The
following is a mirror copy of :
http://www.ncte.org/resolutions/bilingual1999.html
National
Council of Teachers of English
A
Professional Association of Educators in
English
Studies, Literacy, and Language Arts
On Bilingual Education
1999
The NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Denver
Background:
In June 1998, bilingual education in California was
dealt a severe
blow when voters approved Proposition 227, a
statewide ballot
initiative that requires children “to be taught
English by being
taught in English.” Fallout from this initiative is
spreading rapidly
beyond California’s borders to other states that are
choosing
either to adopt Proposition 227 in its entirety or to
propose some
subset of it. These propositions are especially
dangerous to the
future of bilingual education because they move
beyond much of
the existing legislation that asks, "Should bilingual
education be
reformed?" to legislation that asks, "Should
bilingual education
be eliminated?"
These ill-advised attacks come at a time in education
when
educational research tells us that children and
adolescents who
enter school as non-English speakers adjust socially
and do well
academically when they can understand and participate
in
classroom activities (Collier, V., & Thomas, W.P.,
1989; de
Stigter, T., 1999). In addition, the research shows
that the more
quality time students have to study and learn in
their native
language, the better they do later socially and
academically in
classes taught entirely in English (Cummins, J.,
1991; Krashen,
in press). From a more far-reaching perspective, our
commitment
to bilingual education speaks to the pluralist and
humane society
we choose to build. Be it therefore
Resolution:
Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of
English
1. Encourage its members to advocate for state and
national
language policies that continuously examine
and improve,
not eliminate, bilingual education;
2. Support the development of teacher education
programs
that produce competent bilingual/biliterate
teachers who
are well prepared to handle the moral,
academic, cultural,
and political aspects involved with bilingual
education;
3. Encourage and promote bilingualism and
biliteracy among
all teachers;
4. Encourage and promote appreciation and respect
for
bilingualism and for language variations and
differences;
5. Disseminate research on effective bilingual
schools and
programs;
6. Create ways to feature effective bilingual
schools; and
7. Work constructively on the above resolutions
with other
organizations concerned with bilingual
education.
National Council of Teachers of English
1111
W. Kenyon Road
Urbana, IL 61801-1096
Phone: 217-328-3870, 800-369-6283
Fax:
217-328-0977
Web:
http://www.ncte.org
The following is
a mirror copy of :
http://www.ncte.org/resolutions/fluency971997.html
National Council of
Teachers of English
A
Professional Association of Educators in
English
Studies, Literacy, and Language Arts
On Developing and
Maintaining Fluency in
More than One Language
1997
The NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Detroit
Background:
Literacy transfers across languages. Current research
confirms
the fact that English language learners acquire
English more
easily if they are literate in their native language.
Validating and
supporting their native language and culture empowers
students,
resulting in academic and social benefits.
Proficiency in more
than one language is a decided intellectual and
emotional
advantage. Exclusion of students' language, culture,
and
experience from the classroom places students at a
disadvantage in classroom interaction and can hinder
their
successful acquisition of English. Be it therefore
Resolution:
Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of
English
continue to oppose any legislation that establishes
any language
as an official language and thus limits students'
ability to
maintain their first languages while acquiring
literacy in new
languages.
National Council of Teachers of English
1111
W. Kenyon Road
Urbana, IL 61801-1096
Phone: 217-328-3870, 800-369-6283
Fax:
217-328-0977
Web:
http://www.ncte.org
The following is a mirror copy of :
http://www.ncte.org/resolutions/bilingual821982.html
National
Council of Teachers of English
A
Professional Association of Educators in
English
Studies, Literacy, and Language Arts
On English as a Second
Language and
Bilingual Education
1982
The NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Washington, DC
Background:
Continued debate on the question of how best to
effect
second-language learning without causing students to
lose the
richness and cultural values inherent in their first
language
prompted NCTE to form a committee of specialists in
language to
study the issues involved in two different
instructional
approaches. The following resolution distills the
central ideas of
the report of the NCTE Committee on Issues in English
as a
Second Language and Bilingual Education. Be it
therefore
Resolution:
Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of
English
1. emphasize the desirability of preserving a
student's first
language and its cultural ties, since the
first language is
considered a base upon which the student adds
control of
English and some familiarity with its
literature and the
culture within which that literature
developed;
2. reaffirm the values and continuity of English
as a national
language and support the English language as a
basic
component within bilingual education;
3. support the rights of students with limited
English
proficiency to receive equal educational
opportunity;
that NCTE
1. urge that teachers of English in
bilingual-education
programs have preparation, if not
certification, for teaching
English as a second language;
2. encourage English teachers of any non-English
speaking
students to become familiar with the aims,
methods, and
materials of bilingual education;
3. urge that teachers in bilingual-education
programs be
proficient speakers/listeners and
readers/writers of each
language for which they have a teaching
responsibility;
that NCTE disseminate the position statement of the
Committee on Issues in ESL and Bilingual Education
which
explains and elaborates these statements of belief
and principle;
and
that NCTE assume a wider responsibility for working
constructively with other organizations concerned
with bilingual
education and teaching English as a second language.
National Council of Teachers of English
1111
W. Kenyon Road
Urbana, IL 61801-1096
Phone: 217-328-3870, 800-369-6283
Fax:
217-328-0977
Web:
http://www.ncte.org
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