Boise State University

Teacher Education Course Syllabus 

Course: Contemporary Issues in Bilingual Education Course Number: ED BLESL 511 Section: 1150 Twin Falls/Nampa  Schedule: Fri 4pm-10 pm/Sat:8am  Instructor:Arturo Rodriguez  Office Hours: 1/2 hour before or after class or by appointment Email: ArturoRodriguez@boisestate.edu  Phone: 426 3680                                

Conceptual Framework:  The Professional Educator

Boise State University strives to develop knowledgeable educators who integrate complex roles and dispositions in the service of diverse communities of learners. Believing that all children, adolescents, and adults can learn, educators dedicate themselves to supporting that learning.  Using effective approaches that promote high levels of student achievement, educators create environments that prepare learners to be citizens who contribute to a complex world.  Educators serve learners as reflective practitioners, scholars and artists, problem solvers, and partners.

Standards and Assessments 

Overview:

Welcome!  This course is for students in the Master of Education in Bilingual Education or Master of Education in ESL (Spanish-English). This course is designed to help you acquire a broader understanding of current Local State and Federal Bilingual Education Policy.  Over the course we will engage in critical policy analysis and develop strategies to support and promote education that is pedagogically responsive to English language learners, and culturally diverse students. 

Course Learning Outcomes

By the end of the semester, you should have:

A broader understanding of federal and state bilingual education policy.

Developed strategies that show a critical understanding of ways to support language learning.

Connected curriculum to the understandings, perspectives, identities, and cultures of our students

Course Materials:

You will be reading from a combination of sources, including required texts, on-line readings, electronic readings and material you select for your own project.  Below is a description of the two required books. 

San Miguel, G. (2004). Contested policy: The rise and fall of federal bilingual

education in the United States 1960-2001. Denton, TX: The University of

North Texas Press. 

Electronic reserve

To access electronic readings (ER) away from off campus you need to go to the Bronco Web site. The direct link is http://eres.boisestate.edu/ Click on the first link “Electronic Reserves” and then search by class number, 511 or the professor’s last name, Rodriguez.

Blackboard readings: Click course documents 

Schedule        

 Assignments: 

Attendance and Participation (on going) 

You are expected to attend class and to be well prepared to participate. This means that you have read and reflected on the assigned readings and are clearly involved in group discussions and activities. Early departure from class, excessive tardiness, or not respecting the length of break time will negatively affect your grade. Missing class or turning in late work may result in the loss of a letter grade, you may be dropped from the course or receive an incomplete.

The only exceptions to this rule are true family emergencies or serious illness that you have discussed with me in advance.

Papers: Papers should be typed using APA style. All papers should be carefully proof read (use spell-check and an outside editor; a friend or colleague), and turned in as clean and clear of form as possible. Computers are available at the County Canyon Center.  

Academic Honesty 

Cheating or plagiarism in any form is unacceptable. The University functions to promote the cognitive and psychosocial development of all students. Therefore, all work submitted by a student must represent her/his own ideas, concepts, and current understanding. Academic dishonesty also includes submitting substantial portions of the same academic course work to more than one course for credit without prior permission of the instructor(s).

ADA:  Students needing support other than what is written into the syllabus please see me as soon as possible before or after class, or make an appointment to speak with me.  I will make accommodations as needed.  We will work together to ensure that you receive a rigorous academic experience while being responsive to your particular situation.   

Supplementary References (not required but helpful) 

Apple, M. (1990). Ideology and the curriculum. New York: Routledge.

Coles, G. (2003). Reading the naked truth: Literacy legislation and lies. Portsmouth,

NH: Heineman.

Bartolomé, L. H. (1994). Beyond the methods fetish: Toward a humanizing pedagogy. Harvard

Educational Review, 64,(2), 173-194. 

Faltis, C. (2004). Teaching English language learners in elementary communities. A

joinfostering approach 4^th edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson. 

Freire, P. (1970).  Pedagogy of the oppressed.  New York:  Continuum.

Gonzalez, N., Moll, L., Floyd-Tenery, M., Rivera, A., Rendon, P., Gonzales, R. & Amati,

C. (1993).  Teacher Research on Funds of Knowledge: Learning from

Households.  Washington, DC: National Center for Research on Cultural Diversity

and Second Language Learning. 

O’Malley, M. & Valdez Pierce, L. (1996). Oral language assessment. Authentic assessment for

English language learners (pp. 57-92).  NY: Addison Wesley.   

* Some work adapted from Claudia Peralta-Nash