Hispanics and the Future of America


Book Description

Hispanics and the Future of America presents details of the complex story of a population that varies in many dimensions, including national origin, immigration status, and generation. The papers in this volume draw on a wide variety of data sources to describe the contours of this population, from the perspectives of history, demography, geography, education, family, employment, economic well-being, health, and political engagement. They provide a rich source of information for researchers, policy makers, and others who want to better understand the fast-growing and diverse population that we call "Hispanic." The current period is a critical one for getting a better understanding of how Hispanics are being shaped by the U.S. experience. This will, in turn, affect the United States and the contours of the Hispanic future remain uncertain. The uncertainties include such issues as whether Hispanics, especially immigrants, improve their educational attainment and fluency in English and thereby improve their economic position; whether growing numbers of foreign-born Hispanics become citizens and achieve empowerment at the ballot box and through elected office; whether impending health problems are successfully averted; and whether Hispanics' geographic dispersal accelerates their spatial and social integration. The papers in this volume provide invaluable information to explore these issues.




An American Language


Book Description

"This is the most comprehensive book I’ve ever read about the use of Spanish in the U.S. Incredible research. Read it to understand our country. Spanish is, indeed, an American language."—Jorge Ramos An American Language is a tour de force that revolutionizes our understanding of U.S. history. It reveals the origins of Spanish as a language binding residents of the Southwest to the politics and culture of an expanding nation in the 1840s. As the West increasingly integrated into the United States over the following century, struggles over power, identity, and citizenship transformed the place of the Spanish language in the nation. An American Language is a history that reimagines what it means to be an American—with profound implications for our own time.




Working Spanish For Teachers And Education Professionals


Book Description

Practical, On-the-job Help for Educators Who Work with Spanish-Speaking Students and Parents This compact, phrase-packed resource provides all the vocabulary that teachers, administrators, and staff need to communicate effectively with Spanish-speaking students and their parents. It's written expressly for teachers and staff, so users will find all of the phrases and vocabularythey need to tackle everything from student admissions to college counseling. Complete with pronunciations for all listings, this hands-on guide efficiently bridges the communication gap between educators and Spanish-speaking students.




Discovering and Developing Talents in Spanish-Speaking Students


Book Description

As the population of Hispanic students grows, itÆs more important than ever to persevere beyond the language barrier and nature these studentsÆ gifts and talents. This book provides teachers and leaders with the skills needed to uncover each childÆs abilities and ultimately boost achievement for Spanish-speaking students. Packed with strategies, suggestions, and materials teachers can immediately use to enhance instruction and assessment, this book shows how to




Promoting Language Through Physical Education


Book Description

Our society has never been more diverse, and teachers need to be culturally responsive educators in order to be most competent. But being culturally responsive is no simple task. Promoting Language Through Physical Education makes that task easier. This text offers strategies that physical education teachers can use to integrate non-English speakers and Deaf children in their classes. Sign language and Spanish are used as examples of how teachers can integrate students of any language background into classes. The use of sign language and Spanish phrases not only enhances communication among students and between students and teachers but promotes learning, open-mindedness, and appreciation for other cultures. Physical education is the ideal setting for integrating other languages because play fosters language development; children interact so much with each other and have ample opportunity to express themselves in physical education. With this book, teachers can expertly guide that development--even if they don't have a Spanish-speaking or Deaf child in their class. Promoting Language Through Physical Education grounds teachers in the importance of language and the value of learning about other cultures. Teachers will also * use games and strategies that help them infuse language into their daily classes; * have access to Spanish and sign language dictionaries, with vocabulary organized by movement concepts, games, and activities; and * use a DVD-ROM to facilitate both their teaching and their students' learning. The DVD includes video footage of key physical education terms and common words and phrases in Spanish and American Sign Language. Students can follow along as teachers play the footage, thus taking pressure off teachers who are not familiar with sign language or Spanish. The DVD also contains reproducibles and assessment tools that teachers can print and use, saving preparation time. With this practical text, teachers can promote language development and cultural appreciation while offering developmentally appropriate games and activities for students from elementary grades through high school. The games and strategies blend into and enhance regular physical education curricula. And the book includes appendixes of resources that can augment students' learning and ability to overcome language barriers.




Multiliteracies Pedagogy and Language Learning


Book Description

This book is the first volume to be devoted to the examination of the application of the multiliteracies pedagogical framework to the teaching of Spanish to heritage language learners in higher education institutions in the United States. The Hispanic population is a growing minority, and the presence of heritage speakers can be observed in second language Spanish classes in all levels of education, which presents unique challenges for practitioners. This collection focuses on differing populations of learners in educational settings in a variety of geographical areas, such as Arizona, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. The studies included in the volume offer invaluable data and methodological insights into the instructional advantages of multiliteracies pedagogies in heritage language classrooms, and they will appeal to Spanish practitioners and researchers, as well as those interested in the education and practice of heritage languages.




