language education_preparing chicago public school students for

Language EducationPreparing Chicago Public School Students for a Global Community

A r e p or t of t h e B il ingu A l e duc At ion A n d W or l d l A ngu A ge co m mi s s ionno v e m B e r 2 010

1 Forewordandacknowledgements

3 executivesummary

8 introduction

9 scopeoFwork

10 languageeducationintheunitedstates

12 worldlanguageeducation

14 Bilingualeducation

21 recommendations

29 conclusion

30 appendicesandreFerences

BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND WORLD LANGUAGE COMMISSION | 1 BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND WORLD LANGUAGE COMMISSION | 1

hicago Public Schools convened the Bilingual Education and World Language (BEWL) Commission to better understand bilingual education and world language programs, and to formulate strategies for closing the achievement gap between English language learners and other students. Commission members included Chicago Public Schools teachers, principals, area instructional officers, parents, and the wider community, together with language education experts from local universities and from city and state government.

Commission members brought a deep commitment to examining current Chicago Public Schools programs, learning from researchers and other school districts, and thinking in innovative and transformational ways.

This report presents the findings of the Commission and its recommendations for the implementation of the Bilingual Education and World Language Initiative. The Commission has boldly and comprehensively redefined language education in the district, underscoring the impact of language development on academic success by looking beyond bilingual education and world language to include academic language and English language arts. This comprehensive definition provides an innovative approach for using language education as an essential strategy for academic achievement. The Commission proposes a vision for Chicago Public Schools that includes rigorous language education options from prekindergarten through 12th grade for both English language learners and other students, fostering bilingualism, biliteracy, and multiculturalism, and boosting the academic achievement of all.

We fully recognize that this is an ambitious vision, especially in the midst of an economic crisis. While all recommendations and projects may not be implemented immediately, we feel strongly that even in the middle of a funding crisis Chicago Public Schools — like all school districts — must continue to look to the future as it continues to meet its most basic obligations. Chicago has a public responsibility to provide high quality education for its residents, and the vitality of our city depends in large part on fulfilling this responsibility. Highly effective education is the foundation for a productive workforce and an involved citizenry. At a time when technology, business and geopolitics make interactions with other countries common, and Chicago’s immigrant population is larger than it has been in decades, we are wise to acknowledge language and culture as keys for individuals and cities to be leaders in this new global community. Now more than ever, our definition of high quality effective education must include robust linguistic and cultural learning for all students.

To become a truly global city, it is necessary that Chicago take advantage of its rich cultural and linguistic heritage. We cannot continue to look at speaking more than one language as a luxury for the privileged nor as an ancillary endeavor for the overachievers. Instead, we must adopt a mindset that values language learning and sets this expectation for all. As the Chicago Council on Global Affairs wrote in its 2007 report, The Global Edge: An Agenda for Chicago’s Future, “A global city needs people who speak multiple languages.” The Council encourages Chicago to make the most of the linguistic assets that students bring with them into the classroom, especially its immigrant students.

Of the 410,000 students in Chicago Public Schools, nearly 170,000 enter speaking a language other than English or live with parents and grandparents who do. These students — largely immigrants and the children of immigrants have enormous potential to contribute to our city. If given opportunities to formally develop their ability to read, write, speak

C

foreWord And AcKnoWledgments

“ The United States must educate students who are equipped linguistically and culturally to communicate successfully in a pluralistic American society and abroad. This imperative envisions a future in which ALL students will develop and maintain proficiency in English and at least one other language, modern or classical. Children who come to school from non-English-speaking backgrounds should also have opportunities to develop further proficiencies in their first language.”

Statement of Philosophy in the Standards for Foreign Language Learning of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages

and think critically at high levels in English and their home language, these students and their families benefit directly and at once strengthen Chicago’s position in the international arena. If students do not have these opportunities we risk dire consequences for them and wasted resources for the city.

Students who only speak English, the majority in our city, also need more opportunities to learn a new language and reap the many benefits of becoming bilingual and biliterate. All students benefit from developing high levels of proficiency in their own and additional languages. All students benefit from opportunities that foster deeper understandings of different cultures and appreciation for the diversity in their communities. All students benefit from living and learning in an environment in which they and their peers develop awareness and positive attitudes toward many languages and cultures. The benefits can be practical and personal, social and cognitive, emotional and economic.

Ultimately the great benefits to the individual become great assets to society; everyone wins as Chicago Public Schools graduates more multilingual critical thinkers prepared for higher education and for work in their communities, in our city and in the international arena.

acknowledgements

Our deep thanks to Chicago’s Mayor Richard M. Daley, for his vision of Chicago as a global city and support for the study of critical languages, which has inspired our work. We are grateful to Ron Huberman, Chief Executive Officer of Chicago Public Schools and to the late Michael W. Scott, former President of the Chicago Board of Education, for their commitment to the recommendations in this report and collaborating to secure the funds to begin implementing them. We thank U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan for his strong support of the Commission and its charge while he served as CEO of Chicago Public Schools.

A host of others have contributed to this report. Scholars and other experts on language education traveled to Chicago for a symposium to present the latest research on language education and student learning, and members of the Houston Independent School District shared their expertise and experience with us on a site visit to the school district. Teachers, principals and other staff from Chicago Public Schools, parents, community members and others generously offered perspectives on challenges and solutions. McKinley Park Elementary School, Jackson Language Academy, Juarez High School, Senn High School, and Inter-American Magnet School hosted Commission members on visits to language programs. Educators, family members and representatives from various community organizations and advocacy groups presented their comments and recommendations at four community meetings that the Commission conducted in different parts of the city. Among them were the Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education, Network of Hispanic Administrators in Education, the Logan Square Neighbors Association, Albany Park Neighborhood Council, and Multilingual Chicago. Their perspectives on the value of bilingualism for all students and the unique needs of English language learners (ELLs) are especially appreciated.

Dr. Barbara Eason-Watkins, in her role at the time as Chief Education Officer for Chicago Public Schools, and Diane H. Zendejas, Chief of the Office of Language and Cultural Education provided steady leadership and vision. The members of the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission contributed their valuable time, knowledge and wisdom to develop a report that was comprehensive, accurate and practical. This report is a result of their hard work and commitment to improving public education.

In the last year, with designated funding from the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, we have begun to implement several BEWL projects including the Dual Language Education Initiative, Heritage Language Program, International Newcomer Center, and new professional development opportunities. We are thankful to the talented staff from the schools with which we partner and the Office of Language and Cultural Education who have been instrumental in launching these projects, laying the foundation for a strategic and practical implementation of the Commission’s recommendations over time.

Finally, we extend our deepest appreciation to the Searle Funds at The Chicago Community Trust for its generous grant and to the staff of The Chicago Community Trust for their strong support of the Commission’s work.

ClareMuñana AlbertoA.Carrero,Jr. Vice-President, Chicago Board of Education Member, Chicago Board of Education

Co-Chairs, Bilingual Education and World Language Commission

2 | RECOMMENDATIONS REpORT

BILINGUAL EDUCATION AND WORLD LANGUAGE COMMISSION | 3

n recent years, Chicago Public Schools has implemented dramatic efforts to improve student academic achieve ment by investing in principals and teachers; focusing on literacy, math, and science instruction; strengthening existing

schools; and opening new ones. Today, the country’s third-largest school district must also educate students who can speak, read, and write well in English and another language. Chicago is in the midst of a major transformation from a regional urban center to a first-rate global city, and Chicago Public Schools leadership is challenged to prepare students to participate in this new global community. The district must develop students who are multilingual critical thinkers, and are prepared for higher education and work in their communities, in our city, and in the international arena.

In 2007, under the leadership of Chicago Board of Education Vice-President Clare Muñana, Board Member Alberto A. Carrero, Jr., and Chief Education Officer Barbara Eason-Watkins, Chicago Public Schools convened the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission (BEWL Commission). The Commission sought to better under stand bilingual education and world language education and to formulate strategies to close the achievement gap between English language learners and other students. Commission members included Chicago Public Schools teachers, principals, area instructional officers, and parents as well as language education experts from local universities and representa tives of city and state government. They reviewed district data; researched best practices in language education from across the country; and sought the perspectives of parents, educators, students, and administrators. As a result of its fact-finding work, the Commission has boldly and comprehensively redefined language education in the district — including academic language and English language arts in addition to bilingual education and world language — to underscore the impact of language development on academic success. This comprehen sive definition provides an innovative approach for using language education as a core strategy for academic achievement — not only for English language learners, but for all students.

This report presents the findings of the Commission and its recommendations for the implementation of the Bilingual Education and World Language (BEWL) Initiative. Through the Initiative, language education

will become an integral part of the education plan for the district. Chicago Public Schools will provide rigorous prekindergarten through 12th grade language education options for both English language learners and other students, fostering bilingualism and biliteracy and boosting the academic achievement of all students.

FindingsThe Commission’s recommendations are grounded in research that demonstrates the following:

• Learning two languages well has significant cognitive, academic, and social benefits that can lead to higher academic achievement for all students.

• Teaching academic language across content areas can strengthen language development for English language learners and monolingual English speakers, increasing academic achievement.

• Well-designed and carefully implemented language programs that are culturally and linguistically responsive can improve the educational achievement of students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and help to reduce the achievement gap between English language learners and other student groups.

• Dual language programs are the most effective language programs for developing bilingual-biliterate students and improving their academic achievement.

• When schools value students’ home language and culture, it helps English language learners develop self-confidence and positive attitudes towards school; as a result, they succeed more often in school.

• Many proven instructional practices for English language learners are also effective with monolingual English speakers.

theBenefitsofBilingualismandBiliteracyAcross the United States, there is growing recognition that proficiency in more than one language benefits both the individual and society. Studies have shown that those who are proficient in more than one language exhibit increased cognitive and academic proficiency, improved social relation ships, better employment and advancement opportunities, and higher wages.i In addition, a multi-lingual and multi literate citizenry advances intercultural skills and intergroup relations for society as a whole, strengthening political security and stability and enhancing economic competitiveness abroad.ii

executive summAry

I


In 2006, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages adopted the following principles, which provide the foundation for implementing and expanding language programs at all levels:

• All students should learn or maintain at least one language in addition to English.

• Learning languages should be a central part of the curri culum at all levels of instruction, from prekindergarten through graduate level.

• Language learning should be offered in extended, well-articulated sequences that develop increasing levels of proficiency at each level of instruction, by teachers who are well qualified in language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and teaching skills.

In 2007, the National Association of State Boards of Education called for promoting bilingualism for all students by providing native language instruction for speakers of languages other than English; providing instruction for monolingual English speakers to speak, read, and write in other world languages; and providing support to students interested in becoming proficient in heritage languages that are at risk of disappearing.

academiclanguageisessentialforacademicsuccessMastery of academic language — which includes the ability to read, write, and engage in substantive conversation about math, science, history, and other school subjectsiii — is critical for all students. Low academic English skills among both native English speakers and bilingual students are associated with low academic performance in a variety of educational settings, including high school and college. For English language learners, academic language in both their native language and English is important to their academic success.

worldlanguageeducationMost linguists agree that early and continued instruction in a language provides the strongest foundation for advanced levels of language proficiency. Nationally, there is great interest in creating a prekindergarten through 12th grade world language “pipeline” that would see a student follow a clearly formulated instructional path with advanced proficiency as the goal. Although few districts have been able to meet this goal, due to lack of funds, staffing, and sufficient daily instructional time to offer courses, there are many effective programs throughout the country.

In recent years, Chicago Public Schools has placed a growing emphasis on world language and international studies. World Languages are offered at 233 schools citywide, with more than 103,000 participating students and 731 instructors. There are 125 world language

programs in high schools and eight international language and career academies that have a strong focus on language and offer greater opportunities for advanced study. In addition, two innovative partnerships — the Confucius Institute in Chicago and the Chicago Sister Cities International Program’s global Sister Schools Abroad Program — are designed to encourage international collabo ration and benefit students, teachers, schools, and communities in Chicago and abroad. Chicago Public Schools’ goal for world language programs is to develop proficiency in a second or third language and to expose students to other countries and cultures, broadening students’ understanding of political and social issues worldwide.

majorchallengesinchicagopublicschoolsworldlanguageeducationBecause world language and international studies programs are administered by two different offices in Chicago Public Schools, there are no common standards for programs across the district and no clear paths for students to follow in learning a world language from prekindergarten through 12th grade. There is very limited district data on effectiveness of world language programs; Advanced Placement testing for some high school students is about the only common assessment tool. Funding other than for the study of federally designated critical languages is an ongoing challenge, as is hiring certified teachers of less commonly taught languages.

additiveBilingualeducationismosteffectiveforenglishlanguagelearnersUnited States law mandates that states provide English language support to students with limited English proficiency. Most states, including Illinois, offer more than just “support,” providing bilingual education that includes native language instruction. The models of bilingual education vary from state to state and school to school.

