Hearing On Bilingual Education

This edited volume brings together diverse issues and evidence in two related multidisciplinary domains: bilingualism among deaf learners - in sign language and the written/spoken vernacular - and bilingual deaf education.

This Congressional hearing on the Bilingual Education Act examines current law and changes necessary to ensure that it provides limited English speaking students with the best possible educational opportunities. After opening statements by Chairman Michael Castle and Representative Carlos Romero-Barcelo, both of the Subcommittee on Early Childhood, Youth and Families of the Committee on Education and the Workforce, U.S. House of Representatives, there are four statements by the following individuals: Joseph Farley, elementary school principal, California; Martha Bujanda, former student, Texas; Sylvia Hatton, executive director, Region I Education Service Center, Texas; Don Soifer, executive vice president, Lexington Institute, Virginia; and Hector Ayala, teacher and director of English for the Children, Arizona. The six appendixes present opening statements and written statements. (SM)

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) Act, focusing on the English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education provisions and implications of the act. Much of the testimony was from representatives, educators, and community leaders who voiced opinions about the efficacy of specific programs and activities funded by the Bilingual Education Act, a component of the ESE Act, particularly those items that they would like to see expanded, reformed, or improved. Testimony was heard from: (1) Representatives Toby Roth, Jose Serrano, Xavier Becerra, Bill Emerson, and Gene Green; (2) the president of the National Association for Bilingual Education; (3) a researcher in bilingual education; (4) an ESL program consultant; (5) a university professor; (6) the president of Learning English Advocates Drive; (7) an advocate of teaching English to limited English proficient (LEP) students in regular classrooms; (8) a medical doctor who attended bilingual classes as a secondary school student; (9) an advocate of reforming the Bilingual Education Act to emphasize the learning of English; (10) the Rural Alliance for Newcomers in Midwestern Schools; and (11) an advocate of English immersion programs for LEP students. (MDM)

These hearing transcripts present testimony concerning the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education (ESE) Act, focusing on the English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual education provisions and implications of the act. Much of the testimony was from representatives, educators, and community leaders who voiced opinions about the efficacy of specific programs and activities funded by the Bilingual Education Act, a component of the ESE Act, particularly those items that they would like to see expanded, reformed, or improved. Testimony was heard from: (1) Representatives Toby Roth, Jose Serrano, Xavier Becerra, Bill Emerson, and Gene Green; (2) the president of the National Association for Bilingual Education; (3) a researcher in bilingual education; (4) an ESL program consultant; (5) a university professor; (6) the president of Learning English Advocates Drive; (7) an advocate of teaching English to limited English proficient (LEP) students in regular classrooms; (8) a medical doctor who attended bilingual classes as a secondary school student; (9) an advocate of reforming the Bilingual Education Act to emphasize the learning of English; (10) the Rural Alliance for Newcomers in Midwestern Schools; and (11) an advocate of English immersion programs for LEP students. (MDM)

Biliteracy, or the development of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and thinking competencies in more than one language, is a complex and dynamic process. The process is even more challenging when the languages used in the literacy process differ in modality. Biliteracy development among deaf students involves the use of visual languages (i.e., sign languages) and auditory languages (spoken languages). Deaf students' sign language proficiency is strongly related to their literacy abilities. The distinction between bilingualism and multilingualism is critical to our understanding of the underserved, the linguistic deficit, and the underachievement of deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) immigrant students, thus bringing the multilingual and immigrant aspect into the research on deaf education. Multilingual and immigrant students may face unique challenges in the course of their education. Hence, in the education of D/HH students, the intersection of issues such as biculturalism/multiculturalism, bilingualism/multilingualism, and immigration can create a dilemma for teachers and other stakeholders working with them. Deaf Education and Challenges for Bilingual/Multilingual Students is an essential reference book that provides knowledge, skills, and dispositions for teaching multicultural, multilingual, and immigrant deaf and hard of hearing students globally and identifies the challenges facing the inclusion needs of this population. This book fills a current gap in educational resources for teaching immigrant, multilingual, and multicultural deaf students in learning institutions all over the world. Covering topics such as universal design for learning, inclusion, literacy, and language acquisition, this text is crucial for classroom teachers of deaf or hard of hearing students, faculty in deaf education programs, language instructors, students, pre-service teachers, researchers, and academicians.