[lg policy] DePaul Symposium on June 12 to Explore Multicultural and Bilingual Education Policy (fwd)

Tue Jun 2 21:49:22 UTC 2009

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 2 Jun 2009 13:03:01 -0400
From: Harold Schiffman <hfsclpp at gmail.com>
Reply-To: Language Policy List <lgpolicy-list at GROUPS.SAS.UPENN.EDU>
To: lp <lgpolicy-list at GROUPS.SAS.UPENN.EDU>
Subject: [lg policy] DePaul Symposium on June 12 to Explore Multicultural and
     Bilingual Education Policy

  DePaul Symposium on June 12 to Explore Multicultural and Bilingual
Education Policy

Educational policy for schooling linguistically diverse students,
including immigrants and children of immigrants, will be explored at a
symposium titled "Language, Policy and Education" from noon to 4 p.m.
June 12 at DePaul University's Student Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave.,
Room 120, Chicago. The symposium is free and open to the public.

(Media-Newswire.com) - Educational policy for schooling linguistically
diverse students, including immigrants and children of immigrants,
will be explored at a symposium titled “Language, Policy and
Education” from noon to 4 p.m. June 12 at DePaul University’s Student
Center, 2250 N. Sheffield Ave., Room 120, Chicago. The symposium is
free and open to the public.

Keynote speakers are Sonia Nieto, professor emeritus of language,
literacy and culture in the School of Education at the University of
Massachusetts, and the 2007 DePaul University School of Education
commencement speaker; and James Crawford, founder and president of the
Maryland-based Institute for Language and Education Policy, who is
this year’s School of Education commencement speaker.

Participants at this symposium will gain further insight into the
complexities and multilayered dimensions of educating linguistically
diverse students, which extend far beyond the classroom. In their
talks, Crawford and Nieto will offer their perspectives and candid
appraisal of the current policy and state of education. In addition,
the opportunity to hear two prominent scholars interact with each
other and the audience during the panel discussion will provide a rare
experience.

The symposium will explore how the steady increase in the number of
non-English-proficient students enrolled in Chicago metropolitan area
schools poses critical challenges for educators and policymakers.
Nieto believes that tackling this challenge is not the responsibility
of educators alone. “Although for over a century, our nation has
advanced the ideal that a high-quality and excellent public education
is the birthright of all children, our schools cannot fulfill this
ambitious and noble purpose unless all of us – parents, policymakers
and the general public – commit ourselves to sustaining education as a
public trust and a promise to future generations,” Nieto said.

Effective responses to these challenges must be examined within the
social, cultural, linguistic, economic and political contexts from
which minority children come, in turn resulting in inclusive and
socially responsible policies that directly address better ways of
facilitating their academic success, said Sonia Soltero, associate
professor and director of the Bilingual-Bicultural Education Program
in DePaul’s School of Education.

Crawford maintains that “at the core of today’s debates over school
accountability lies a contentious question: ‘Does the No Child Left
Behind Act represent a historic advance for civil rights, or a giant
step backward for the children it purports to help?’ This argument has
divided the civil rights community itself, along with its traditional
allies in Congress.”

Over the past 20 years, Crawford has specialized in research-based
advocacy for English- and heritage-language learners as an independent
writer, lecturer and consultant. His latest book is “Advocating for
English Learners: Selected Essays” ( 2008 ).  He served as executive
director of the National Association for Bilingual Education from 2004
to 2006 and is the founder and president of the Institute for Language
and Educational Policy, a nonprofit organization that promotes
research-based advocacy for English- and heritage-language learners.

A researcher, teacher, lecturer and writer, Nieto serves on several
national advisory boards that focus on educational equity and social
justice. Nieto’s most well-known book is “Affirming Diversity: The
Sociopolitical Context of Multicultural Education” ( 2008 ).

“Language, Policy and Education” is the second annual language and
education symposium sponsored by the School of Education. Last year’s
symposium, which explored language, identity and education, attracted
about 100 attendees, and this year’s symposium is expected to attract
even more people. For more information about the symposium, contact
Soltero at ( 773 ) 325-4788 or ssoltero at depaul.edu.

DePaul has one of the largest schools of education in the Chicago
area, offering degree programs in early childhood education;
elementary and secondary education and physical education; special
education; bilingual-bicultural education; curriculum studies;
educational leadership; human services and counseling; and language,
literacy and specialized instruction.

Media Contact:

Deborah Snow Humiston
dsnowhum at depaul.edu
( 312 ) 362-8508

http://media-newswire.com/release_1092057.html

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