Traditional bilingual education and English as a Second Language programs (ESL) are designed to transition students from their native language to English and are considered subtractive because they focus mainly on students learning English, and may result in loss of native language proficiency. This is the common model for programs across the country, resulting in students not only losing their bilingual ability, but also risking the loss of their personal identity and emotional bond with families and communities, and becoming disconnected from the mainstream society.iv

Yet research shows that additive bilingual education programs, those that add English while continuing to nurture a student’s native language, are far more effective. English language learners with formal schooling in their first language tend to become proficient in English faster than their peers without it.v


Research shows that English language learners who are taught in English-only classrooms or transitioned to English instruction before they have demonstrated well-established oral language abilities in their own language frequently do not achieve high levels of English fluency and do not fare as well as those who have the opportunity to learn in two languages.vi

According to a 2009 publication from the Center for Applied Linguistics, Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, researchers found that:

• Primary language instruction enhances academic achieve ment of English language learners; loss of home language is associated with poor long-term academic outcomes.

• English language learners learn much like native English speakers: Good instruction is critical for both groups of students to achieve.

• English language learners require instructional accommo dations when taught in English due to language limitations and other factors.

• Dual language programs are the most effective at developing bilingual and biliteracy skills and enhancing academic achievement.

• Adolescent English language learners face unique challenges linked to their psychosocial development, identity, socioeconomic status, language, and quality of instruction.

Additive bilingual education programs have the goal of bilingualism and biliteracy and include strong native language instruction. These programs include dual language education, developmental or maintenance bilingual education, and certain types of heritage language education. Additive models of bilingual education are the most effective at developing language proficiency and fostering academic success among English language learners.

Bilingualeducationinchicagopublicschools

Chicago is a multiethnic city with a rich cultural and linguistic heritage. Of the 410,000 students in Chicago Public Schools, nearly 170,000 enter school with knowledge of a language other than English. These


students all have language and cultural assets that the district should tap into and develop. In the past 10 years, English language learners consistently have comprised from 14 to 16 percent of the total student population in Chicago Public Schools. In the 2009–2010 academic year, approximately 48,000 English language learners enrolled in bilingual education programs. Of them, 86 percent were Spanish speakers. As is the trend across the country, English language learners in Chicago tend to be U.S.-born children of immigrants and occasionally of U.S.-born parents.

The vast majority of these students are in elementary school. There are slightly fewer than 5,000 English learners in high school. Many are newcomers, refugees, or students with interrupted school careers. While their presence poses unique academic and social challenges for high schools, it also presents opportunities for building on the solid native language literacy and cultural skills these older students often possess.

Chicago Public Schools provides two programs in bilin gual education for English language learners in compliance with state law. The Transitional Bilingual Education (TBE) program is offered in schools with 20 or more students of the same language background. The Transitional Program of Instruction (TPI) is mainly English as a Second Language and is offered in schools with fewer than 20 students of the same language background. Over the years, individual schools have found innovative ways to offer additive bilingual education programs, such as dual language and maintenance bilingual education. These schools have attempted to move beyond compliance with bilingual education programs to using research-based models for instruction and curriculum.

challengesinchicagopublicschoolsBilingualeducationAlthough there are a variety of bilingual education programs, quality can vary from school to school, and current state and district policy on transitional bilingual education does not capitalize on the language and cultural strengths of the students. More certified bilingual education teachers are needed in upper grades, and staff development is required to foster better under standing about bilingual education among principals and other school leaders. Time constraints hamper the success of English language learners, who could benefit from tutoring and enrichment programs outside the regular school day. Developing positive and productive relationships with parent and community groups and engaging them as partners is an ongoing need for many schools and the district. Finally, greater district and community under standing of bilingual education students, based on accurate data about who they are and how they are performing academically, will require that Chicago Public Schools dramatically improve its data collection and analysis systems.

recommendationsThe Bilingual Education and World Language Commission’s findings point to school-based and system-wide approaches that show promise for improving academic achievement for English language learners and all students. The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to use compre-hensive language education as a core strategy for academic success and to increase knowledge about and commitment to language diversity and multiculturalism in the Chicago Public School community.

recommendation1

Include language education, and the perspectives of language learners, in planning, policy, budget allocation, and program design at the district and school levels.

1.1 Articulate a strong commitment to language education and all language learners.

1.2 Allocate necessary internal resources and create new funding streams for language education.

1.3 Educate the Chicago Public Schools community and broader Chicago community about individual and societal benefits of bilingualism, biliteracy, and language education.

1.4 Continue to comply with state and federal laws that govern bilingual education by making necessary staffing, funding, and program changes.

recommendation2

Develop strong, sustainable district-wide language programs for rigorous, sequential language education from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

2.1 Develop a clear continuum of world language and international studies program options from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

2.2 Centralize all related instruction, curriculum design, professional development, and assessment resources in the World Language unit in the Office of Language and Cultural Education and expand it to include international studies.

2.3 Develop a continuum of rigorous bilingual education programs from prekindergarten through 12th grade that includes dual language and other additive models.

2.4 Align instruction, teacher recruitment, and professional development in early childhood education to meet the goals of bilingual education models.

2.5 Develop a strategy to teach academic language across the curriculum and to examine and improve the teaching of English language arts to different types of students.


2.6 Create and implement a district plan for immediate and long-term action to meet the unique needs of high school English language learners, ensuring that they are socially and academically prepared to graduate from high school and begin post-secondary education.

recommendation3

Use innovative strategies and incentives to recruit, hire, and develop a diverse workforce of teachers, principals, and other staff to meet the language education needs of the district.

3.1 Create additional meaningful ways for families, community members, paraprofessionals, and others to partner with schools to implement language education programs and support student learning.

3.2 Develop pipelines to increase the number of teachers equipped to meet the growing language education needs of the district.

3.3 Develop a multi-tiered professional development and enrichment program in language education available to all staff.

3.4 Advocate for policy changes at the district and state levels that support mandatory professional develop-ment and coursework in bilingual education, English as a second language, language acquisition, and teaching in multi cultural and multilingual settings.

recommendation4

Create new enrichment, support, and extended learning programs that increase language learning opportunities and support academic achievement for all Chicago Public Schools students, including English language learners.

4.1 Develop and implement a plan to strategically expand language education enrichment, support, and extended learning activities in schools.

4.2 Expand access to magnet and selective enrollment schools and gifted programs for English language learners.

4.3 Update and expand technology in language education classrooms and schools to support new and existing language education programs.

4.4 Expand relationships with government, international, and nonprofit organizations connected to international communities in Chicago and abroad, including consulates and faith-based, social service, and cultural organizations.

recommendation5

Adopt rigorous performance management practices to monitor and evaluate language education programming, instruction, workforce development, and student learning.

5.1 Adopt a rigorous student assessment program to measure language proficiency and guide instructional practice.

5.2 Ensure that all students are assessed academically in their language of instruction.

5.3 Develop information systems to collect and analyze data across the district to monitor course offerings, teacher and administrator credentialing, and professional development; link findings to student achievement.

conclusionSuccessful implementation and evaluation of the BEWL Initiative will require new and ongoing commitment, strong planning, and transformational thinking involving the whole Chicago Public Schools community. It will mean developing staff capacity, engaging families and community partners, distributing resources equitably, and creating new language programs that are centralized, sequential, and coherent. It will require revising policies; revamping instructional practice to reflect current research on rigorous, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade language education; and significantly enhancing evaluation and performance management practices used to gauge program effectiveness.

Chicago Public Schools leadership is committed to the strategic, long-term implementation of the BEWL Initiative. Already, key programs have been launched that set the foundation for further implementation, and the district is exploring long-term funding opportunities. As this work evolves, Chicago Public Schools will turn to internal and external partners for the expertise, leadership, and resources to accomplish the goals of this ambitious plan.

i Caldas & Boudreaux, 1999; Thomas, Collier, & Abbott, 1993ii Chorney, 2004.iii E Pluribus Unum, 2007iv Ada, 1995; Bartolomé, 1994.v Genesee et al., 2006.vi Caldas & Boudreaux, 1999; Thomas, Collier, & Abbott, 1993


igh quality education is a public responsibility. It is vital to building and maintaining a productive work force and developing citizens who are informed and involved in the life of their community.

Today’s international marketplace demands workers with critical thinking skills and knowledge of multiple languages, whether they are in Chicago, across the country, or around the world. In examining language education in Chicago Public Schools, the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission was keenly aware of this demand and of a paradox in language education in regard to the need for multilingual workers.

Through traditional bilingual education, students who speak a language at home other than English may lose their native language and become monolingual English speakers. At the same time, more and more students who only speak English try to win coveted spots in magnet and gifted elementary school programs in order to learn a second language. Both bilingual education and world language programs have the potential to develop students who are bilingual and biliterate in English and another language. Yet as is the case in many other U.S. school districts, Chicago had not examined these programs together before.

As a result of its work, the Commission has boldly redefined language education — including academic language and English language arts in addition to bilingual education and world language — to underscore the impact of language education on academic success of all Chicago Public School students. This compre hensive definition provides an innovative approach for using language education as a core strategy for academic achievement — not only for English language learners,

but for all students. The report’s recommendations reflect this new perspective on language education.

Bilingualeducationandworldlanguageinitiative

In the fall of 2009, Chicago Public Schools began laying the foundation for making language education an integral part of the education plan for the district. Dedicated funding for the initiative was secured through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) federal stimulus funds. Interdepartmental collaborations are under way, along with professional development for staff in the Office of Language and Cultural Education and visits to model programs in Chicago and other school districts.

Chicago Public Schools has begun to implement recom-mendations of the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission, including dual language and heritage language programs, centralization of world language and international studies programs, planning for a high school newcomer center, and a redesign of programs for high school English language learners. The district will continue to study the full recommendations and plan for strategic implementation.

Through this initiative, Chicago Public Schools will provide rigorous prekindergarten through 12th grade language education options for both English language learners and other students, fostering bilingualism and biliteracy and boosting the academic achievement of all students. The ultimate goal of the Initiative is to provide a high quality education for all and meet Chicago’s need for a highly-skilled, multilingual workforce. Chicago Public Schools will be on the leading edge in preparing Chicago’s children for a positive and productive future in a global community.

H

introductionA fresh perspective on lAnguAge educAtion

Americans have been the world’s most successful students and entre preneurs for the past century. We have to envision a new set of global skills that include understanding world languages and cultures to retain our edge in an increasingly interconnected economy.”

GASton CAPErton, PRESIDENT, COLLEGE BOARD; FORMER GOVERNOR OF WEST VIRGINIA

“

he Bilingual Education and World Language Commission spent a year assessing the state of language learning in the district. Commission members collected and reviewed district data; conducted community meetings and interviews with teachers, principals, and administrators; reviewed current literature on best practices in language education; and sponsored a language symposium with renowned experts in bilingual education and world language. To examine best practices in action, Commission members visited model

schools in Chicago and in the Houston Independent School District, which has seen strong academic gains among students in its dual language programs.

At the close of the fact-finding phase, the Commission drafted recommendations, reviewing and revising them in consultation with Chicago Public Schools staff and other academic experts, educators, and community members. The resulting recommendations form the basis of this report.

scope of WorK

T

recommendationsoverview

To achieve its vision for Chicago Public Schools to graduate students who are academically successful, multilingual, and prepared to participate in their communities and the world, the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission proposes five key recommendations and supporting action items.

1. Include language education, and the perspectives of language learners, in planning, policy, budget allocation, and program design at the district and school levels.

2. Develop strong, sustainable district-wide language programs for rigorous, sequential language education from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

3. Use innovative strategies and incentives to recruit, hire, and develop a diverse workforce of teachers, principals, and other staff to meet the language education needs of the district.

4. Create new enrichment, support, and extended learning programs that increase language learning opportunities and support academic achievement for all Chicago Public School students, including English language learners.

5. Adopt rigorous performance management practices to monitor and evaluate language education programming, instruction, workforce development, and student learning.

Detailed recommendations and action steps to implement them begin on page 21.



he Bilingual Education and World Language Commission conducted a thorough review of current research on language education and consulted with several experts from universities in the area and in other parts of

the United States. The Commission’s recommendations are grounded in research that demonstrates that:

• Learning two languages well has significant cognitive, academic, and social benefits that can lead to higher academic achievement for all students.

• Teaching academic language across content areas can strengthen the language development of English language learners and monolingual English speakers, increasing academic achievement.

• Well-designed and carefully implemented language programs that are culturally and linguistically responsive can improve the educational achievement of students from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds and help to reduce the achievement gap between English language learners and other student groups.

• Dual language programs are the most effective language programs for developing bilingual-biliterate students and enhancing their academic achievement.

• When schools value students’ home language and culture, it helps English language learners develop self-confidence and positive attitudes towards school; as a result, they succeed more often in school.

• Proven instructional practices for English language learners are also effective with monolingual English speakers.

