Crawford has written in support of Krashen’s and Cummins’ theories, in that the exposure to a new language doesn’t lie within the repetition, but from the quality of the exposure, or input, that the learner is receiving. He advocates in support of immersion within that language for more successful acquisition.

But he also points out the shortcomings with policies such as No Child Left Behind in that the law doesn’t adequately address all of the challenges that second-language learners face with respect to setting goals for academic excellence that are too difficult to achieve because schools are ill-equipped to help these students reach the prescribed accomplishments. He feels that the mandates in place under the law are too “one size fits all”. While they may prove effective to native language students, they don’t take into account the difficulties second language learners face in not just understanding English, but succeeding with their studies in other topics and subjects. Crawford has argued that second language learners need particular assessments that are more in tune with their needs, but they are woefully under-served in this regard. They need unique instructional programs, alternative teaching models, comprehensive diagnosis and monitoring procedures in place to determine proper proficiency levels in a bid for greater accountability for their academic success. For these children, social and economic development could become greatly stunted and, as a result, they will fall behind in the American experience as adults.

Check out the video trailer for the popular elementary book, Letters Forever.

The post James Crawford’s Theory of Second Language Acquisition appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.

The perspective regarding bilingual education is gradually changing due to demographic transformations and an increasing appreciation of the value of speaking more than one language. One of the goals of offering the seal is that it allows employers to know if you are truly fluent in another language. In today’s globalized economy that is a now seen as real plus. You can learn more about the biliteracy seal here. [http://sealofbiliteracy.org/]

On another related front, the New America Foundation has recently released three reports on Dual Language Learner (DLL) efforts in three cities: San Antonio, Texas; Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C. In each city, schools have made strong advances in supporting DLLs in their cities. As New America reports, “In all three cases, local leaders are exploring: early education investments and reforms that support DLLs’ healthy development from birth through third grade; robust family engagement policies that often include “dual-generation” strategies for simultaneously addressing the needs of families and students; and rigorous use of data to determine DLLs’ strengths and needs over time.” For more on these reports, please go here.

The post Biliteracy Seals and Dual Language Embraced by Schools appeared first on The Latino Family Literacy Project.