[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

[...]Bilingual Education in Policy and Practice: Teaching Under Proposition 227 » Edurati Review[...]…

Article 3. Parental Exceptions

310. The requirements of Section 305 may be waived with the prior written informed consent, to be provided annually, of the child’s parents or legal guardian under the circumstances specified below and in Section 311. Such informed consent shall require that said parents or legal guardian personally visit the school to apply for the waiver and that they there be provided a full description of the educational materials to be used in the different educational program choices and all the educational opportunities available to the child. Under such parental waiver conditions, children may be transferred to classes where they are taught English and other subjects through bilingual education techniques or other generally recognized educational methodologies permitted by law. Individual schools in which 20 pupils or more of a given grade level receive a waiver shall be required to offer such a class; otherwise, they must allow the pupils to transfer to a public school in which such a class is offered.

311. The circumstances in which a parental exception waiver may be granted under Section 310 are as follows:

(a) Children who already know English: the child already possesses good English language skills, as measured by standardized tests of English vocabulary comprehension, reading, and writing, in which the child scores at or above the state average for his or her grade level or at or above the 5th grade average, whichever is lower; or

(b) Older children: the child is age 10 years or older, and it is the informed belief of the school principal and educational staff that an alternate course of educational study would be better suited to the child’s rapid acquisition of basic English language skills; or

(c) Children with special needs: the child already has been placed for a period of not less than thirty days during that school year in an English language classroom and it is subsequently the informed belief of the school principal and educational staff that the child has such special physical, emotional, psychological, or educational needs that an alternate course of educational study would be better suited to the child’s overall educational development. A written description of these special needs must be provided and any such decision is to be made subject to the examination and approval of the local school superintendent, under guidelines established by and subject to the review of the local Board of Education and ultimately the State Board of Education. The existence of such special needs shall not compel issuance of a waiver, and the parents shall be fully informed of their right to refuse to agree to a waiver.

Dear Joshua:

Speaking in Tongues — a new PBS documentaryby filmmakers Marcia Jarmel (Born in the USA; Return of Sarah’s Daughters) and Ken Schneider (Regret to Inform; Ralph Ellison: An American Journey; Freedom Machines) — takes a look at how every child can benefit from being bilingual — not just the Hispanic child who needs to learn English — but also the American kid who needs to learn Chinese in order to more fully participate in the new world economy.

At a time when 31 states have passed “English Only” initiatives, one urban school district is exploring the provocative notion that speaking a foreign language can actually be a national asset. Speaking in Tongues follows four diverse students and their families as they encounter the challenges and delights of becoming fluent in two languages. As we witness their journey, we see how speaking more than one language changes them, their families, their communities, and maybe even the world.

Together, they represent a nexus of challenges facing America today: economic and academic inequities, de facto segregation, record numbers of new immigrants, and the need to communicate across cultures. Using a verité story-telling approach, Speaking in Tongues follows our characters as they enter the portal of language and open their minds to new ways of thinking and being in the world.

In a time of globalization and changing demographics, bilingualism offers them more than an opportunity to join the global job market. Language becomes a metaphor for breaking down barriers between ourselves and our neighbors—be they around the corner or across the world.

You can screen the entire film here on our press URL — http://206.111.142.8/DownLoads/SPEAKINGINTO_Screener_MonthlyEmail.mov
And there is more information about the film and the filmmakers at the website below.
Please advise if you would prefer to have a DVD sent to you.

Speaking in Tongues is the first program ever to be streamed in THREE languages by PBS — English, Spanish & Chinese

We invite you to review the film and share your thoughts and opinions with your readers.

Many thanks for your consideration –
Kristin Fellows

on behalf of “Speaking in Tongues”
http://www.kristinfellows.com
kristin@kristinfellows.com
828.335.6525

http://speakingintonguesfilm.info/