Based on these key research findings, the Commission has redefined language education to include world language education, the instruction of English as a new language, native language instruction, academic language across content areas, and English language arts. This comprehensive definition provides an innovative approach for using language education as a core strategy for academic achievement — not only for English language learners, but for all students.

theBenefitsofBilingualismandBiliteracy

Across the United States, there is growing recognition that proficiency in more than one language benefits both the individual and society, a concept strongly supported by research. For the individual, studies have shown that those who are proficient in more than one language exhibit increased cognitive and academic proficiency, improved intergroup (social) relationships, better employment prospects and advancement opportunities, and higher wages. 1 Conversely, a multilingual and multiliterate citizenry advances intercultural

lAnguAge educAtion in the united stAtes the vAlue of lAnguAge educAtion

While we discourage the maintenance of linguistic minority students’ native language throughout their education, we require English-speaking students to study a foreign language as a prerequisite for college...” In other words, our current system says that monolinguals should become bilingual and bilinguals should become monolingual.

LILIA BARTOLOMé, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS

Key definitions

Bilingualism: High levels of proficiency in English and a second language (speaking and listening)

Biliteracy: High levels of academic proficiency in English and a second language (reading and writing)

“

T


competencies and intergroup relations for society as a whole, strengthening political and security stability and enhancing economic competitiveness abroad. 2

Young children throughout the world are successfully learning more than one language. For example, children in the European Union typically acquire three to four languages in school. Yet, it is not uncommon for parents and educators in the United States to be concerned that bilingualism may result in language delay, or that children may become confused about language use. Research shows that infants have the innate capacity to learn two languages from birth and that this early dual language exposure does not delay development in either language. 3

Research studies also suggest that young children benefit cognitively from learning more than one language. This is true for native English speakers as well as English language learners. Children who enjoy extended learning opportunities in their home language from ages 3 to 8 consistently outperform those who attend English-only programs on measures of academic achievement in English during the middle and high school years. 4

languageeducationBenefitssociety

Bilingual and biliterate citizens advance the interests of the country as a whole. 5 The position of the United States as a political and economic global leader requires that citizens expand their knowledge of the world,

deepen understanding of other cultures, and become fluent in languages besides English. Consequently, there is an urgent need in the United States for men and women in business, social services, the diplomatic corps, and national security who can read and write in multiple languages. 6

In 2006 the U.S. secretaries of State, Defense, and Education and the director of National Intelligence launched the National Security Language Initiative to dramatically increase the number of Americans learning, speaking, and teaching critical foreign languages. Critical languages are languages designated by the federal government as reflecting the current economic and security needs of the country, and include Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Hindi, and Korean, among others. The initiative supports language education beginning in kindergarten and continuing through postsecondary

The Ohio Department of Education’s Passport to the Future: Ohio’s Plan for World Languages (2007) synthesizes current research on the positive outcomes for students who study a world language:

• higherscoresonstandardizedtestsofreadingandmath (Armstrong and Rogers, 1997; Dumas, 1999; Robinson, 1998; Saunders, 1998)

• greaterskillsindivergentthinkingandcreativity (Curtain and Dahlberg, 2004)

• higherself-concept (Curtain and Dahlberg, 2004)

• highersatscores (Robinson and Conway, 2005; Cooper, 1987)


education. In its 2008 report, Enhancing Foreign Language Proficiency In the United States, the National Security Language Initiative states that it is based on the belief that “speaking another’s language promotes understanding; conveys respect; strengthens our ability to engage foreign peoples and governments; and provides others with an opportunity to learn more about America and its people.”

In addition to the critical languages, Chicago Public Schools also recognizes Spanish and Polish as highly important languages to Chicago’s communities, reflecting the city’s large Polish and Latino populations and the great economic and cultural influence they have on the region.

needformorelanguagelearningopportunities

Many school systems, institutions of higher learning, and educational organizations acknowledge the need to provide expanded opportunities for language study for all students, including speakers of both minority and majority languages. 7

In 2006, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages adopted the following general principles, which provide the foundation for implementing and expanding language programs at all levels:

• All students should learn or maintain at least one language in addition to English.

• Learning languages should be a central part of the curriculum at all levels of instruction, from young learners through graduate school and adults (prekinder-garten through graduate level).

• Language learning should be offered in extended, well-articulated sequences that develop increasing levels of proficiency at each level of instruction by teachers who are well qualified in language proficiency, cultural knowledge, and teaching skills.

The National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE) emphasizes the need for language learning in its 2007 report, E Pluribus Unum: English, Language Education, and America’s Future, writing that:

“It is increasingly important that America be better versed in the languages, cultures, and traditions of other world regions. As citizens of the world, U.S. students need to learn the importance of working well with other countries to advance common goals of peace and prosperity.”

The NASBE calls for promoting bilingualism for all students by providing native language instruction for speakers of other languages while they are becoming

proficient in English; providing instruction for students who grew up speaking English to speak, read, and write in other world languages; and providing support to students interested in becoming proficient in heritage languages at risk of disappearing.

World lAnguAge educAtion Learning a world, or foreign, language is beneficial not only to individual students, but also to the larger community and to national interests. Students who learn multiple languages also are exposed to multiple communities and mindsets, which effectively instill in the learner a larger worldview and understanding. This leads not only to better academic and professional prospects, but also potentially to greater opportunity to participate more fully in community and international activities. Since September 11, 2001, the United States has placed a strong emphasis on preparing more U.S. students to be fluent in critical languages, particularly Arabic and Chinese, with an eye towards national security and diplomacy.

While world language instruction has an extensive history in American and in international schools, there is still some disagreement on best practices for instruction and implementation of different program models. Most linguists agree that early and continued instruction in a language provides the strongest foundation for advanced levels of language proficiency. However, implementation of extended, kindergarten through 12th grade language programs remains a challenge nationwide due to lack of resources and instructors, and misconceptions about the value of language education.

The American Council on Foreign Languages has established nationally recognized world language standards called “The five C’s”: communities, communication, comparisons, culture, and connections. Meeting these standards is the foundation of most district programs. The council also affirms that a successful world language program combines best practices in instruction, professional development, advocacy, and resource development. Nationally, there is strong support for creating a prekin-dergarten through 12th grade world language “pipeline,” which would see a student follow a clearly formulated instructional path with advanced proficiency as the goal. Although few districts have been able to meet this goal, due to lack of funds, staffing, and sufficient daily instructional time to offer courses, there are many effective world language programs throughout the country.


Technology is taking an increasingly important role in language education. Today’s students are well versed in technology and hold increased expectations for its integration into instruction. From state of the art language labs to distance learning both locally and internationally, technology is proving to be an outstanding resource in language education.

In addition to daily instruction in a language, students need to be exposed to the relevance and applicability of world languages in an advanced academic or professional environment. Opportunities for students to take coursework at institutions of higher education or to meet professionals who use world languages every day help students under-stand the rewards of “sticking with it” in language study as well as providing related opportunities for those who master multiple languages.

worldlanguageprogramsinchicagopublicschools

Recognizing that cultural understanding and appreciation are important to language study, Chicago Public Schools is placing a growing emphasis on world language and international studies. World languages are offered at 233 schools citywide, with more than 103,000 participating students and 731 instructors. Spanish is the most common language studied in both elementary and high schools, followed by French and Chinese.

Chicago Public Schools’ goal for world language programs is to develop proficiency in a second or third language and to expose students to other countries and cultures, broadening students’ understanding of political and social issues worldwide. The Office of Language and Cultural Education supports this goal by providing:

• Ongoing professional development

• Resources for teachers and students

• Technical assistance to schools to develop world language programs, and

• Information and opportunities for student travel abroad.

Professional development activities include programs geared to specific languages or grade levels as well as multilanguage, citywide events that bring national world language experts to discuss best practices and new developments in the field. The Office of Language and Cultural Education also enlists a large community of partners, both in Chicago and beyond. Collaborations between the Office of Language and Cultural Education and other district offices address ways to better integrate world language instruction into the larger curriculum.

the confucius institute in chicAgoThe Confucius Institute in Chicago is a collaborative project between Chicago public Schools and the Office of Chinese Language Council International, commonly known as the Hanban. The Confucius Institute is housed in Walter payton College preparatory High School, close to Chicago’s downtown. The institute is based on similar models of language and cultural organizations, such as the Alliance Francaise and the Spanish Instituto Cervantes. Established in 2006, the Confucius Institute in Chicago was the first nonuniversity-based Confucius Institute to be established in the United States and has been named “World Confucius Institute of the Year” in 2007, 2008, and 2009 by the Hanban. Chicago public Schools partners with Shanghai’s East China Normal University, one of China’s top teaching universities and an international Chinese language teaching training center.

The institute serves many functions in Chicago public Schools’ world language community. It is a resource library and professional development center as well as a classroom for adult education, an organizational entity for cultural activities and summer study programs, and a center for advocacy on behalf of Chinese world language programs in the United States. The institute is open to the general public, and all services except adult education courses are provided free. In addition, the institute is the site for professional development activities for other languages and subject areas, hosting student and teacher groups interested in learning more about Chinese language and culture. In 2008, the Confucius Institute in Chicago hosted United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at Walter payton, his first visit to any Confucius Institute in the world.

Funding for activities at the institute is provided through a combination of funds from the Hanban, privately donated funds from corporations and individuals, and grants from the U.S. State Department, the National Security Language Initiative, and other language support organizations. The Confucius Institute of Chicago has raised more than $2.3 million from sources outside Chicago public Schools since 1997 to support Chinese world language opportunities in district schools.


The majority of world language and international studies programs are administered by the Office of Language and Cultural Education. The Office of Academic Enhancement also manages several world language programs through its role in monitoring magnet and gifted programs, such as the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme and the International Language and Career Academies, which have a strong focus on language and offer greater opportunities for advanced study.

High school world language programs are funded primarily by the district, with the number of teaching positions allocated based on student enrollment. Students are required to take two years of a world language in high school to graduate. While not sufficient to develop fluency in a new language, language study for two years can provide a strong foundation. There is limited funding for world language programs in elementary schools, yet these programs have increased steadily in the last few years. Elementary schools have been resourceful in using state discretionary funds or obtaining grant monies to support world language programs and activities. The Office of Language and Cultural Education secures additional world language funding through federal language education and private foundations to develop new world language programs, particularly for critical languages.

Chicago Public Schools has responded to a call from the U.S. Department of Education and from Mayor Daley for more programs in Chinese, Arabic, and Russian, which are considered critical languages to the United States, by launching several new programs in these languages at both elementary and high schools across the city. The Chicago Public Schools’ Chinese World Language program is often cited as a model kindergarten through 12th grade Chinese language program in the United States. It is the largest district program of its kind in the nation, with more than 12,000 students studying the language each day. The Confucius Institute in

Chicago, funded by the People’s Republic of China, has been instrumental in the success of this program (see box, page 13). The model of implementation established by the Chinese program, which has a strong continuum of learning, provides a blueprint for developing other world language programs, both locally and nationally.

Like the Confucius Institute in Chicago, the Chicago Sister Cities International Program’s global Sister Schools Abroad Program is designed to encourage international collaboration and benefit students, teachers, schools, and communities in Chicago and abroad.

challengesinworldlanguageeducationinchicagopublicschools

Because world language and international studies programs are administered by two different offices, there are no common standards and best practices for programs across the district and no clear paths for students to follow in learning a world language from prekindergarten through 12th grade. It is also a challenge to obtain data on the programs, although some data is available on the demographic profile of world language students. Although advanced placement testing remains the common assessment tool for students who complete a full, four-year high school sequence of instruction, there is almost no other data on effectiveness of world language programs. Integrating technology in teaching world languages is limited by fiscal restrictions. Funding other than for the study of federally designated critical languages is an ongoing challenge, as is hiring certified teachers of less commonly taught languages.

BilinguAl educAtion additiveBilingualeducationismosteFFectiveForenglishlanguagelearners

In the United States, bilingual education programs generally fall into two broad categories:

• Bilingual Education

• English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) Education

Even though these categories overlap, there are significant differences in their intended linguistic outcomes (mono-lingual or bilingual proficiency), intended audience (minority-language or majority-language speakers), program length (short or long term), and orientation (enrichment or remedial).

worldlanguagesstudiedinchicagopuBlicschools:Arabic, Chinese/Mandarin, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu

participatingschoolsinprogram(08–09):Elementary/Middle. . . 95High School . . . . . . . 138

studentenrollmentinprogram(08–09):Elementary . . . . . . . . 35,568High School . . . . . . . 67,952

Traditional bilingual education and ESL programs are designed to transition students from their native language to English, and are considered subtractive, because they focus mainly on students learning English, which may result in the loss of proficiency in the native language. The goal of additive bilingual education programs is to develop skills in a second or third language without loss of the student’s first language. Additive programs include heritage language, developmental or maintenance bilingual education, and dual language education. For English language learners, additive models of bilingual education are the most effective at developing language proficiency and fostering academic success. (see appendix A, page 30.)

