Nancy L. Commins – författare

Linguistic Diversity and Teaching raises questions and provides a context for reflection regarding the complex issues surrounding new English learners in the schools. These issues exist within a highly charged political climate and involve not only language, but also culture, class, ethnicity, and the persistent inequities that characterize our educational system. The text addresses these issues through conversations among experts, practitioners, and readers that are informed by representative case studies and by a range of theoretical approaches. It is designed to engage readers in beginning to evolve their own practical theories, to help them explore and perhaps modify some basic beliefs and assumptions, and to become acquainted with other points of view. Throughout, readers are encouraged to interact with the text and to develop their own perspective on the issue of linguistic diversity and teaching. This is the fourth volume in Reflective Teaching and the Social Conditions of Schooling: A Series for Prospective and Practicing Teachers, edited by Daniel P. Liston and Kenneth M. Zeichner. It follows the same format as previous volumes in the series.*Part I includes four cases dealing with different aspects of the impacts of the changing demographics of public schools. Each case is followed by space for readers to write their own reactions and reflections, and a set of reactions to the cases written by prospective and practicing teachers, administrators, and professors. *Part II presents three public arguments representing very different views about linguistic diversity: in public schools, English should be the only language of instruction; all children should receive instruction in both their first language and English; planning for instruction should be based not on absolutes, but on what is realistically possible in particular settings.*Part III offers the authors' own interpretations of the issues raised throughout the text, outlines a number of ways in which teachers can continue to explore these topics, and includes exercises for further reflection. A glossary and annotated bibliography are provided.This text is pertinent for all prospective and practicing teachers at any stage of their training. It can be used in any undergraduate or graduate course that addresses issues of language diversity and teaching.

This bestselling book addresses a major instructional and policy concern in public education—how personnel and resources can best be utilised to develop strong instructional programs for a culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) student population. This meticulously updated second edition incorporates the experience that the authors have gained since the publication of the first edition in 1997. The changes not only reflect the current state of affairs in education, but also what has been learned from the many schools that have used the framework successfully.Useful to prospective and current teachers and essential for educational administrators and policymakers, this new edition includes:Interactive activities in every chapter based on the authors’ professional development work in schools.New templates, tools, and exercises.A new chapter on standards-based differentiated instruction and assessment, and new case studies.Attention to populations that have increased in U.S. schools, such as immigrant refugees from around the globe.New features to support teacher study groups, such as guided discussion questions.

This book brings together research from six different countries across three continents where teacher educators and policy makers are addressing the under-preparation of content teachers to work effectively with multilingual learners. By highlighting this relatively young field of research at an international level, the book advances the research-based knowledge of the field and promotes international research relationships and partnerships to better support the education of multilingual learners and their teachers.The chapters represent high-quality empirical qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies about pre-service and in-service teachers. Comprising four sections, each represents a critical aspect of the equitable teaching of multilingual learners. All the research was conducted in countries that belong to OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) enabling the reader to compare contexts and outcomes.This book will be of particular interest to academics, researchers, and post-graduate students in the fields of language education, teacher education, and education for multilingual learners. It will be of great value to anyone concerned with equity and social justice for multilingual learners whose languages, cultural practices, and resources are often overlooked and/or marginalized in the schools they attend.

Help ensure your multilingual students have access to equitable, humanizing teaching and learning in all the content areas. This comprehensive resource bridges theory into practice with applicable, easy-to-understand instructional methods for K-12 teachers who may not have a background in TESOL, ESL, or bilingual education. Each chapter uses a three-part learning cycle to help you translate theory into practice: Explore, Make It Work, and Share. In Explore, the authors provide research, ideas, and resources to support your work with multilingual students. In Make It Work, you are given options to take the ideas from Explore and apply them to your practice. And in Share, you’re encouraged to think about the ways to share your knowledge in informal or formal professional learning spaces. As you work through the learning cycle for each module, you’ll gain important takeaways on topics such as the larger social context, a positive orientation to your students, humanizing assessments, grouping students, uncovering and addressing language demand, developing conceptual understandings, developing literacy, and fostering authentic talk. The book’s hands-on approach to pedagogy will leave you feeling ready and empowered to reach each of your multilingual students more effectively as you strive for equity and justice in the classroom and beyond.

Linguistic Diversity and Teaching raises questions and provides a context for reflection regarding the complex issues surrounding new English learners in the schools. These issues exist within a highly charged political climate and involve not only language, but also culture, class, ethnicity, and the persistent inequities that characterize our educational system. The text addresses these issues through conversations among experts, practitioners, and readers that are informed by representative case studies and by a range of theoretical approaches. It is designed to engage readers in beginning to evolve their own practical theories, to help them explore and perhaps modify some basic beliefs and assumptions, and to become acquainted with other points of view. Throughout, readers are encouraged to interact with the text and to develop their own perspective on the issue of linguistic diversity and teaching. This is the fourth volume in Reflective Teaching and the Social Conditions of Schooling: A Series for Prospective and Practicing Teachers, edited by Daniel P. Liston and Kenneth M. Zeichner. It follows the same format as previous volumes in the series.Part I includes four cases dealing with different aspects of the impacts of the changing demographics of public schools. Each case is followed by space for readers to write their own reactions and reflections, and a set of reactions to the cases written by prospective and practicing teachers, administrators, and professors. Part II presents three public arguments representing very different views about linguistic diversity: in public schools, English should be the only language of instruction; all children should receive instruction in both their first language and English; planning for instruction should be based not on absolutes, but on what is realistically possible in particular settings.Part III offers the authors' own interpretations of the issues raised throughout the text, outlin