The Spanish-speaking World


Book Description

Combining text with practical exercises and discussion questions to stimulate readers, this textbook covers a wide range of sociolinguistic issues relating to the Spanish Language and its role in societies around the world.




America's Bilingual Century


Book Description

How can Americans make our country stronger, kinder, smarter? By marshaling our enviable can-do ethic and learning another language. We can do it, no matter what our age: author Steve Leveen chose Spanish as his adopted language in midlife. America's Bilingual Century is filled with tips for learning a language, some mechanical--like changing your phone and laptop settings to your adopted language--and some philosophical. For instance, start by having a place in your life where you'll use the language, Steve says. The "where" makes the "how" more attainable. And recognize that, as with any adoption, you do it for love, and for life--so don't fret when you're not fluent in five months. If you have kids, start them young. You'll be glad you did when you read about the explosive growth of dual language schools across the country and the significant, measurable advantages they give our young people. Steve also takes us to the top summer language immersion camps, for both children and adults. And he shares his findings from leading language scholars, teachers, sociolinguists, app creators, and bilinguals of all stripes that he discovered during his dozen years of research. Then he topples 12 myths about Americans and languages that no longer hold in this century. Like thinking the whole world speaks English (it doesn't), that being monolingual is natural (it isn't), and that Americans suck at language (quite the opposite, as he demonstrates). Here and now in the 21st century, America is embracing its many ethnic and cultural heritages. How natural, then, that we enfold the many languages that these heritages thrive on as part of that quintessentially American pursuit of happiness. If you've never thought of bilingualism as being a patriotic act, America's Bilingual Century may persuade you otherwise. Knowing a second language changes the way we perceive the world, and the way the world perceives us. "English is what unites us," Steve says. "Our other languages are what define and strengthen us." And even if becoming bilingual leans more toward aspiration than arrival, that's okay. The journey is as rewarding as the destination.




Spanish for Music Teachers


Book Description

The number of Spanish-speaking students in the United States continues to grow dramatically, leaving many English-speaking teachers--especially music teachers--searching for tools to effectively bridge the communication gap. Spanish for Music Teachers, authors Jacob Prosek and Heidi Nelson draw from their studies abroad and years of classroom experience to present practical, ready-to-use strategies, vocabulary, repertoire, and reproducible materials for K-12 music educators who serve English Language Learner (ELL) populations. The authors provide an overview of ELL instruction, including insights into ELL terminology and an explanation of the ELL program models present in schools today. They also recommend easy-to-implement ELL strategies that will significantly improve the music classroom for all students. Throughout the book, teachers will find hundreds of practical Spanish words and phrases--alongside their English translations--that cover everything from specific musical terms and instructions to basic conversational Spanish. Additionally, Prosek and Nelson provide bilingual vocabulary cards ready-made for photocopying and convenient templates of bilingual letters to send home. The authors also dedicate three chapters to selecting repertoire with the ELL student in mind. Prosek and Nelson discuss how to choose linguistically and culturally diverse songs, and they include a carefully selected list of fifteen Spanish songs and fifteen English songs--complete with music notation, teaching suggestions, and translations--to put to use in the classroom right away. Designed for music teachers with any level of experience with Spanish, Spanish for Music Teachers is the perfect music curriculum companion. This much-needed resource equips teachers with the practical tools to immediately make a significant and lasting impact on all students.




¿Por Qué? 101 Questions About Spanish


Book Description

¿Por qué? 101 Questions about Spanish is for anyone who wants to understand how Spanish really works. Standard textbooks and grammars describe the "what" of Spanish - its vocabulary, grammar, spelling, and pronunciation - but ¿Por qué? explains the "why". Judy Hochberg draws on linguistic principles, Hispanic culture, and language history to answer questions such as: Why are so many Spanish verbs irregular? - Why does Spanish have different ways to say "you"? - Why is h silent? - Why doesn't Spanish use apostrophes? - Why does Castilian Spanish have the th sound? Packed with information, guidance, and links to further research, ¿Por qué? is an accessible study guide that is suitable for Spanish students, instructors, native speakers, and the general reader. It is a valuable supplementary text for serious students of Spanish at all levels, from beginning to advanced. ¿Por qué? also covers topics usually left to specialized books, including the evolution of Spanish, how children and adults learn Spanish, and the status of languages that co-exist with Spanish, from Catalan to Spanish sign language to the indigenous languages of Latin America.