Research shows that English language learners who are taught in English-only classrooms or transitioned to English instruction before they have demonstrated well-established oral language abilities in their own language frequently do not achieve high levels of English fluency and do not fare as well as those who have the opportunity to learn in two languages. 8

This subtractive model of bilingual education permeates many ESL programs across the country, resulting in students losing their bilingual skills — a personal asset that is highly important for success in today’s global economy. In the process, they are also losing a sense of personal identity and emotional bonding with their families and communities, and feeling disconnected from the mainstream society. 9

Research is clear: Additive bilingual education — programs that add English and also develop the native language — are more effective for students who are learning English.

United States law mandates that states provide English language support to students with limited English proficiency. Most states, including Illinois, offer more than just “support,” providing bilingual education that includes native language instruction. The models of bilingual education vary from state to state and school to school. Yet research shows that additive bilingual education programs — those that add English while continuing to nurture a student’s native language — are far more effective. English language learners with formal schooling in their first language tend to become proficient in English faster than their peers without it. 10 In a 2009 publication from the Center for Applied Linguistics, Developing Literacy in Second-Language Learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on Language-Minority Children and Youth, researchers found that:

• Primary language instruction enhances academic achievement of English language learners; loss of home language is associated with poor long-term academic outcomes.

• Dual language programs are the most effective at developing bilingual and biliteracy skills and enhancing academic achievement.

• English language learners learn much like native English speakers; good instruction is critical to ensure that they achieve.

• English language learners require instructional accommodations when taught in English due to language limitations and other factors.


lAnguAge progrAm pArAdigms

additiveprograms suBtractiveprograms

Goal: bilingual and biliterate Goal: monolingual and monoliterate

Maintenance approach Transitional approach

Enrichment in nature Sometimes remedial in nature

Add English to the native language Replace the native language with English

Bicultural Cultural goal: monocultural assimilation

For students in majority and minority languages For students in a minority language

Models: maintenance, developmental, enrichment bilingual, heritage language,

dual language

Models: transitional bilingual education, structured English immersion,

English as a second language language


BilinguAl educAtion And the lAW

Following the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the U.S. Congress recognized the educational disadvantages of English language learners as a civil rights matter and passed the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 1 The legislation provided federal funding to encourage local school districts to implement native language instruction and other support services for students not yet proficient in English.

In the 1974 landmark case Lau v. Nichols, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that “there is no equality of treatment merely by providing students with the same facilities, textbooks, teachers and curriculum; for students who do not understand English are effectively foreclosed from any meaningful education.”i The Court’s decision requires schools to take “affirmative steps” to overcome language barriers impeding children’s access to the curriculum.

Congress endorsed this principle in the Equal Educational Opportunity Act of 1974. In the Lau v. Nichols case, the U.S. Supreme Court also upheld the 1970 memo issued by the Office of Civil Rights. The case reaffirmed that all students in the United States, regardless of native language, have the right to receive a quality education. It also clarified that equality of opportunity does not necessarily mean the same education for every student, but rather the same opportunity to receive an education. An equal education is only possible if students can understand the language of instruction.

In the 1969–70 school year, Chicago public Schools began implementing bilingual education programs in two elementary schools and one high school. These programs were supported with federal funds under the Bilingual Education Act of 1968, Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Illinois participated in the growth of bilingual education programs, and in 1973 the Illinois General Assembly adopted Article 14C of the School Code of Illinois, mandating that all public schools identify students who come from a non-English language back ground as part of their enrollment process. Once such students are identified, they take an English language proficiency test to determine eligibility for bilingual education services.

In 2002, Title VII was replaced by the English Language Acquisition Act under the new No Child Left Behind Act. No Child Left Behind required that schools address the educational needs of students who are not yet proficient in English. Yet it no longer gave funding priority for native language instruction and instead turned the choice of how to spend federal funds for English language learners to the discretion of each state. Some states chose to discontinue bilingual education programs but still serve English language learners through English-as-a-Second

Language (ESL) programs. Illinois continues to offer bilingual education that includes native language instruction, although changes in federal law have affected the way the state’s board of education regulates it.

The Illinois State Board of Education regulates and monitors bilingual education programs implemented by local school districts. programs are monitored to ensure compliance with federal mandates regarding bilingual education that have been enacted over the past 41 years.

growingpopulationoFstudentswithlimitedenglishproFiciency

The number of students not proficient in English has now surpassed overall growth in school enrollments in the United States, creating additional challenges for schools to meet the need for adequate bilingual and ESL programs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, kindergarten through 12th grade enrollment in the United States grew by 12 percent between 1993 and 2003, from 45.4 million to 49.6 million students. During that same period, English language learner enrollment increased by 65 percent, from 3.1 million students to 5 million. ii

Almost 70 percent of English language learners attend schools in California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Almost 80 percent speak Spanish as their first language; the rest speak one of more than 400 other languages.iii Yet despite com mon assumptions to the contrary, the majority of these students are native-born United States citizens: Nationally, about 76 percent of elementary school and 56 percent of secondary school English language learners are born in the United States.

stAte of illinois BilinguAl educAtion policy

“Requires that English language learners be enrolled and participate in transitional bilingual education program for three years or until the student achieves a level of English language skill that enables the student to perform successfully in classes in which instruction is conducted in English only, whichever comes first.”

i Baker, 2006ii NCES, 2006iii NCELA, 2007.


Adolescent English language learners face unique challenges linked to their psychosocial development, identity, socioeconomic status, language, and quality of instruction. Because their numbers in high school are not as concentrated as in the elementary grades, providing content instruction in their native languages is difficult.

academiclanguageisessentialforacademicsuccess

According to the National Association of State Boards of Education, ESL programs in schools often focus on teaching social language and conversational skills, which are essential groundwork, but not enough. Students need to become proficient in academic English, and gain academic proficiency in their native language if they are to succeed in meeting or exceeding state academic standards and compete academically with native English-speaking peers. Mastery of academic English includes the ability to read, write, and engage in substantive conversation about math, science, history, and other school subjects. 11

The Institute of Education Sciences in the U.S. Department of Education developed a practice guide, Effective Literacy and English Language Instruction for English Learners in the Elementary Grades. The guide stresses the importance of intensive, interactive English language instruction for all English learners that focuses on developing academic language.

It cannot be overemphasized how critical academic language proficiency is for all students. Low skills in academic English are associated with low academic performance in a variety of educational settings, including high school and college. This includes students whose first or only language is English. Strategies used to teach academic English to English language learners are equally effective in teaching academic English to native English speakers.

Bilingualeducationinchicagopublicschools

As the third-largest school district in the country, Chicago Public Schools is responsible for educating more than 400,000 children from preschool through high school. The district’s ultimate goal is to ensure that:

Every child in every school is on track at every stage in his or her educational career to graduate prepared for success in post-secondary education and employment.

“Every child in every school” includes children for whom English is a new language. Their knowledge of English ranges from very limited to having a good grasp of conversational English but insufficient English proficiency to master academic content in English. Consequently,

their academic progress may lag behind that of students who are proficient in English. In this regard, Chicago is typical of the rest of the country.

Chicago Public Schools provides two programs in bilingual education for English language learners. The Transitional Bilingual Education program is offered in schools with 20 or more students of the same language background. The Transitional Program of Instruction (mainly English as a Second Language) is offered in schools with fewer than 20 students of the same language background. Bilingual education teaching positions and program funding are based on the number of students enrolled.

Because of the federal and state laws that govern bilingual education and the added accountability imposed by No Child Left Behind, Chicago Public Schools has had a stronger emphasis in the last decade on ensuring that the district complies with the law. It is important to note that the district’s Bilingual Education program is constrained by the requirements of Section 14C of the School Code and related regulations as well as by overall budgetary limitations.

englishlanguagelearners

During the past 10 years, English language learners consistently comprised 14 to 16 percent of the total student population in Chicago Public Schools. In the 2009–2010 academic year, about 48,000 English

academiclanguageproficiency

conversationallanguageproficiency

5 to 7 years to acquire 1 to 2 years to acquire

Abstract Real life

Decontextualized In context

Cognitively demanding Cognitively undemanding

Multisyllabic words Monosyllabic words

Low-frequency words High-frequency words

Complex sentences Simple sentences

Elaborate discourse Short dialogue


language learners are enrolled in bilingual education programs. Of them, 86 percent are Spanish speakers. As is the trend across the country, English language learners in Chicago tend to be U.S.-born children of immigrants and occasionally of U.S.-born parents. In other words, they are usually American citizens, yet without the necessary English skills to succeed academically.

The vast majority of these students are in elementary school. There are nearly 5,000 English language learners in high school, most of whom entered the system in middle school or later.

Many of these students are newcomers, refugees, or students with interrupted schooling. While their presence poses unique academic and social challenges for high schools, it also presents opportunities for building on the native language literacy and linguistic and cultural skills these older students often possess.

limitedmeasurementsofprogrameffectiveness

Data on English language learners in the district is primarily confined to enrollment and location figures, identification of native languages spoken by students, and English proficiency. Available measures of academic success for English language learners are largely limited to Illinois State Achievement Test (ISAT) scores of students enrolled in the bilingual education program and students who have transitioned out in the last year or two by demonstrating English proficiency. The vast majority of English language learners who take the ISAT are not yet proficient in English yet must take it in English to comply with state regulations. Such performance snapshots do not account for mastery of academic content in the native language, differences in the makeup of the student body every year, or the type of bilingual education program in which students participate. In addition, testing policies have changed several times in recent years, with different groups of students being required to take different tests from one year to the next, making cohort analysis almost impossible. Any review of the ISAT data must take into account the serious limitations of the current information in terms of getting an accurate and complete picture of these students.

A basic comparison of ISAT data shows that students who have transitioned out of the bilingual education program and are in their first or second year in the general program of instruction (T1s and T2s) outperform their peers on ISAT reading and math for three consecutive years (See table below). This comparison does not control for student characteristics or the type of bilingual education program in which the student is enrolled, but it may indicate that students are prepared for learning in English, at least in the first two years after transitioning out of bilingual education. The district must look at long-term outcomes for these students using cohort analyses and controlling for variables such as socioeconomic status and special needs.

The Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State test, or ACCESS, is a national test used to measure English proficiency in Illinois. A basic comparison of ACCESS data over the last three years shows that English language learners in Chicago Public Schools are most likely to achieve English proficiency, as measured by state law, between their second and third years in the program. However, in 2008, 68 percent of English language learners who achieved overall proficiency on the ACCESS test were not proficient in writing, putting them at risk for low academic performance in an all-English program of instruction. Becoming proficient in reading and writing — academic language — is more difficult and takes more time than becoming proficient in speaking and listening — social language. The district must consider the different proficiency domains as it conducts further in-depth analysis of ACCESS results.

mostcommonnativelanguagesspokenByenglishlanguagelearnersinchicagopuBlicschools

• Arabic • Assyrian • Bosnian/Serbian • Cantonese • Filipino/Tagalog • French• Gujarati • Mandarin• polish • Spanish • Ukrainian • Urdu • Vietnamese

percentageoFchicagopuBlicschoolsstudentswhomeetorexceedstandardsonillinoisstateachievementtest

2007 2008 2009

t1sandt2s

Reading 65.5% 73.9% 73.6%

Math 81.8% 85.8% 85.6%

allstudentsexcludingenglishlearners,t1sandt2s

Reading 61.8% 67.2% 68.9%

Math 69.2% 71.3% 74.5%

Transition Year 1 students = T1sTransition Year 2 students = T2s


the reseArch is cleAr: duAl lAnguAge educAtion WorKs for english lAnguAge leArners And nAtive english speAKers

duallanguageeducation:BestmodelForenglishlanguagelearners

The research of Thomas and Collier summarized by the graph on the right represents analyses conducted from 1985 to the present of over 6.2 million student records in rural, suburban, and urban districts across the United States. These factors make the findings applicable almost everywhere. In comparing the achievement of English learners in seven different bilingual education program models, Thomas and Collier found that:

• In 3rd grade, English learners in all programs demonstrated comparable scores on standardized tests of English reading. No one program was significantly better at preparing students for such an exam.

• In the middle school years, the scores of students in dual language programs were significantly higher than the scores of their peers in the other five programs.

• By 11th grade, students who had been in dual language programs in elementary school far outperformed their peers who were in other types of bilingual education.

• The scores of students who had been in the other five programs in elementary school remained flat or dropped by 11th grade.

• The broken pink lines show the dramatic negative long-term effects of English-only legislation in California.

In short, the more education ELLs receive in their first language, the more success they will have academically and in becoming English proficient.

The benefits of an additive bilingual educational experience are dramatic if the program continues through middle school.

Wayne P. Thomas is professor emeritus of evaluation and research methodology and Virginia P. Collier is professor emerita of bilingual/multilingual/ESL education at George Mason University.

Figure 5.2

Copyright © 2001-2009, W.P. Thomas & V.P. Collier. All rights reserved.

