studies

This article discusses the development of critical consciousness by examining
the biographical-narratives in relationship to the experiential accounts on
travel. Biographical narratives are important cultural texts filled with history
and cultural nuances. The biography of Ernesto Che Guevara has resonated
with readers and viewers from around the world. By dreaming seemingly
impossible dreams and garnering triumph in the face of mounting obstacles,
Che has inspired the generations that have followed him. The life of Che,
which is a myth of idealism, has captivated the hearts of many around the
globe. This paper engages in the process of reading student narratives …

Notes On Contributors To This Issue

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Multicultural School Psychology: A Kaleidoscopic View, Melissa Laracuenta, Maria Acevedo

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Gaining Appreciation And Understanding For Writing In English In A Bilingual Class, Nadia Mykysey

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

While participating in the Bilingual Teacher Research Forum (a teacher inquiry group), I decided to do research in my classroom to investigate the ways in which emergent bilinguals (EBs) expanded their appreciation and understanding of writing in English as a second language. The purpose of this study was to examine and describe first-grade EBs’ development of writing. A variety of assessment tools were used to document students writing growth over time. All the children made progress both in their spelling and in their writing of stories. Engaging in teacher-based research became a professional development tool to document and reflect on …

Developing Academic Language And Content For Emergent Bilinguals Through A Science Inquiry Unit, Sandra Mercuri, Ann E. Ebe

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

There is growing evidence that schools are not meeting the needs of emergent bilinguals who are falling behind in both academic language development and content knowledge learning. In response to this concern, this article proposes five research-based guidelines for promoting effective instruction for emergent bilinguals. In order to connect theory to practice, implementation of these guidelines is explored through a descriptive study, within a qualitative paradigm, involving Jessica, a Spanish/English bilingual third-grade teacher. Through a description of her science inquiry unit on water, the authors outline how Jessica’s instruction reflected the five guidelines. The analysis of her instruction revealed that …

Perspectives On Teacher Quality: Bilingual Education And Esl Teacher Certification, Test-Taking Experiences, And Instructional Practices, Nancy Lemberger, Angela Reyes-Carrasquillo

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This descriptive exploratory study looked at the certification process, test-taking experiences, and instructional practices of a group of graduate bilingual education (BE) and English-as-a- Second-Language (ESL) teachers to understand why some had problems passing teacher certification tests after completing their degrees. The study surveyed 63 BE and ESL teachers on their certification and test-taking experiences and their perceived instructional strengths. From this group of 63 participants, 15 volunteer teachers were interviewed and observed in their classrooms. Findings reveal most teachers passed certification tests on the first or second attempt. However, several failed tests due to language, content, and time difficulties, …

U. S. Mainland-Born And Non-Mainland-Born Children Referred For Special Education, Miriam Eisenstein Ebworth, Jay Gottlieb, Barbara Gottlieb, Marjorie Goldstein, Justin B. Bennett

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

In this study, we compared the referrals for special education evaluation of U.S. mainland-born children with those of mostly Latino non-mainland-born children in two school systems in the Northeastern United States. The investigation focused on whether there was a significant difference between referrals for special education from each group, based on either language or behavior. According to the literature, nonnatives are both overrepresented and underrepresented in special education, with reasons for referral including problematic use of language and inappropriate behavior. The researchers found that referrals for behavior in our sample were more frequent among natives compared with nonnatives, while referral …

Competing Discourses About Education And Accountability For Ells/Bilingual Learners: Dual Language Educators As Agents For Change, Rebecca Freeman Field

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This paper situates the contemporary debate about education and accountability for English language learners/bilingual learners within a sociocultural context and suggests ways that dual language educators and researchers can help move this debate forward. I begin with a brief review of competing discourses about bilingualism and education for diverse learners on the national level in the United States. The paper then provides an insider’s perspective on dual language education in three different contexts (Washington, D.C.; Schaumburg, Ill.; Philadelphia, Pa.) at different times (before and after NCLB was passed) to illustrate how these dual language educators hold themselves accountable for student …

Unpacking Writing And Channeling Change, Aida A. Nevárez-La Torre

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Journal Of Multilingual Education Research-Volume 2

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Jmer Description And Publication Guidelines

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.

Notes On Contributors To This Issue

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

Short biographical information on the authors of the articles in this issue.

Testing English Language Learners: Another Special Case Of Bias, Evangeline Harris Stefanakis

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

Book Reviewed:

Menken, K. (2008). English learners left behind: Standardized testing as language policy.

Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters, LTD.

Transient Ells: A Teacher’S Inquiry Into Literacy Instruction, Dianne Maysonet

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This narrative describes my learning process in becoming a teacher-researcher as I worked with an ELL, Jayla, who experienced a transient lifestyle. As a member of a teacher-inquiry group, the Bilingual Teacher-Research Forum I collaborated with other bilingual and ESL teachers from schools in a large city in the northeastern part of the United States. I learned to systematically investigate my practice to identify instructional strategies that promoted ELL students’ literacy in English. My first inquiry was guided by one query: What instructional strategies may promote the language and literacy development of transient ELLs? In this article I describe how …

The Development Of The Bilingual Special Education Field: Major Issues, Accomplishments, Future Directions, And Recommendations, Chun Zhang, Su-Je Choh

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

In this paper, we review various challenges in regard to educating children with and without disabilities from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) backgrounds. The challenges discussed include (1) biased assessment that results in mis- or overrepresenting CLD students in special education, (2) difficulty distinguishing between disability and differences, and (3) lack of competent bilingual special educators. As recommended practices, we propose to use the response to intervention model in identifying and instructing CLD children with and without disabilities. We point out that future research should examine how collaborative service delivery models contribute to referrals of CLD children into special education …

Depositioning The "Foreign": Considering The Challenges And Opportunities Of A Postmodern Foreign Language Education, Manuela Wagner, Terry A. Osborn

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This article focuses on how attitudes toward HLLs have changed, both with regard to program development and in learning and teaching. First, the ambiguity towards heritage language preservation is illustrated by examining historical aspects of heritage languages in the United States. Secondly, a closer look at two examples of heritage language learning, namely Korean and Spanish, reveals the complexity of language policies and funding decisions regarding HLL. Finally, research in language teaching and linguistics confirms that a shift in attitude toward the HLL is underway. Rather than considering HLL as a pedagogical challenge or problem, researchers and practitioners start investigating …

Bilingualism In Education In The Multilingual Apple: The Future Of The Past, Ofelia García

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

This article traces the ways in which New York City schools have responded to the multilingualism of its children in the last forty years. I review here the past to construct the future—the future of the past. I argue that in the predominantly Puerto Rican community of the 1960s and 1970s a simple approach toward languages and bilingualism in education was an appropriate response to meet the needs of language minority children. Thus, subtractive and additive bilingual education programs might have been sufficient. However, in the 21st century, with the demographic shifts and the technological advances of a globalized world, …

The Importance Of Disseminating Knowledge: An Issue Of Mission, Voice, And Passion, Aida A. Nevárez-La Torre

Journal of Multilingual Education Research

No abstract provided.