In Chapter 4 of the work the authors suggest that teachers act as catalysts, engaging students and enabling them to achieve the best use for their multiple language skills. Ovando also describes how students actively create their own cultural identity (92). They are not simply passive learners. They do this by comparing information they are receiving in the classroom with their own experiences and forming their opinions and self-image

According to Malfaro, just a single year of English is not essentially sufficient to effectively make the initiative to reading and writing. (Tozzi, 1998) Supporters give an instance of a study undertaken in the year 1991 approved by the National Academy of Sciences mentioning that the children who have are able to speak a foreign language are able to comprehend English more quickly and perform better educational development on the

(Echevarria, Short & Powers, 2006) References Arriaza, G. (1997). Grace under Pressure: Immigrant Families and the Nation-State. Social Justice, 24(2), 6+. Borko, H. (2004). Professional development and teacher learning: Mapping the terrain. Educational Researcher, 33, 3-15. California Department of Education, Educational Demographics Unit. (2004). Statewide Stanford 9 test results for reading: Number of students tested and percent scoring at or above the 50th percentile ranking (NPR). Retrieved January 5, 2007, at http://www.cde.ca.gov/dataquest/ Echevarria, J.,

Flexible grouping practices were important to the success of the program: students had access to Spanish-only, English-only, or bilingual instruction throughout the school day depending on their individual linguistic and academic needs" (de Jong, 2006:3). This ensured grade-level content learning in most academic subjects, but still allowed for ESL instruction, and social studies content that reinforced their home cultures. Also, bilingual teachers were paired with grade-level standard curriculum teachers to

We know this situation is particularly critical for special education, ESL, and bilingual teachers. Although these teachers require an even deeper understanding of reading, language, curricula, and instructional practices than do mainstream teachers, in fact they have even fewer opportunities in their preparation programs to acquire this expertise." (RAND, nd) The report states that as well that grade retention does not result achievement in reading on a long-term basis

But in any case, a shortage of qualified bilingual teachers usually makes it impossible. For example, public schools in California enrolled recently arrived immigrants from 136 different countries in 1994, but bilingual teachers were certified in only 17 languages - 96% of them in Spanish. To the extent that LEP [ESL] children received help in other tongues, they received it almost entirely from teacher aides" (Crawford, 1997, "Babel' in