English Learners’ Long-Term K-12 Achievement

in Normal Curve Equivalents (NCEs)

on Standardized Tests in English Reading

Compared across Seven Program Models

(Results aggregated from longitudinal studies of well-implemented,

mature programs in five school districts and in California (1998-2000)

Program 1: Two-way Dual Language Education (DLE), including Content ESL

Program 2: One-way DLE, including ESL taught through academic content

Program 3: Transitional Bilingual Ed., including ESL taught through academic content

Program 4: Transitional Bilingual Ed., including ESL, taught traditionally

Program 5: ESL taught through academic content using current approaches with no L1 use

Program 6: ESL pullout - taught by pullout from mainstream classroom with no L1 use

Program 7: Proposition 227 in California (successive 2-year quasi-longitudinal cohorts)

Elementary Gains

range: 3-4 NCEs/yr

Gap closure

for all programs

except Proposition 227

Middle School Gains

range: -1 to +4 NCEs/yr

Little/no gap closure

for most programs

except dual language

High School Gains

range: -3 to +2 NCEs/yr

Gap increase

for most programs

except dual language

1 – Two-Way Dual Language Ed.

including Content ESL

2 – One-Way Dual Language Ed.

including Content ESL

3 – Transitional Bilingual Ed., including

ESL taught through academic content

4 – Transitional Bilingual Ed., including

ESL, taught traditionally

5 – ESL taught through academic

content (no L1)

6 – ESL Pullout – (no L1)

taught traditionally

7 – Prop 227 in California

Spring 1998 – Spring 2000 (grades

2-9 in two-year cohorts)

duallanguagenotJustForenglishlearners:BeneFitsForenglish-speakingstudents

Twenty years of program evaluation and research in the United States and Canada are consistent in demonstrating that results for English speakers are similar in one-way and two-way immersion/dual language:

• English speakers develop proficiency in two languages.

• English speakers score as well as or better than their English-speaking nondual language peers in English-only instruction on standardized tests of math and language arts in English.

• English speakers develop a positive sense of self and multicultural competencies.

From Current Research on Dual Language programs (2007) by Kathryn Lindholm Leary, Ph.D., professor of child and adolescent development at San Jose State University


The Commission recognizes an urgent need for significantly better data collection and analysis for English language learners. The district must track these students’ performance over time to measure their proficiency in English, proficiency in their native language, and their academic progress to enable the district to make data-driven decisions about language education programs.

challengesinBilingualeducationinchicagopublicschools

Although there are a variety of bilingual education programs, quality can vary from school to school, and current state and district policy on transitional bilingual education does not capitalize on the language and cultural strengths of the students. In addition, more certified bilingual education teachers are needed in upper grades and low-incidence languages. Staff development is also required to provide more principals and other school leaders who understand the value of bilingual education. Time constraints hamper the success of English language learners in attaining English proficiency. Many of them could benefit from tutoring and enrichment programs outside the regular school day. A need exists for greater district and community

understanding of English language learners, based on accurate data about who these students are and how they are performing academically.

Finally, in many schools with bilingual education programs, parent and community participation is thriving, but in others it is not supported in meaningful ways. Schools need to improve relationships with parent and community groups to engage them as partners in the education of their children.

With the right resources and leadership, Chicago Public Schools can improve the quality of language education for all students, both English learners and native English speakers. In its deep and broad analysis of district language education programs, the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission has brought to light both strengths and weaknesses. Most important, it has brought together language educators from throughout the district and the country to focus their combined knowledge and expertise to develop an innovative and effective language education program that is an integral part of the education of every child in Chicago Public Schools. In the following pages, recommendations and action steps to accomplish this bold plan are detailed.


recommendation1

Include language education, and the perspectives of language learners, in planning, policy, budget allocation and program design at the district and school levels.

The academic success of all students, regardless of where they were born or what language they speak, is the responsibility of the entire Chicago Public Schools community. While developing and monitoring world language and bilingual education programs lies primarily with the Office of Language and Cultural Education, interdepartmental collaboration is of great importance as the district redefines language education and strengthens its commitment to language diversity and multiculturalism. The language development, academic, social, and parent communication needs of language learners must be included in efforts beyond the Language and Cultural Education office. Moreover, as the new comprehensive definition of language education is put to use, leadership and expertise from the Chief Education Office will be critical to guiding the district in making effective changes in curriculum and instruction.

1.1 Articulate a strong commitment to language education and all language learners.

It is important that Chicago Public Schools sends a message throughout the district that language develop-ment — whether it is English, native languages such as Spanish or Polish, a world language, or the explicit academic language of instruction — can help students achieve academic success. A formal statement should be issued reinforcing the shared responsibility among all district staff for the success of all language learners.

Actions

• Revise district bilingual education and world language policy to meet goals of recommendation.

• Incorporate language education and international education in the district goals and mission statement.

1.2 Allocate necessary internal resources and create new funding streams for language education.

If language education is embraced as a strategy for academic achievement, the district must allocate adequate funding for planning, evaluation, personnel, and materials and create new funding streams to successfully implement and sustain language education programs.

Actions

• Include recommendations of the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission in Chicago Public Schools budget planning.

• Fund positions for resource development in the Office of Language and Cultural Education and other district offices that support language education activities.

• Allocate district funds, in coordination with the Language and Cultural Education office, directly to schools for initial planning and implementation of new or expanded language education programs; increase support for school-based resource development to ensure that programs can be sustained.

• Fund evaluation of language education programs.

recommendAtions

he Bilingual Education and World Language Commission’s findings point to school-based and system-wide approaches that show promise for improving academic achievement for English language learners and all students. The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to use comprehensive language education as a core strategy for academic success and to increase knowledge about and commitment to language diversity and multiculturalism among educators. Implementing recommended changes will require strong planning

involving the whole Chicago Public Schools community, as well as developing staff capacity, creating new language programs that are centralized, sequential, and coherent, and distributing resources equitably. It will mean revising policies and revamping instructional practice to reflect current research on rigorous, prekindergarten through 12th grade language education.

T


1.3 Educate the Chicago Public Schools community and broader Chicago community about individual and societal benefits of bilingualism, biliteracy, and language education.

The Commission recommends that the district conduct internal and external communications campaigns to increase knowledge and understanding about the critical role that language education plays in student achievement and the value and benefits of multiculturalism and language diversity to the district and the city.

Actions

• Actively and systematically engage relevant central office departments and school-based staff in understanding language education and implementing language and international education programs. It is essential that teachers, principals, other district staff, and the families of students understand and engage in the changes and projects proposed by the Commission.

• Conduct an external communications campaign to help foster public and political support and build resources. Partner with the municipal organizations, language advocates, and the business and civic communities. Include advertising and marketing strategies, media outlets, and print and online materials in multiple languages.

1.4 Continue to comply with state and federal laws that govern bilingual education by making necessary staffing, funding, and program changes.

Changes to state bilingual education policies in 2009 will have a significant impact on English language learners in the district and across the state. The scope of bilingual education policies was expanded to include prekindergarten students, requiring that all school districts identify and serve English language learners in prekindergarten. After careful analysis, the Illinois State Board of Education raised the minimum ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) test score required for exiting the bilingual education program from 4.0 to 4.8 to ensure that students have the English skills needed to succeed in the general program of instruction. As the district strives to comply with the law, it must also ensure that bilingual education programs are rooted in best practices and meet the needs of English language learners.

Actions

• Increase the number of board-funded teaching positions so that the district improves compliance with state law limiting class size for English language learners to 90 percent of general program classrooms.

• Make program changes and allocate resources necessary to identify all English language learners entering pre-

kindergarten and provide the bilingual education services they need.

• Improve monitoring of English learners who have transitioned out of bilingual education programs and provide the necessary instructional support to continue their English skills development. This will require additional professional development for principals and teachers in the general program of instruction.

recommendation2

Develop strong, sustainable district-wide language programs for rigorous, sequential language education from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

Changing the long-term goal of Chicago Public Schools world language and bilingual education programs to biliteracy and bilingualism will require significant changes to instruction and curriculum as well as collaboration among many district offices.

The Commission urges the district to develop and implement strong, sustainable, district-wide language education programs from prekindergarten through 12th grade. Programs should include instructional best practices and district-supported curricula, for rigorous and sequential language development for both native English speakers and English language learners. Academic language across the curriculum and English language arts are vital components of language education and must be included in planning new language education efforts.

2.1 Develop a clear continuum of world language and international studies program options from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

Chicago Public Schools should establish a clear system of language progression that enables students to develop second language skills to high levels from elementary through high school and make the policy changes needed to support these efforts. International studies content is an important part of world language programs and should be developed in collaboration with social studies experts in the district.

Actions

• Create a scope and sequence from prekindergarten through 12th grade for each world language taught in Chicago Public Schools that reflects overall best practices in world language curricula and instruction; create standardized course descriptions and criteria.


• Raise the minimum number of world language course credits required for high school graduation from two to three.

• Develop a heritage language program for English-speaking students whose families speak a language other than English; begin with Spanish in the elementary schools and expand the program to add other heritage languages, such as Polish and Arabic.

• Develop advanced world language, native language, and heritage language courses for graduates of the elementary school language programs and increase advanced placement (AP) offerings, AP test taking, and opportunities for earning AP credits.

• Increase international studies content in language programs and develop separate international studies programs, such as Chicago Sister Cities International, Global Classrooms, and model United Nations.

• Promote use of recommended curricula by providing teachers with course materials, instructional guidelines, assessment, and professional development; obtain culturally authentic teaching materials for less commonly taught languages.

2.2 Centralize all related instruction, curri culum design, professional development, and assessment resources in the World Language unit in the office of Language and Cultural Education and expand it to include international studies.

While the district offers numerous opportunities for students to learn a world language in its high schools and a growing number in elementary school, there is no clear path for sequential world language education, and world language and international studies resources are housed in multiple district offices. The Commission recommends that Chicago Public Schools centralize district resources related to world language and international education in the Office of Language and Cultural Education and provide the necessary funding to ensure a cohesive, high-quality program accessible to a larger number of students.

Actions

• Involve the Office of Language and Cultural Education and other district departments that administer world language and international studies programs in planning for a timely shift of resources to the world language and international studies unit.

• Convene an advisory board to advance the district’s core beliefs, vision, program criteria, implementation, and evaluation with respect to world language and inter-national education.

• Annually assess staffing, workforce capacity, and program interest and make recommendations to develop new

program models to meet local and national interests and needs from prekindergarten through 12th grade.

2.3 Develop a continuum of rigorous bilingual education programs from prekindergarten through 12th grade that includes dual language and other additive models.

The Commission urges the Chicago Public Schools to create and implement bilingual education programs for English language learners designed to develop fully bilingual students through a program of rigorous academic, sequential, and integrated curriculum instruction. Programs should include native language instruction with incremental English development and academic language for English language learners beginning in prekindergarten with structured options for continued biliteracy development through grade 12. Dual language education is a key component of an additive approach, and the district must strengthen and expand these programs. Chicago Public Schools must use language education research to set higher academic expectations and more rigorous learning standards in bilingual education programs that will lead to improvement in the quality of instruction and curriculum.

Actions

• Develop a menu of bilingual education options and create guidelines that include best practices and research-proven curricula and instructional models.

• Increase the number of new dual language programs and strengthen existing ones through a district-wide dual language initiative that includes staff in the Office of Language and Cultural Education and an adequate budget.

• Make program changes necessary for schools to attain an appropriate mix of students for the language education options the school offers.

• Develop a well-designed system from elementary language education programs through middle school and high school that provide continuous and sequential language development.

2.4 Align instruction, teacher recruitment, and professional development in early childhood education to meet the goals of bilingual education models.

Research shows that early literacy instruction in a child’s native language assists students in their English literacy development. This research supports the recent change in Illinois school code that extends bilingual education


policy to prekindergarten. The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to implement a plan to align prekindergarten and kindergarten instruction, teacher recruitment, and professional development to meet the goals of a prekindergarten through 12th grade bilingual education program, giving students a solid foundation for bilingual development.

Actions

• Create a work group with staff from the offices of Early Childhood Education, Language and Cultural Education, and others to develop guidelines for following additive bilingual education models.

• Engage parents and community members in this process to ensure that the district is addressing the language education interests and needs of their communities.

• Engage scholars in the fields of early childhood education and bilingual education to provide expertise and help guide decision-making.

2.5 Develop a strategy to teach academic language across the curriculum and to examine and improve the teaching of English language arts to different types of students.

The Commission has redefined language education to include academic language and English language arts in addition to world language and bilingual education. This redefinition of language education will require a shift in thinking about language development throughout the district and a greater understanding of the link between language and academic achievement.

Actions

• Convene an interdepartmental work group to develop strategies for including academic language across the curriculum and examining the way English language arts is taught.

2.6 Create and implement a district plan for immediate and long-term action to meet the unique needs of high school English language learners, ensuring that they are socially and academically prepared to graduate from high school and begin post-secondary education.

The Commission identified high school English learners as a population with special needs given their age, time in the United States, varied academic backgrounds, and social challenges. Commission members were encouraged by recent district efforts to vastly improve outcomes for all district high school students, and they urge the

district to give focused attention to English language learners, taking into account differences between long-term English learners and recent immigrants or refugees.

