BE023772: Descriptive Analysis of Four Exemplary K 3 Spanish Reading Programs in Texas: Are They Really Exemplary?

Notes:

26 p. In: "A Research Symposium on High Standards in Reading for Students from Diverse Language Groups. Proceedings." (Washington, DC. April 19-20, 2000). For other papers from the symposium, see BE023752, BE023768-771, and BE023774.

Abstract:

This study attempted to identify and explain possible reasons for the academic successes of English language learners in four schools in Texas, focusing on the efforts at these schools to teach English language learners (ELLs) to read Spanish in the early grades (K 3). The schools selected represent three schools on the United States Mexican border and one urban school not on the border. All schools had an average 90% pass rate on the Spanish Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) at third grade. The research was qualitative, relying on site visits, a semi direct interview protocol, classroom observations, and document analysis. While each school was found to have its own characteristics, the schools shared these features: (1) explicit support for Spanish literacy and biliteracy; (2) high expectations; (3) skills driven reading instruction beginning in kindergarten; (4) shared understanding of the Spanish reading program; (5) alignment between Spanish and English reading programs; and (6) explicit targeting of the TAAS test. The article discusses the state mandated Spanish reading program in the context of the Spanish TAAS and considers research and policy implications. (Contains 47 references.) (SLD)