Equity Measures in Dual Language Education: Separation of Language
Dual Language Education is a social justice movement for students who speak a Language Other Than English (LOTE) at home because it is the only language acquisition program research proven to close the opportunity gap for students identified as Emergent Bilinguals. However, as demonstrated by various studies (Urow & Beeman 2013; Thomas & Collier, 2004)…
Keep reading5 Steps for Ensuring That Your Dual Language Program Is Still A Strong, Equity-Based Dual Language Program
Dr. Jose Medina, one of the authors of the Guiding Principles of Dual Language, famously said, “Dual language Programs not grounded in equidad y justicia social (equity and social justice) are NOT dual language programs.” I couldn’t agree more. Two-Way Dual Language Programs are measured by how well they are servicing their emergent bilinguals… those…
Keep reading5 Tips to Honor Language Diversity in Dual Language Classrooms
Language is ever evolving. How we spoke a hundred years ago is not how we speak today, and how we speak today is not how our descendants will speak a hundred years from now. The English we speak in the US is not identical to the English spoken in England. For that matter, the English…
Keep readingMicroaggressions: Forever Alien in One’s Own Land
“How do they celebrate Three Kings’ Day in Mexico?” I once observed a teacher ask one of her Dual Language students. The question seemed innocent enough. She was trying to build sociocultural competence in her classroom by being inclusive of all her students as the upcoming holiday approached. However, the student felt uncomfortable. While his…
Keep readingHonoring Students From Collectivist Cultures
The Microaggression A former colleague of mine called me the other day to let me know how her supervisor had ridiculed her for still living with her parents in her late 20’s. The supervisor talked about how when she had been younger, she couldn’t wait to become an adult and be able to leave her…
Keep readingWords Matter – The Impact of Our Words on Native American Civilizations
Words Matter As Dual Language educators, our lives revolve around the theme of words and languages. We teach students the fundamentals of pragmatics, how to respect regionalisms within languages, and how to distinguish among nuances. We know that words matter and that they must be carefully and intentionally chosen for effective communication. But how often…
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Social Justice and Education 