The Commission recommends that as part of its long-range strategy, Chicago Public Schools should open centers or create English language learner clusters in schools with existing strong bilingual education programs and large groups of English language learners. With a minimum of 250 to 300 students, high schools are eligible for sufficient board-funded positions and resources to offer a full range of courses at all ESL levels, core subjects in the native language, and other targeted courses.

Actions

• Establish a work group with staff from Office of Language and Cultural Education, the Office of Teaching and Learning, and other offices to assess challenges faced by high schools in meeting the needs of English language learners and craft a plan to address them.

• Engage parents, community members, and civic institutions in partnerships and activities to better address the needs of refugees and other English language learners.

• Provide professional development for high school teachers and administrators to increase their ability to address the special needs of students with interrupted schooling, over-age students, refugees, and other immigrants.

• Work with high school principals and other staff to collaborate with bilingual lead teachers and other staff to fully understand and meet the course needs of students who are learning English and refugees.

• Award academic credit to English language learners based on their second-language capacity.

recommendation3

Use innovative strategies and incentives to recruit, hire, and develop a diverse workforce of teachers, principals, and other staff to meet the language education needs of the district.

Successful language education programs will require increasing numbers of properly certified bilingual education and world language teachers and administrators. Research shows that English language learners are more likely to flourish academically in schools requiring that all teachers, support staff, and administrators become knowledgeable about issues specific to them as a group. In the United States, most teachers and administrators lack basic knowledge and skills to effectively teach English learners, including knowledge of bilingual education, second language acquisition, and how poverty and immigration affect educational attainment.12


Existing education leadership programs fall short in preparing school administrators to deal with the complexities of an increasingly diverse school population.13 Moreover, many educators are not knowledgeable about best practices in world language instruction and do not recognize the impact of bilingualism and biliteracy on student achievement.

To gain support from school personnel for effective language programs, Chicago Public Schools must eradicate long-standing misconceptions about language learning. Ongoing professional development opportunities that engage language education teachers with general program and content-area teachers can foster much-needed dialogue between these traditionally segregated groups.14

Strong partnerships with universities will be required to develop new pipelines of well-qualified educators who can work effectively with students of all backgrounds in language education programs and in other academic subjects that incorporate language development.

3.1 Create additional meaningful ways for families, community members, paraprofessionals, and others to partner with schools to implement language education programs and support student learning.

Multilingual students and their families bring cultural and linguistic resources that can make a difference to their educational achievement and may offer creative ways to strengthen and expand language education. Across the country, parents and community residents are often catalysts for world language and dual language programs in schools. In Chicago, parents and other adults are involved as classroom volunteers, on local school councils, on bilingual action committees, and in fundraising groups. Chicago Public Schools cannot successfully expand language education programs without this parent, family, and community participation.

Actions

• Develop opportunities to involve parents of English language learners, world language students, and multilingual Chicagoans in language programs as teachers, principals, volunteers, and paraprofessionals.

• Make the Chicago Public Schools Web site accessible in multiple languages to encourage family and community participation and develop other communication vehicles in multiple languages.

• Expand relationships with nonprofit, civic, and government groups that serve immigrants and promote language and cultural education.

• Engage teachers and principals in creating ways for students whose native language is not English to contribute to learning in class and in their school community.

• Create and implement a family and community plan in the Office of Language and Cultural Education that complies with state mandates on bilingual parent activities and includes participation in other language education programs.

3.2 Develop pipelines to increase the number of teachers equipped to meet the growing language education needs of the district.

The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future identified teacher expertise as the “single most important factor” in predicting student achievement, and demographic trends show that nearly every teacher and school can expect to have linguistically and culturally diverse learners. As the district expands its language education programs, there will be a shortage of qualified teachers and language experts. The Commission found a variety of strategies in other school districts to increase qualified teachers, including partnerships with universities, “grow your own” programs, recruitment in other countries, tuition reimbursement, financial and other compensation for bilingual skills, and alternative certification or endorsement programs.

In addition to local efforts, it is important to foster teaching exchange programs with Chicago’s international partners. Such programs will not only increase the pool of qualified and skilled instructors in the classroom, they will also help develop civic and diplomatic partnerships. International partnerships and dialogue are important to achieving the goal of establishing Chicago as a premier international city.

Actions

• Assess the existing workforce in terms of language education teaching capacities; set targets for new hires.

• Work with university colleges of education to identify new teachers and principals, strengthening their knowledge and skills regarding language education and subject matter expertise.

• Identify existing Chicago Public Schools teachers who are certified and endorsed in bilingual education or a world language but are not working in those fields, and offer incentives for them to teach in language education programs.

• Identify certified Chicago Public Schools teachers who are bilingual but are not endorsed in bilingual education or certified to teach a world language and provide financial incentives for them to obtain the necessary


endorsements; offer incentives for nonbilingual teachers to obtain their ESL endorsement.

• Partner with universities to develop a cadre of literacy coaches who are highly knowledgeable about language acquisition and teaching English as a second language.

3.3 Develop a multitiered professional develop ment and enrichment program in language education that is available to all staff.

The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to provide professional development to its language education and general program staff in a structured and targeted manner. Professional development should include sessions on multilingual and multicultural teaching and learning, second language acquisition, academic language, international education, and best practices in world language and bilingual education. Leadership development and advanced courses should be made available to instructional leaders and administrators, with some basic courses required of all staff.

Actions

• Conduct ongoing assessment of professional development needs of bilingual, dual language, world language, and ESL teachers and create programs to meet their needs.

• Create teacher networking opportunities and funding to pay teachers for planning and collaboration in school and across schools.

• Create guidelines for selecting and assigning bilingual lead teachers in elementary schools and expand the time and resources available to these lead teachers to effectively carry out their duties as lead teachers.

• Develop a series of rigorous mini-courses for teachers, administrators, and community members on civics, economics, politics, world religions, and government to enrich content knowledge necessary to develop a global citizenry.

• Organize a leadership academy for district administrators, focusing on all language education programs and English language learners, including research, instruction, curriculum, and compliance.

• Partner with universities to offer courses tailored to district language education needs.

3.4 Advocate for district and state policy changes that support mandatory professional development and coursework in bilingual education, English as a second language, language acquisition, and teaching in multicultural and multilingual settings.

Half of all teachers will teach an English learner in their careers, yet fewer than one-sixth of colleges and universities require that mainstream elementary and secondary teachers are prepared to teach English learners.15 Teachers in Chicago Public Schools are likely to have one or more of these students in class. In meetings, the Commission repeatedly heard that implementing high-quality, effective bilingual education programs is hindered by the lack of understanding and knowledge about language acquisition and bilingual education programs. States and school districts across the country have begun implementing policy changes to encourage or require administrators and teachers to become more knowledgeable about language education and better able to serve English learners and world language students. The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to collaborate with the Illinois State Board of Education, schools of education, and others to advocate for a policy agenda that includes the following:

Actions

• Require that all teacher candidates in Illinois complete a course in second language acquisition to receive their standard certificate, similar to the state-required course that all teacher candidates take in special education.

• Require that teacher education students in Illinois spend time in a transitional bilingual education, English as a second language, dual language, or world language classroom for pre-service hours.

• Require continuing professional development units in second language acquisition for recertification of teachers and administrators.

• Require a strand of professional development on second language acquisition and English learners for participants in new teacher and principal programs in Chicago Public Schools.

• Require that all new staff in the district education offices and schools complete an online course on language education.

• Recommend to the Illinois State Board of Education that it collaborate with school districts to provide incentives to all general program teachers and teacher candidates to pursue endorsements in teaching English as a second language.

recommendation4

Create new enrichment, support, and extended learning programs that increase language learning opportunities and support academic achievement for all Chicago Public Schools students, including English learners.


Chicago Public Schools has invested heavily in extended day programs, tutoring, and enrichment activities across the district. The Commission urges the district to expand these activities for language learning, whether that is English, another language, or academic language. In addition, Chicago Public Schools should increase activities targeted to meet the unique needs of English language learners. These may involve tutoring, field trips, and programs tailored to specific types of English learners, such as refugees, students with interrupted schooling, and students with special education needs.

4.1 Develop and implement a plan to strategically expand language education enrichment, support, and extended learning activities in schools.

Actions

• Form a work group with staff from the Office of Language and Cultural Education and targeted schools to develop a plan.

• Provide funding to schools to support extended-day programs for language development in both English and other languages.

• Partner with community-based organizations, government agencies such as After School Matters, language institutes, and universities to provide world language and heritage language instruction in extended-day setting; place teacher candidates in these programs.

• Extend access to school computer labs and make credit-bearing online language courses available to students.

4.2 Expand access to magnet schools, selective enrollment schools, and gifted programs for English language learners.

The language, cultural skills, and knowledge that English language learners possess can be a valuable resource for Chicago Public Schools, yet these students face barriers to many programs because of these same assets. The Commission urges the district to increase participation of English language learners in selective enrollment and magnet programs by targeting recruitment efforts and recognizing the assets that these students bring during the selection process.

Actions

• Increase the number of gifted programs available to English learners in languages other than English.

• Give academic credit to English learners based on their second-language capacity.

• Use innovative, targeted methods to recruit and provide

assistance with application processes to families of English learners.

4.3 Update and expand technology in language education classrooms and schools to support new and existing language education programs.

Technology in world language and bilingual education programs can be a powerful tool for student learning, as well as a cost-effective way to expand the number of programs available to students. The Commission urges Chicago Public Schools to expand the use of technology to include innovations such as distance learning programs, language software programs, and state of the art language labs.

Actions

• Assess existing technology used in world language and bilingual education programs in the district through surveys and interviews with teachers and principals.

• Identify funding for technology upgrades through public and private grants and partnerships.

• Utilize technology for delivery of instruction between local Chicago schools as well as with national and international partners.

4.4 Expand relationships with government, international, and nonprofit organizations connected to international communities in Chicago and abroad, including consulates and faith-based, social service, and cultural organizations.

Chicago Public Schools has many successful partner-ships with local and international organizations that enhance language education programs. The Commission recommends that the district continue these partner-ships and work to expand their involvement into local schools.

Actions

• Continue to expand international student exchange programs to provide students with meaningful language and cultural experiences that enhance their learning.

• Promote elementary and high school student exchanges with Sister Cities partners.

• Link language programs with education-to-career programs so that language learners can have relevant, intensive career experiences.

• Collaborate with community-based organizations that support immigrant communities and promote language and culture.


recommendation5

Adopt rigorous performance management practices to monitor and evaluate language education programming, instruction, workforce development and student learning.

The Commission recognizes that Chicago Public Schools has recently improved the way in which data about English language learners is collected and analyzed, and encourages the district to continue in these efforts. As new language education programs are developed, the district must be prepared to evaluate their effectiveness to make program design and funding decisions for long-term implementation.

5.1 Adopt a rigorous student assessment program to measure language proficiency and guide instructional practice.

While the district has monitored progress of English language learners in academics and English proficiency to ensure compliance with the law, long-term and cohort data on the academic success of these students is limited. Similarly, evaluation of world language programs has been limited mostly to externally funded programs, making it difficult to get a clear picture of the effectiveness of language education programs as a whole.

The Commission strongly recommends that Chicago Public Schools adopt a rigorous student assessment program to measure language proficiencies in both world language and bilingual education. Doing so will enable the district to track prekindergarten through 12th grade language development, foster student self-evaluation, and guide instructional practices in order to make data-driven decisions and ultimately improve program effectiveness.

Actions

• Develop or adopt standardized language assessment tools that can measure proficiency in languages other than English, such as Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic.

• Analyze current research on native language and English proficiency assessment and use findings to develop district assessment policies.

• Partner with a university or evaluation group to develop data systems and conduct long-term cohort analysis of language education students.

5.2 Ensure that all students are assessed academically in the language of their instruction.

Though questions persist about how to accurately assess the academic content knowledge of English language learners, there is consensus among educators and researchers that scores on standardized tests of content knowledge in English are often not valid because these students’ English skills are not fully developed. The Commission recommends that the district examine assessment policies related to the academic progress of English language learners and dual language students and support adjustments to state and district requirements based on current research about how a learner’s language capacity develops over time. These students should not be penalized in the early years for their academic performance in English.

Actions

• Collaborate with Illinois State Board of Education, national and state experts to develop or adopt alternative academic achievement exams for both elementary and secondary school bilingual education and dual language students.

• Adopt or create quarterly formative assessments in native languages for bilingual education and dual language students.

5.3 Develop information systems to collect and analyze data across the district to monitor course offerings, teacher and administrator credentialing, and professional development; link findings to student achievement.

To better understand how teacher and administrator credentials and professional development impact the effectiveness of language education programs, the Commission recommends that Chicago Public Schools invest in data systems that track staff credentials and professional development participation and use the data to make program decisions.

