Historical and Cultural Background of Limited English Proficient Students

Catalog description

This course examines the acculturation of language minority students in American schools. Topics include: socialization and discourse practices that contribute to the variety of cognitive styles of ethnolinguistic and bilingual students; the psychological and social factors that facilitate development of or inhibit their self-image, as well as the ability to function within a culturally diverse society; the relationships between bilingualism and intelligence, socioeconomic factors and psycholinguistic processes that affect ways in which children develop literacy skills; psychological and pedagogical consequences of schooling, including bilingual programs, immersion, and submersion strategies; the concepts of “space” and “time” as being culturally imbedded and their relevance to the bilingual educational setting; and the role of assessment in bilingual schooling.