U.S. Language-in-Education Policy: Issues in Schooling of Language Minorities

Abstract

A large literature exists on educational technology (instructional methods, materials, and facilities) and language minorities. Language policies--which guide the objectives and use of this technology--are explicit in some areas, like bilinguage policy. There are educational juris-dictions with responsibilities over teaching and learning. Foreign language policies are advocated more than officially recognized, yet the issue is very visible. The role of billingual education in generating language issues for discussion, debate, and policy making can be seen in its impact on other language related areas, such as foreign language instruction, desegregation policies, civil right, promotion of new innovative educational technologies (e.g., language proficiency assessment), TESOL, special education, inter-governmental relations (with Indian peoples, Puerto Rico, and the territories), and, indirectly, as it relates to instruction of Black vernacular English speakers, and instruction of the deaf. It is the (re-)opening of these language issues as they affect a cross section of the U.S. citizenry that is little recognized and, yet, profoundly important. Language permeates social relations, and so is the object of informal, if not formal, policies and norms most notably where there are groups in language contact, but also when language variation is a basis for social differentiation. That many of the works identified here do not deal with these relationships and differentions as they reflect the distribution of power on our society only idicates the youth of a slowly maturing educational language policy, planning, and politics literature.