The Miseducation Of English Learners

Sometimes you need to hear the story from the beginning. The Miseducation of English Learners examines the initial policy impact of Structured English Immersion (SEI), an English-only program mandated for English Learners (ELs) in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts in the United States. The book features analyses of: the legal context and parameters of SEI; research history on SEI; SEI language policy and policy implementation according to situated context; and the educational priorities and legal rights of ELs. The book examines the history of SEI in the educational research literature and as it has been interpreted in the context of the legal requirement for schools to take “appropriate action” to meet the needs of ELs following the historic Lau v. Nichols (1974) court decision. The Miseducation of English Learners also presents and considers the implementation of SEI in comparative contexts from various perspectives including teacher education, the classroom, and legal. In several of the chapters, SEI implementation is examined in concert with other factors that have effected the teaching and progress of ELs such as Senate Bill 2042 (2001) that overhauled the teacher education process in California, and the federal No Child Left Behind legislation (signed into law on January 8, 2002). Moreover, the book provides implications and recommendations for teaching, research, advocacy, and policy change. The Miseducation of English Learners addresses and invites the readers to consider the following key questions: • How “appropriate” is the mandated SEI program for ELs, both in substance and in the one-year duration as specified in the three voter-initiated propositions (Proposition 227, Proposition 203, and Question 2)? • What issues, themes, and patterns can be noted in the implementation of SEI in California, Arizona, and Massachusetts? • Why might the student outcomes not show the desired results in measures such as achievement test scores or dropout rates? • What necessary changes are called for in order to enhance (or in some cases supplant) the SEI programs and services in place for ELs? • Are ELs, parents, and other stakeholders able to thoughtfully select desired and optimal instructional programs, and participate meaningfully in the educational process of language minority students under the SEI mandates?

Here, Derek Stolp suggests practical changes that can be implemented within a traditional school environment to resuscitate mathematics education.

The sociopolitical dimensions of English language teaching are central to the English language professional. These dimensions include language policies, cultural expectations, and the societal roles of languages. This book aims to present these issues to practicing and aspiring teachers in order to raise awareness of the sociopolitical nature of English language teaching.

The Mis-education of Joy is the story of three lives that intersect one semester in a college classroom and as a result these lives are profoundly changed forever. Joy Hunter is an enthusiastic young girl who shares her faith with everyone. At seventeen, she has always depended on her religious faith to overcome her many obstacles. One of which is a childhood illness that threatened her with no more than fifteen years of life. Upon graduating high school, and being accepted to a local college, Joy for the first time is hopeful about her future. At college, she meets Jim Byrnes, a history professor with a clouded past and a deep rooted contempt for religion. The classroom explodes as Professor Byrnes is challenged by a student named Paul, who the class has labeled "the fanatic," and Joy's faith is put to a new test. Fearing her "light" is growing dim because of her doubt, Joy finds herself searching for answers; but who will she turn to and where is the unseen hand of God that watched over her for 17 years? As Joy, Professor Brynes and Paul seek to separate fact from fiction, they each encounter grace. Told in traditional dialogue form, The Mis-education of Joy is a heartwarming tale that explores the rightsof the believer in a secular society, while showing the role of the believer in a secular society. An insightful story that dares to expose the religious intolerance of our nation; but yet is powerful enough to touch your heart. Highly recommended. -Rev. Dr. Walter L. Davis III It is a true page turner that reminds us that faith persists not because we will it; but because it has a presence and force all of its own. The Miseducation of Joy is long overdue. -Gaelle Affiany, Graduate Student Critics will be challenged and Christians will be encouraged to know that the Word of God is believable and trustworthy. -Myra Rosa, High School Science Teacher

Deresiewicz takes a sharp look at the high-pressure conveyor belt that begins with demands for perfect grades and culminates in the skewed applications received by college admissions committees. Students are losing the ability to think independently. College is supposed to be a time for self-discovery-- but the system is broken, and he offers solutions on how to fix it.

This book offers a highly revealing and troubling view of today's high school students and the ways they pursue high grades and success. Denise Pope, veteran teacher and curriculum expert, follows five motivated and successful students through a school year, closely shadowing them and engaging them in lengthy reflections on their school experiences. What emerges is a double-sided picture of school success. On the one hand, these students work hard in school, participate in extracurricular activities, serve their communities, earn awards and honours, and appear to uphold school values. But on the other hand, they feel that in order to get ahead they must compromise their values and manipulate the system by scheming, lying, and cheating. In short, they do school, that is, they are not really engaged with learning nor can they commit to such values as integrity and community. The words and actions of these five students - two boys and three girls from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds - underscore the frustrations of being caught in a grade trap that pins future success to high grades and test scores. Their stories raise critical questions that are too important for parents, educators, and community leaders to ignore. Are schools cultivating an environment that promotes intellectual curiosity, cooperation, and integrity? Or are they fostering anxiety, deception, and hostility? Do today's schools inadvertently impede the very values they claim to embrace? Is the success that current assessment practices measure the kind of success we want for our children?

This volume explores the issues surrounding English language learners. It presents diversity of opinion on each topic, including both conservative and liberal points of view in an even balance. Essays are arranged in a pro versus con format so that more than one intelligent viewpoint is shared. Readers will evaluate such topics as whether bilingual teaching is beneficial, whether demand for English classes outstrips supply, and whether English-only policies in the workplace are discriminatory.