Future Directions for Policy on Future Directions for Policy on the Education of English the Education of English

Language LearnersLanguage LearnersRichard RuizRichard Ruiz

University of ArizonaUniversity of Arizona

20042004

Conclusion: The Future of PolicyConclusion: The Future of Policy

Future policy on the education of English Future policy on the education of English Language Learners will be a progressive Language Learners will be a progressive syllabus in which the promotion of best syllabus in which the promotion of best practices is practices is informed by the best scienceinformed by the best science and impelled by the orientation that and impelled by the orientation that the the communities from which the students communities from which the students come have valuable knowledge and come have valuable knowledge and abilitiesabilities that should form the basis of that should form the basis of education.education.

Two Views of Policy in Two Views of Policy in EducationEducation

(1) (1) Policy as DeclarationPolicy as Declaration: A declaration by a : A declaration by a (quasi) governmental authority that imposes a (quasi) governmental authority that imposes a particular concept of best practices by a system of particular concept of best practices by a system of sanctions driven by “objective” measures of sanctions driven by “objective” measures of accountability.accountability.

(2) (2) Policy as CurriculumPolicy as Curriculum: A progressive syllabus : A progressive syllabus informed by the latest science and developed informed by the latest science and developed through negotiation and collaboration that creates through negotiation and collaboration that creates a sense of ownership for the practices that it a sense of ownership for the practices that it promotes and authenticates through multiple promotes and authenticates through multiple measures intended to affirm and extend the measures intended to affirm and extend the knowledge of the child.knowledge of the child.

Relation of Research to Policy in the Education of English Relation of Research to Policy in the Education of English Language LearnersLanguage Learners

Predominant Research TrendPredominant Research Trend Predominant Policy TrendPredominant Policy Trend

Primacy of LPrimacy of L11 development for all development for all LL11 Development Development Primacy of LPrimacy of L11 development for development for

Anglophones, LAnglophones, L22 (English) for all (English) for all

othersothers

Longer for academic proficiencyLonger for academic proficiency TimeframeTimeframe As short as possibleAs short as possible

Mediation and appreciationMediation and appreciation Role of cultureRole of culture Neglect, if not acculturationNeglect, if not acculturation

All studentsAll students TargetsTargets Non-anglophonesNon-anglophones

Multiple/nondiscriminatory/on-Multiple/nondiscriminatory/on-goinggoing

Assessment/IDAssessment/ID One-shot/high stakesOne-shot/high stakes

LL11 + L + L22 + L + Lxx MediumMedium LL22 (English) predominantly (English) predominantly

Enrichment/additiveEnrichment/additive CharacterCharacter Compensatory/subtractiveCompensatory/subtractive

Home Home School School H/S H/S IsomorphismIsomorphism

Home Home School School

ResourceResource OrientationOrientation ProblemProblem

Policy DevelopmentPolicy Development

II I II I Syllabus constructionSyllabus construction Multi-vocalicMulti-vocalic Continuous Continuous

assessmentassessment Implementation by Implementation by

active engagementactive engagement Strategic adjustmentsStrategic adjustments ReiterationReiteration

DeclarationDeclaration Authoritative voiceAuthoritative voice Evaluation based on Evaluation based on

high-stakes assessmenthigh-stakes assessment Implementation by Implementation by

sanctionsanction Re-authorizationRe-authorization ReplicationReplication

Stages of Orientation ChangeStages of Orientation Change (I) Demographic Normalization: elaboration of the (I) Demographic Normalization: elaboration of the

orientation (normal/non-normal)orientation (normal/non-normal) (II) Demographic Denial (secondary elaborations (II) Demographic Denial (secondary elaborations

that dispute anomalies—fighting for orientation that dispute anomalies—fighting for orientation survival)survival)

(III) Demographic Reality (accommodations and (III) Demographic Reality (accommodations and adjustments to objective population change among adjustments to objective population change among quasi-populations)quasi-populations)

(III) Demographic Urgency: the accumulation of (III) Demographic Urgency: the accumulation of anomalies urge the change in conceptualization anomalies urge the change in conceptualization (including discursive changes)(including discursive changes)

Principles for Policy Principles for Policy Development in the Next StageDevelopment in the Next Stage

Orientation: recognition of the value of the Orientation: recognition of the value of the language and cultural knowledge of the language and cultural knowledge of the community as a resource for allcommunity as a resource for all

Knowledge Base: Our best science and the Knowledge Base: Our best science and the knowledge and values of the children’s knowledge and values of the children’s communities are privileged over particular communities are privileged over particular ideological biasesideological biases

Assessment: multiple measures, multiple sources, Assessment: multiple measures, multiple sources, non-discriminatory, primacy of corrigibilitynon-discriminatory, primacy of corrigibility

Conclusion: The Future of PolicyConclusion: The Future of Policy

Future policy on the education of English Future policy on the education of English Language Learners will be a progressive Language Learners will be a progressive syllabus in which the promotion of best syllabus in which the promotion of best practices is practices is informed by the best scienceinformed by the best science and impelled by the orientation that and impelled by the orientation that the the communities from which the students communities from which the students come have valuable knowledge and come have valuable knowledge and abilitiesabilities that should form the basis of that should form the basis of education.education.