Actions

• Convene a language education data team with staff from Office of Language and Cultural Education, the Instructional Management Program and Academic Communications Tool (IMPACT) office, and other departments to identify the types of data needed, create or redesign systems for collecting it, and make a plan to regularly assess and share the data.

• Partner with university or other external research experts to conduct long-term analysis of staff development and student achievement related to language education.


uccessful implementation and evaluation of the Bilingual Education and World Language Initiative will require new and ongoing commitment, strong planning, and transformational thinking involving the whole Chicago Public Schools community. It will mean developing staff capacity; engaging families and community partners; distributing resources equitably; and creating new language programs that are centralized, sequential, and coherent. It will require revising policies; revamping instructional practice to

reflect current research on rigorous, pre-kindergarten through 12th grade language education; and significantly enhancing evaluation and performance management practices used to gauge program effectiveness.

Chicago Public Schools leadership is committed to the strategic, long-term implementation of the Initiative. Already, key programs have been launched that set the foundation for further implementation, and the district is exploring long-term funding opportunities. As this work evolves, the district will turn to internal and external partners for the expertise, leadership, and resources to accomplish the goals of this ambitious plan. A small group of Commission members, language scholars, and others will be formed to advise in guiding Chicago Public Schools in implementing and evaluating the recommendations of the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission.

conclusion

S


Appendix A : glossAry of ApproAches And progrAms

worldlanguageeducation

Just as there are a variety of models and definitions for bilingual education, there are numerous terms used for distinct world language program models, which are also known as foreign language education.

• Foreign Language in the Elementary School Programs: Typically offered anywhere from three to five days per week for 30 to 40 minutes per class. The proficiency goals and student outcomes for these programs vary according to the time and type of instruction. Outcomes also depend on the language of instruction and orientation of instruction.

1. In content-based foreign language in elementary school, academic content is taught in the target language for at least an hour per day, but for less than half the day. Goals include the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills in the target language; acquisition of content-area subjects through the second language; and appreciation of the cultures of the target language.

2. In traditional foreign language instruction in elementary school, the focus of instruction is the language itself. Goals include the acquisition of listening and speaking skills in the target language and, to a lesser degree, the development of reading and writing skills, and an understanding and appreciation of the cultures associated with the language.

• Elementary Language Immersion Programs: Use the target world language at least 50 percent of the time for subject-area instruction. The language itself is not the primary focus of instruction; rather, students learn the language as they use it to learn academic content. Immersion programs may involve native speakers of the target language or may consist of language-majority speakers only. There are two main types of immersion programs.

1. In total immersion, the target language is used for almost all academic instruction in the early grades while the dominant language is increased as students progress.

2. In partial immersion, the target language is used for academic instruction at least 50 percent of the time.

• Elementary Foreign Language Exploratory or Experience Programs: Differ from other elementary school foreign language programs because they are intended to introduce and expose students to multiple languages. Target language classes are offered anywhere from one to two days per week for 20 to 40 minutes. The proficiency goals and student outcomes are not to attain proficiency or to learn the target language, but rather to be exposed to the language and cultures of that language.

• Secondary Sequential Foreign Language Programs: The most common world language programs offered in high schools. They include study of the cultures associated with the target language and offer a sequence of courses from level one to level four or higher.

• Secondary Partial Immersion or Content-Based Programs: Offer one or more subject-area classes in a second language, are often connected to elementary feeder immersion schools, and focus on content instruction rather than on language instruction alone.

• Secondary Advanced Placement (AP) Classes: For students who already have a high level of linguistic proficiency in the target language. The focus is on using the language for communicative purposes. Students sometimes receive college credit or advanced college placement on the basis of their AP scores.

• Secondary Language for native Speakers Programs: Also called heritage languageprograms. These programs are designed for students from homes in which the target language is spoken and who themselves speak, or at least understand, the target language to some extent.

Appendices And references


Bilingualeducation

A broad definition of bilingual education would include any educational program that uses two languages for instruction. Unlike foreign language education, in which students study the target language and culture as a subject, bilingual education usually entails the study of literacy or content areas (math, science, and social studies) through two languages — English and another language, such as Spanish or Polish. The feasibility for offering bilingual education programs for second language learners depends on several factors, including sufficient numbers of students from the same language group, availability of certified bilingual teachers, and state and local policies.

Bilingual education models vary in type of program design and subscribe to one of two linguistic goals (bilingualism or monolingualism), differences in length of implementation (short or long term), variations in amount of use of each language, and distinctions in programmatic composition.16

Bilingual education models also differ according to whether they are additive or subtractive (see “Language Program Paradigms” box on page 15.)

Below are general descriptions of the types of language programs offered in the United States.17

• transitional Bilingual Education (Subtractive Model): Temporarily supports English learners’ academic development by providing native language instruction as they acquire English through ESL classes, for a period ranging from one to eight years. The principal objective is to facilitate the students’ academic progress through their dominant language, while they acquire proficiency in English to function academically. Transitional bilingual education consists of two program types:

1. Early-Exit: The model most widely implemented in the United States and in Illinois, in which English learners are exited into the general English education program in one to four years after achieving proficiency in English.

2. Late-Exit: Students continue to receive instruction in the native language after having attained proficiency in English. The primary goal in late-exit is to continue to develop literacy and oral language skills in the native language as well as in English for a longer period of time.


• Maintenance Bilingual Education (Additive Model): Sometimes known as developmental or enrichment education. In this model, English learners maintain and develop their native language after they have acquired English, usually through eighth grade or beyond. The primary aim of maintenance bilingual education is to help the students develop bilingual and biliterate proficiencies and achieve at grade level academically.

• Heritage Language Education (Additive Model): Programs are designed for students who come from homes where a language other than English is used, including people of indigenous ancestry, children from United States territories, new immigrants and refugees, and children and grandchildren of immigrants. The aim of these programs is either to maintain the language and culture of the home or to revitalize the native language and culture, that is no longer used fluently by the younger generation of speakers.

• Dual Language Education (Additive Model): Also known as two-way bilingual immersion, dual language education is the only bilingual education program that integrates English native speakers with speakers of another language in the common pursuit of each group’s continuing to develop their native language and culture while acquiring a second language and culture. The major goals are to develop full biliteracy and bilingualism, high academic achievement, and multicultural competencies. Dual language education in the United States was adapted from the Canadian educational program that began in 1965 in Montreal, where English-speaking children initially received all curriculum instruction in French and gradually added English.

englishasasecondlanguage(esl)

Also known as ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages), ESL provides specialized instruction in English to students who are not yet proficient in English. These programs are usually offered in schools with students from multiple language backgrounds or where there are no bilingual programs or personnel. In Illinois, these programs are known as Transitional Programs of Instruction. The two most common forms of ESL are traditional and content-based approaches, delivered either as pull-out (English language learners are pulled out of their classroom for a few periods a week in small groups) or push-in (the ESL teacher provides instruction within the classroom). All ESL programs are considered to be subtractive.

• traditional ESL: Emphasizes grammar and focuses on the linguistic systems of the language. English is taught as a separate subject.

• Content-based ESL: Develops the second language as it is being acquired and uses it for meaningful purposes in the context of learning the academic curriculum. English is taught as students are engaged in learning science, math, social studies, and other curricular subjects. This form of ESL instruction subscribes to effective language acquisition teaching practices, such as English Language Development, Sheltered Instruction Observation Protocol, and Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach.

• Structured English Immersion: Designed for English learners who receive English as a second language instruction with limited or no first language support in a self-contained classroom setting.

• newcomer Programs: Provide academic, linguistic, and social support to students who are recent immigrants, typically in middle or high school settings, and are designed to specifically support English learners who have inter-rupted schooling or no schooling. Newcomer centers were created to address the special needs of English learners who are unable to participate in bilingual or ESL programs due to great gaps in their academic competence.

Appendix B: BilinguAl educAtion And World lAnguAge commission process And Activities

communitymeetings

The 20-member Bilingual Education and World Language Commission was composed of language education scholars from local universities, city and state government representatives, and Chicago Public Schools teachers, principals, area instructional officers, and parents. The Commission met six times from September 2007 to May 2008. Individual interviews, community meetings, school visits, and a language education symposium with scholars from the United States and Canada were conducted to analyze the present state of the district’s language education and to develop recommendations for improvement.


In fall 2007, the Commission conducted four community meetings in different parts of the city. Parents, educators, and representatives from various community-based organizations and advocacy groups presented their comments. Groups included:• Albany Park Neighborhood Council • Alliance for Early Childhood Education • Illinois Association for Multilingual Multicultural Education • Latino Education Alliance• Logan Square Neighbors Association• Multilingual Chicago• Network of Hispanic Administrators in Education

languageeducationsymposium

In January 2008, a symposium brought together experts in the fields of bilingual education and world language from across the country with Chicago Public Schools leaders and more than 100 advocates, teachers, administrators, and faculty from the district, local universities, civic organizations, and community groups. Experts presented research supporting the link between language acquisition and academic achievement, as well as research regarding innovative ways to expand opportunities for students to speak, read, and write in English and another language. Expert presenters included: • Fred Genesee, Ph.D., McGill University• Kathryn Lindholm-Leary, Ph.D., San Jose State University• Myriam “Mimi” Met, Ed.D., University of Maryland• Rita Oleksak, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages• Kim Potowski, Ph.D., University of Illinois at Chicago• Irma Rohatgi, Ed.D., Houston Independent School District• Carola Suarez-Orozco, Ph.D., New York University

schoolsitevisits

Commission members visited model programs in Chicago Public Schools and the Houston Independent School District. During school visits, Commission members had the opportunity to speak to principals and bilingual lead teachers, and to observe Bilingual Education, ESL, Dual Language, and World Language classes. Chicago schools included McKinley Park Elementary School, Jackson Language Academy, Juarez High School, Senn High School, and Inter-American Magnet School.

In Houston, administrators shared information about the city’s 10-year transformation of its bilingual education programs. As a result of curricular and structural changes made to the programs, Houston saw academic gains, the strongest among students in the dual language programs.

developingFindingsandrecommendations

At the close of the fact-finding phase, three working groups were convened to analyze the Commission’s findings and determine recommendations in key areas. These groups included:• Transitional bilingual education (English Language Learning) Working Group• World Language and International Education Working Group• Dual Language (Bilingual) Working Group

Each working group met individually to analyze the findings within its own key area and draft recommendations. From June 2008 through October 2008, the BEWL Commission reviewed the draft recommendations from each working group with Chicago Public Schools staff, academic experts, educators, and community members. The resulting recommendations from all three working groups form the basis of this report.


Appendix c: guiding principles of BilinguAl educAtion And World lAnguAge commission Language education is fundamental to holistic youth development and learning in the 21st century: Language education can be a powerful tool for increasing academic success among students. This includes developing English proficiency among English language learners, strengthening English skills among native English speakers, and developing proficiency in one or more languages among all students.

• Chicago Public Schools is responsible for developing educated, well-rounded, multilingual global citizens: All Chicago Public Schools are key settings for academic, linguistic, sociocultural, and civic development of young Chicagoans.

• Community participation and support for multilingualism are essential for fostering and strengthening the district’s language and global education efforts: Chicago Public Schools seeks to foster holistic youth development in partnership with families, communities, civic organizations, corporations, universities, and government stakeholders. These stakeholders add value to the educational process through sharing diverse sociocultural and linguistic resources. The district understands, values, and respects stakeholder diversity and actively fosters collaborative relationships with stakeholders, to support the development of all students.

• All students have the ability and potential to become multilingual: Learning multiple languages enhances cognitive abilities, academic achievement, and cross-cultural understanding. This is important for Chicago today and in the future. Bilingualism, biliteracy, and multilingualism should be nurtured among all Chicago Public Schools students, beginning in the early grades, in a context that promotes global citizenry as well as cultural knowledge, understanding, and appreciation.

• Ensuring the academic success of English language learners is vital to Chicago’s future: English language earners contribute multiple linguistic and cultural resources and skills, including their rich immigrant experiences to their schools and communities. They require specialized instructional approaches and additional resources. High-quality native language instruction and the development of English at a pace that ensures students’ individual, long-term academic success are key strategies in supporting their educational achievement.

• Chicago Public Schools students require multiple options for language education programs in their communities: There are a number of language education programs. These include additive language program models such as dual language, world language, heritage language, and maintenance/enrichment bilingual education. ESL support programs include newcomer programs and structured ESL programs.

• the recommendations of the Bilingual Education and World Language Commission are aligned with Chicago Public Schools goals and priorities: In order for language education programs to be successful, distribution of resources must be equitable and planning must be aligned with other district initiatives and measures of school, staff, and student success.

referencesAmerican Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO (2006). Where we stand: English language learners. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://archive.aft.org/pubs-reports/downloads/teachers/ellwws.pdf

Baker, C. (2006). Foundations of bilingual education and bilingualism (4th ed.). Bristol, PA: Multilingual Matters, Ltd.

Bialystok, E. (2001). Bilingualism in development: Language, literacy, and cognition. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.

