Language and Cultural Diversity in U.S. Schools Democratic Principles in Action

Subjects:

• Education » Education (General)
• Education » Multicultural Education

Reviews:

• One in four students in the US come from households speaking languages other than English, so the US would seem to be on its way to fulfilling the national and global bilingual goal that is considered essential in No Child Left Behind rhetoric. However, it appears that the media and politicians continue to use language and cultural diversity as if they were all about dominance. Language legitimacy, or what constitutes "real language," becomes a powerful, yet dangerous, construct in the formation of educational policy. After examinations of Ebonics, American Sign Language, and foreign language teaching to native English speakers, contributors question the wisdom of "the least restrictive environment" policy. Perhaps, especially for deaf students, the policy should become "the most enabling environment." Contributors stress that policy and practice in a pluralistic society must include democratic principles of interdependence and equality. Recommended. Teacher-education faculty and teacher candidates, upper-division undergraduate and above.
  —Choice July 2006
• This text promotes and embraces improvement of diversity along a social activist theme. Student driven curriculum and self-esteem are propounded.
  —Library Media Connection August/September 2006
• With the idea in mind that America will continue to move toward a truly democratic society, however slowly, the contributors of these eight articles and introduction examine the possibility that language and culture will eventually not be an impediment to fulfilling the idea that America is a democracy.
  —Reference & Research Book News November 2005

Table of Contents:

• Introduction: Participating in Democracy Means Participating in Schools by Terry A. Osborn and Dina C. Osborn
• Emergent Possibilities for Diversity in Reading and the Language Arts by Cara Mulcahy
• Bilingual Education: Good for Us? by Mileidis Gort
• Accent and Dialects: Ebonics and Beyond by Timothy Reagan
• A Case Study in Cultural and Linguistic Difference: The Deaf-World by Timothy Reagan
• Foreign Language Education: It's Not Just For Conjugation Anymore by Terry A. Osborn
• Multicultural Education Is Good For U.S. Beyond Sensitivity Training by Wanda DeLeon and Xae Alicia Reyes
• Policies for a Pluralistic Society by Casey Cobb and Sharon F. Rallis
• What September 11th Also Teaches Us by David Gerwin and Terry A. Osborn
• Appendix A
• About the Contributors