Language Education Programs

This book delves into the realm of effective language education programs, examining them from both macro and micro-policy-making perspectives. It unravels the distinguishing features of exemplary language programs and explores how these programs are implemented in diverse international contexts. The book comprehensively explores various facets of language education programs, encompassing well-crafted language education policies, robust curriculum and syllabus design, impactful teaching materials, effective approaches to English for specific purposes (ESP), English as a medium of instruction (EMI), content and language integrated learning (CLIL), and English as a Lingua Franca (ELF)-informed instruction. The book also delves into fruitful school/institute-university partnerships, the judicious use of technology, strategies for teacher recruitment and professional development, as well as efficient policies for learner assessment, among other topics of significance. The contributions within this book are firmly grounded in data, incorporating findings from empirical studies. The insights provided draw upon valuable data obtained from a range of diverse contexts in which effective language education programs have been implemented.

Dual language education is a program that combines language minority and language majority students for instruction through two languages. This book provides the conceptual background for the program and discusses major implementation issues. Research findings summarize language proficiency and achievement outcomes from 8000 students at 20 schools, along with teacher and parent attitudes.

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.

As our global economy increasingly demands a highly educated, bilingual and biliterate workforce, educators feel more compelled than ever to offer culturally and linguistically responsive education that speaks to these demands as well as the diversity of today's student population. "For culturally and linguistically diverse students, dual language education offers the best alternative to increase their academic achievement and boost their social and economic potentials," writes Sonia Soltero. In Dual Language Education, Soltero provides a comprehensive view of what it takes to create well-designed, effective, sustainable dual language programs based on current dual language research and theory. Each chapter examines the pedagogical and organizational principles of dual language education, and the specific conditions necessary for their effective implementation. Vignettes from teachers, parents, and school leaders, illustrate the transformative power of dual language education to benefit all students.

In the last 20 years dual language education programs have increased in number and expanded in range. Whereas once they were predominantly focused at the elementary level, they now span from pre-K through to high school. This book examines the key attributes of successful dual language programs, as well as the challenges and opportunities involved in extending the dual language instructional model to pre-K and secondary settings. Chapter authors, who are themselves both researchers and practitioners, explore the latest research and policy implications for implementation of dual language in three different contexts; within a school, a dual language school and a dual language district. This book will be of interest to teachers, teacher educators, professional development specialists, policymakers, administrators, and researchers.

This volume provides a comprehensive account of the implementation of bilingual education programs in countries throughout the world. For academics, graduate students, and policymakers, this volume clearly outlines the social and educational goals that can be achieved through bilingual education. It highlights the need to take account of the complex political context of inter-group relationships within which bilingual programs are inevitably embedded.

Educating children and leading them towards the path of bilingualism is a valuable and challenging task for any educator. Effective language teaching can contribute to young learners’ cognitive growth, develop their problem-solving skills, enhance their comprehension abilities, and provide children with the satisfaction of succeeding in the challenge of learning a foreign language. All these issues must be taken under consideration when researching children and their teachers. The current literature indicates that further material is needed to provide professionals with different classroom situations and enhance the art of teaching children. Teaching Practices and Equitable Learning in Children's Language Education focuses on various perspectives of efficient practices, approaches, and ideas for professional development in the field of young language learners. The chapters in this book link the theoretical understanding and practical experience of teaching children languages by concentrating on teaching practices, material design, classroom management, reading, speaking, writing, and more. This book is designed for inservice and preservice teachers, administrators, teacher educators, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in the field of early language learning and applied linguistics at large.

This volume analyses the policymaking, expectations, implementation, progress, and outcomes of early language learning in various education policy contexts worldwide. The contributors to the volume are international researchers specialising in language policy and early language learning and their contributions aim to advance scholarship on early language learning policies and inform policymaking at the global level. The languages considered include learning English as a second language in primary schools in Japan, Mexico, Serbia, Argentina, and Tanzania; Spanish language education in the US and Australia; Arabic as a second language in Israel and Bangladesh; Chinese in South America and Oceania; and finally, early German teaching and learning in France and the UK.