Return-Path: <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost.nifl.gov [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.8.7/8.8.5) with SMTP id BAA13276; Wed, 12 Nov 1997 01:27:08 -0500 (EST) Date: Wed, 12 Nov 1997 01:27:08 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <Pine.A41.3.96a.971111220717.61680A-100000@dante19.u.washington.edu> Errors-To: lmann@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: Carl Grove <cdgrove@u.washington.edu> To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-ESL:1500] Re: reply to C. Grove X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas Status: RO Content-Length: 2016 Lines: 35 Paul et al, the book that I was mentioning yesterday is *Immersion Education: International Perspectives* by Robert Keith Johnson and Merrill Swain, Cambridge, 1997 ($17.56) for the paperback. It presents 13 case studies. The introductory chapter defines immersion education and shows how this approach differs from other forms of bilingual education. (from the Cambridge catalog). I haven't read the book yet, so I can't personally recommend it, although obviously Cambridge is reputable and Swain is also. As for my own work, I mentioned in my last posting that I am working on a dissertation in this area. I am a grad student at U of Washington; I try to help Intensive English Program students learn more English in a couple of writing classes. My dissertation is centered on the discourse of the English Only debate that took place in Congress between about 1981 and 1996. I am looking at the strategies involved in trying to persuade members of Congress to vote for Official English legislation. I also intend to in some way address the issue of racism in this discourse, particularly how supporters of such legislation construct opponents as being racist. I agree with most of the people who have been involved in this discussion so far, i.e. I feel that much of the discourse of the supporters of official English legislation is racist in nature. It is interesting, however to read the speeches of someone like Steve Symms of Idaho (Senator Symms, I believe) and watch him explain why opponents of official English legislation are racist; vicious liberals involved in creating a permanent minority underclass to sustain the need for expensive, worthless social programs (like bilingual education). I hope to finish this dissertation in the next year. In the meanwhile, this discussion is proving to be motivating and insightful. Keep it going please. Maybe in the process we'll discover new strategies for resisting the political momentum that the English Only movement has going. Carl Grove
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