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Adolescent Literacy

A raft of past programs have failed to substantially improve the reading skills of middle grade and high school students. CPS is trying once again, as part of a federal project that aims to help teens learn how to analyze complex non-fiction.

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bilingual education

Parents: Train teachers to better serve English learners January 18, 2013 By: Rebecca Harris STEM Magnet Academy parent Christine Bay-Spiric complains that her children, who are English language learners, have met obstacles in school: Unclear homework instructions that she is expected to explain to them. Missing assignments because they couldn’t make up work from days they missed due to a religious holiday. She and other parents are pinning their hopes for change on a law that State Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez (24th District) plans to introduce in the next month. Read More \| (3) Comments	Few early childhood teachers have bilingual, ESL credentials September 25, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Just 6 percent of early childhood teachers in a recent survey had bilingual or English as a Second Language credentials, according to a report released Tuesday by the Latino Policy Forum and New Journalism on Latino Children. Since almost 20 percent of Illinois students come into kindergarten as English-learners, there is a substantial gap between the need for bilingual services and the supply. Read More \| (3) Comments
Report sheds light on graduation rates for English learners May 30, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Researchers from the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research found that the district’s Freshman On-Track Indicator is a valid predictor of graduation rates for English language learners. Read More \| (2) Comments	In the News: Suburban schools lag bilingual ed needs February 10, 2012 By: Cassandra West The rapid growth of Latino and other immigrant populations in Chicago’s suburbs is outstripping the ability of public schools to provide bilingual programs mandated by Illinois, and government financing for the programs is shrinking, state records show, according to a Catalyst Chicago story that appeared in the New York Times. Read More \| (0) Comments
Building a foundation February 10, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Lloyd Elementary teacher Ramona Richards puts one hand over her mouth and raises the other, signaling to the 1st-graders sitting on the carpet that they should be quiet. In Spanish, she tells them to cross their legs. “Ahora es tiempo para el desarrollo de Inglés,” she adds. Translation: “Now it’s time for English language development.” As if a switch has flipped, her speech changes to English. Read More \| (0) Comments	Dual language for all students February 10, 2012 By: Lorraine Forte Back in July, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced the creation of a city Office of New Americans intended to, in his words, “make Chicago the most immigrant-friendly city in the world.” Read More \| (0) Comments
Caught between two languages February 10, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris As her 7th-grade students bury their noses in the book “Parrot in the Oven,” teacher Elizabeth Carrillo asks a comprehension question that is written in two languages on an overhead projector. “What happened before, that made [one of the characters] think that?” Carrillo asks. “¿Qué pasó antes en el libro?”Carrillo, who’s teaching a lesson on inferences, has written the definition of the word on the overhead, with a formula—in English and Spanish—for drawing inferences by combining what the text states with their prior knowledge. Read More \| (0) Comments	A shifting landscape February 10, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Super Mercado La Pequeña could be smack in the middle of Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Takis, the brand-name of a corn tortilla snack popular in Mexico, are among the items stocked on the shelves. Hand-lettered signs in the large storefront window advertise “Tamales,” “Carnitas” and “Barbacoa” for sale. The freezer section stocks popular Mexican ice cream treats, including paletas, a type of Popsicle. The store’s logo is in red and green, on a white background—the colors of the Mexican flag. Read More \| (0) Comments
State may ease bilingual ed rules February 10, 2012 By: Rebecca Harris Of the 58 suburban school districts visited by state monitors in the past three years, not one district met all of Illinois’ tough education requirements for English-language learners, and nearly 40 percent—22 districts—failed to provide a bilingual program for all the students who qualified for it. Read More \| (0) Comments

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