Heritage Language Programs In Canadian School Boards

The report, based on a survey of 120 schools boards across Canada, begins with an overview of provincial legislation, regulations, policy, and funding for heritage language instruction. A province-by-province look at local school board programs examines scheduling, teacher certification, professional development, community involvement, transportation, cultural components, and pupil, teacher and parent satisfaction with the programs. An outline of teacher training in heritage languages is included, as are sample policies and curriculum guidelines received from the boards polled.

In this book the authors decry the creation of a version of Canadian identity that actively discourages the cultivation of many of its citizens' languages. If multilingualism is regarded as a valuable asset both for the individual and for society, then why do so many Canadians vehemently oppose the teaching of heritage languages? Why do many parents who demand that their children be given the opportunity to become bilingual in French and English protest angrily at the fact that their tax dollars are being used to teach the languages of immigrant children? Why is it appropriate to promote multilingualism in private schools but not in the public school system? Is multilingualism good for the rich but bad for the poor? Heritage Languages examines the difficulties experienced integrating heritage languages into official curricula, and the successful efforts to teach Ukrainian, Italian, Hebrew, ASL, Portuguese and Punjabi in Canadian classrooms. An Our Schools/Our Selves book.

Research literature concerning the effects of incorporating the heritage languages of minority students into the regular school curriculum either as subjects or as mediums of instruction is reviewed. Program evaluations from Canada, the United States, and Europe consistently show that the use of a minority language as a medium of instruction for all or part of the school day entails no long-term loss in the development of academic skills in the majority language. There is also evidence that bilingual programs can both encourage minority parent involvement in their children's schooling and facilitate the development of minority students' academic skills. However, this pattern does not invariably emerge in the evaluation data, and further research is required to understand fully the complex interactions that appear to exist between language of instruction and a range of individual, educational, and social factors. Virtually no research data are available on the academic effects of teaching heritage languages as subjects, as opposed to using the languages as a medium of instruction. Also, because most program evaluations focus primarily on academic outcomes, little or no data are available on the impact of bilingual or heritage language programs on the educational system as a whole. Three major policy implications of the research are addressed. (Author/SW)

This text provides an analysis of current policies on language(s) in the USA, Canada, Britain, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. The linguistic background of each country is examined along with the status of languages, as determined by statute or practice. Consequences for all languages and language education are also analyzed.

This collection of studies investigates the individual, micro-psychological, and macro-societal factors that promote or discourage the development of child and young adult heritage language learners' spoken and written skills in East Asian languages (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean). The research presented in this book is based on empirical data from various learning and social settings in the United States and Canada. The contributors are themselves mostly from East Asian immigrant backgrounds and have worked closely with students from such backgrounds. This book also speaks to the needs for future research within East Asian communities that will (a) promote East Asian heritage language development in applied linguistics, (b) encourage parental, community, and national support for East Asian heritage language development, and (c) improve the teaching of oral and written skills for heritage learners of East Asian languages in various educational settings.

The contribution of Jim Cummins to bilingualism and bilingual education has been substantial and profound. This reader provides a comprehensive compilation of his most important and influential texts. The book also provides a detailed biographical introduction and a commentary on the growth of ideas over three decades.