Bialystok, E., Craik, F.I.M. & Ryan, J. (2006). Executive control in a modified antisaccade task: Effects of aging and bilingualism. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition, 32, 6, 1341–1354.


Campos, S.J. (1995). The Carpenteria preschool program: A long-term effects study. In E.E. Garcia & B. McLaughlin (eds.) Meeting the challenge of linguistic and cultural diversity in early childhood education (pp.34–48). New York: Teachers College Press.

Canale, M. and Swain, M. (1980). Theoretical bases of communicative approaches to second language teaching and testing. Applied Linguistics 1, 1–47.

Capps, R., Fix, M., Murray, J., Ost, J., Passel, J. & Herwantoro Hernandez, S. (2005). The new demography of America’s schools: Immi gration and the No Child Left Behind Act. Washington, DC: The Urban Institute.

Center for Public Education (2007). What research says about preparing English language learners for academic success. Retrieved July 22, 2008 from http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org

Chorney, H. (2004). The economic benefits of linguistic duality and bilingualism: A political economy approach. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from http://www.canadianheritage.gc.ca/offlangoff/perspectives/english/econo/part5b.htm

Coady, M., Hamann, E.T., Harrington, M., Pacheco, M., Pho, S. & Yedlin, J. (2003) Claiming opportunities: A handbook for improving education for English language learners through comprehensive school reform. The Education Alliance, Brown University.

Collier, V.P. (1995). Acquiring a second language for school. Directions in Language and Education. 1(4) 1–12

Collier, V. & Thomas, W.P. (2002). Reforming education policies for English learners means better schools for all. The State Education Standard, 3(1), 30–36.

Cook, V.J. (1995). Multi-competence and effects of age. In D. Singleton & Z. Lengyel (eds.) The age factor in second language acquisition (51–66). Claredon: Multilingual Matters.

Cummins, J. (2001). Negotiating identities: Education for empowerment in a diverse society. 2nd edition. Los Angeles: California Association for Bilingual Education.

Cummins, J. (2003). Biliteracy, Empowerment and transformative pedagogy. Retrieved May 28, 2008 from http://www.iteachilearn.com/cummins/biliteratempowerment.html

Dicker, S.J. (2000). Official English and bilingual education: The controversy over language pluralism in U.S. society. In J.K. Hall & W.G. Eggington (eds.) The sociopolitics of English language teaching (pp. 45–66). Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.

Espinoza, L. (2008). Challenging common myths about young English language learners. Policy Brief 8, Advancing PK-3. Foundation for Child Development. Retrieved July 21, 2008 from http://www.fcd-us.org/usr_doc/MythsOfTeachingELLsEspinosa.pdf

Fry, R. (2008). The role of schools in the English language learner achievement gap. Pew Hispanic Center. Retrieved July 20, 2008 from http://pewhispanic.org/files/reports/89.pdf

García, G.N. (2000). What is the length of time it takes limited English proficient students to acquire English and succeed in an all-English classroom? Research Brief. National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. 5, 1–15

García-Vázquez, E., Vázquez, L.A., López, I. C. & Ward, W. (1997). Language proficiency and academic success: Relationships between proficiency in two languages and achievement among Mexican American students. Bilingual Research Journal, 21(4), 395–408.

Genesse, F., Lindholm-Leary, K., Saunders. W.M. & Christian, D. (2006). Educating English language learners: A synthesis of research evidence. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Genesee, F., Paradis, J. & Crago, M.B. (2004). Dual language development and disorders: A handbook on bilingualism and second language learning. Baltimore: Brookes Publishing.

Gottlieb, M. (1999). The language proficiency handbook: A practitioner’s guide to instructional assessment. Retrieved August 2, 2008 from http://www.isbe.state.il.us/assessment/pdfs/lang_pro.pdf

Hadley, A.O. (2001). Teaching language in context. 3rd Edition. Boston: Heinle and Heinle.


Hakuta, K., Butler. Y.G. & Witt, D. (2000). How long does it take English language learners to attain proficiency? Policy Report 2000-1, Santa Barbara: The University of California Linguistic Minority Research Institute. Retrieved July 25, 2008 from http://www.caselink.education.ucsb.edu/casetrainer/CLADContent/CladLanguage/node7/theory/HowLong.pdf

Hodgkinson, H. (2000). Secondary schools in a new millennium: Demographic certainties, social realities. National Association of Secondary School Principals.

Kominski, R., Jamieson, A. & Martinez, G. (2001). At-risk conditions of U.S. school-age children. Population Division, U.S. Bureau of the Census, Working Paper Series No. 52. Retrieved January 22, 2008 from http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0052.html

Krashen, S. & McField, G. (2005). What works? Reviewing the latest evidence on bilingual education. Language Learner, 1(2), 7–10, 34.

Kuhl, P.K. (2004). Early language acquisition: Cracking the speech code. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 5(11), 831–843.

Koval, J.P. & Fidel, K. (2006). Chicago: the immigrant capital of the heartland. In J.P. Koval, L. Bennett, M. Bennett, F. Demissie, R. Garner, & K. Kim (eds) The new Chicago. A social and cultural analysis (pp. 97–104). Philadelphia: Temple University Press.

LAB at Brown University (2002). The diversity kit: An introductory resource for social change in education. Retrieved July 30, 2008 from http://www.alliance.brown.edu/tdl/diversitykitpdfs/diversitykit.pdf

Lindholm-Leary, K.J. (2001). Dual language education. 1st Edition. Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters Ltd.

McCardle, P., Mele-McCarthy, J. & Leos, K. (2005). English language learners and learning disabilities: Research agenda and implications for practice. Learning Disabilities Research & Practice, 20(1), 68–78

Mahon, E.A. (2006). High-stakes testing and English language learners: Questions of validity. Bilingual Research Journal, 30, 2, 479–497.

Malone, M.E, Rifkin, B., Christian, D. & Johnson D.E. (2005). Attaining high levels of proficiency: Challenges for foreign language education in the United States. Online Resource Digest. Center for Applied Linguistics.

Menken, K., Antunez, B. and Dilworth, M. E., Yasin, S. and ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education. An overview of the preparation and certification of teachers working with Limited English Proficient (LEP) students [microform] / Kate Menken, Beth Antunez; contributing authors, Mary E. Dilworth, Said Yasin; prepared for U.S. Department of Education, Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages Affairs; in cooperation with the ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education, National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education, Center for the Study of Language & Education, Institute for Education Policy Studies, Graduate School of Education and Human Development, the George Washington University: U.S. Dept. of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Educational Resources Information Center, Washington, DC: 2001

Meskill, C. (2005). Infusing English language learners issues throughout professional educator curricula. The Training All Teachers Project. Teachers College Record. 107, 4, 739–756.

Moore, R.A. & Zainuddin, H. (2003). ESL learners, writing and the acquisition of academic language. ERIC No. ED475746.

National Association of State Boards of Education Study Group on Language and Learning (2007). E pluribus unum. English, language education, and America’s future. Alexandria, VA.

National Center for Education Statistics (2006). Characteristics of schools, districts, teachers, principals, and school libraries in the United States: 2003-04 Schools and Staffing Survey. Retrieved July 16, 2008 from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2006313

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition and Language Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA) (2007). Research Review: What Research Says About Preparing English Language Learners for Academic Success Edvantia.


National Council of La Raza (2005). Educating English language learners: Implementing instructional practices. The Education Alliance at Brown University.

National Security Language Initiative (2008). Enhancing Foreign Language Proficiency In the United States: Preliminary Results of The National Security Language Initiative. Retrieved July 20, 2008 from http://www.ed.gov/about/inits/ed/competitiveness/nsli/index.html

New Americans Policy Council. Retrieved July 29, 2008 from http://icirr.org/

Passport to the Future: Ohio’s Plan for World Languages (2007). Foreign Language Advisory Council’s Report. Retrieved July 19, 2008 from www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?Page=3&TopicRelationID=1701&Content=79925

Rolstad, K., Mahoney, K. & Glass, G.V. (2005). The big picture: A meta-analysis of program effectiveness research on English language learners. Educational Policy, 19(4), 572-594.

Short, D.J. & Fitzsimmons, S. (2007). Double the work: Challenges and solutions to acquiring language and academic literacy for adolescent English language learners – A report to Carnegie Corporation of New York. Washington, DC: Alliance for Excellent Education. Retrieved July 27, 2008 from http://www.all4ed.org/files/archive/publications/DoubleWork/DoubleWork.pdf

Slavin, R.E., & Cheung, A. (2003). Effective reading programs for English language learners: A best-evidence synthesis. (Report No. 66.) Baltimore: Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed at Risk.

Snow, C. (2006). Cross-cutting themes and future research directions. In D. August & T. Shanahan (eds.) Developing literacy in second-language learners: Report of the National Literacy Panel on language-minority children and youth. Mahwah, New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Thomas, W.P. & Collier, V.P. (2002). A national study of school effectiveness for language minority students’ long-term academic achievement. Santa Cruz, CA: Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence.

endnotes1 Caldas & Boudreaux, 1999; Thomas, Collier, & Abbott, 1993.2 Chorney, 2004.3 Genesee, Paradis & Crago, 2004.4 Campos, 19955 Chorney, 2004.6 Malone, Rifkin, Christian, & Johnson, 2005.7 Standards for Foreign Language Learning, 1999.8 Thomas & Collier, 20029 Ada, 1995; Bartolomé, 1994.10 Genesee et al, 2006.11 E Pluribus Unum, 2007.12 Soltero, 2008.13 Darling-Hammond et al, 1995.14 Meskill, 2005.15 Menken & Antuñez, 2001.16 Crawford, 2004.17 Soltero, 2004.

chicagoBoardoFeducation

The Chicago Board of Education, founded in 1840, is responsible for the governance, organizational and financial oversight of Chicago Public Schools, the third largest school district in the United States. It establishes policies, standards, goals, and initiatives to ensure accountability and provide a high quality, world-class education for the 21st century that prepares our students for success in college, work, and life. The members of the Board are appointed by Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. They are a diverse group of accomplished experts in their professions as well as prominent leaders in social, civic, and cultural affairs.

presidentmary richardson-lowry

vice presidentclare muñana

membersnorman r. Bobinstariq Butt, mdAlberto A. carrero, Jr.peggy A. davisroxanne Ward

Bilingualeducationandworldlanguagecommission

co-chairs clare muñana, Vice President, Chicago Board of EducationAlberto A. carrero, Jr., Member, Chicago Board of Education

membersAlejandra Alvarez, ed.d., former Principal, Theodore Roosevelt High Schoolrobert A. davis, Jr., former Manager, World Language and International Studies; Director, Confucius Institute in Chicago, Chicago Public Schoolsrebeca de los reyes, former Area 11 Instructional Officer, Chicago Public Schools (retired)frances garcia, Principal, Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language (formerly McKinley Park School) david g. gilligan, former Chief Officer, Office of High School Programs, Chicago Public Schools debra griffith, Teacher, Ruben Salazar Bilingual Education CenterJose luis gutierrez, Associate Director, National Alliance of Latin American and Caribbean Communities fadwa hasan, Education Consultant, Advisory Council on Arab Affairs, Chicago Public Schoolsnatividad hernandez, Parent, former President of the Chicago Multi-lingual Parent Council; Director of the Frida Kahlo Community Organizationtawakalitu Jogunosimi, Assistant to the Mayor for Education, Office of the Mayornorma A. lopez-reyna, ph.d., Associate Professor of Bilingual Special Education, University of Illinois at Chicagonorma lopez-schiller, World Language Consultant, Chicago Public Schoolssoo lon moy, former Bilingual Lead Teacher, Robert Healy Elementary Schoollilliam narvaez, Bilingual Instruction Coach, Area 2 Instruction Office, Chicago Public Schoolssonia W. soltero, ph.d., Associate Professor & Director Bilingual-Bicultural Education Program, School of Education, De Paul University shmeran i. youkhana, Bilingual Lead Teacher, Lyman A. Budlong Elementary School

ex officio membersBarbara J. eason-Watkins, ed.d., former Chief Education Officer, Chicago Public Schoolsxavier Botana, former Chief Officer, Instructional Design and Assessment, Chicago Public Schoolsminerva garcia-sanchez, former deputy, Office of Language and Cultural Education; Principal, Irene C. Hernandez Middle School gudelia lopez, ph.d., Senior Program Officer, Education, The Chicago Community Trustpeggy mueller, ph.d., Senior Program Officer, Education, The Chicago Community Trustsusan l. ryerson-espino, ph.d., former Evaluation and Research Specialist, Department of Program Evaluation, Office of Research, Evaluation and Accountability,

Chicago Public SchoolsAntonia Whalen, former Deputy to the Chief Education Officerdiane h. Zendejas, Chief Officer, Office of Language and Cultural Education

creditscontributing Writers: ellen hunt, olivia mulcahy, Beatriz ponce de león, sonia solterophotography: mireya Acierto, sara lukedesign: tuan do graphic design

language education_preparing chicago public school students for

Documents