Wiley-Blackwell Bilingual Education in the 21st Century: A Global Perspective

Bilingual Education in the 21st Century examines languages and bilingualism as individual and societal phenomena, presents program types, variables, and policies in bilingual education, and concludes by looking at practices, especially pedagogies and assessments. This thought-provoking work is an ideal textbook for future teachers as well as providing a fresh view of the subject for school administrators and policy makers. Provides an overview of bilingual education theories and practices throughout the worldExtends traditional conceptions of bilingualism and bilingual education to include global and local concerns in the 21st centuryQuestions assumptions regarding language, bilingualism and bilingual education, and proposes a new theoretical framework and alternative views of teaching and assessment practicesReviews international bilingual education policies, with separate chapters dedicated to US and EU language policy in educationGives reasons why bilingual education is good for all children throughout the world, and presents cases of how this is being carried out Review “Aside from the conceptual issues highlighted above, the detailed discussions of multilingual education policy alone make the book worth buying for scholars of language in education issues.”  (Journal of Linguistic Anthropology, 10 April 2012) “Garcia concludes with a detailed examination of bilingual education practices and their intended outcomes, which should be mandated reading for curriculum specialists and school principals.” (Choice Reviews, June 2009) Review "This book will become a classic in the bilingual education literature. It provides a comprehensive overview of bilingual education at the levels of philosophy, policy, provision and practice. It has international relevance, global understandings and is suitable for a worldwide readership." –Colin Baker, Bangor University "Ofelia García writes with wisdom, heart, and an unshakable conviction that bilingual education is the best education for all children in today’s world. A must read for educators everywhere." –Nancy Hornberger, University of Pennsylvania "Ofelia (and Hugo) have unemployed a lot of researchers. After this book, there is no need for another book on bi/multilingual education for a decade. With its creativity, new conceptualisations, enormous worldwide knowledge and unusual combination of path-breaking theory and insider knowledge about schools, this is, The Book on bilingual education." –Tove Skutnabb-Kangas, University of Roskilde From the Inside Flap Bilingual education has long been a controversial topic for communities, policy makers, and teachers. Misconceptions about what bilingualism itself is, and what bilingual education should do, have laid the groundwork for a wide range of policies that don't always have a coherent vision for their students. In this wide-ranging and provocative book, García examines the history and current state of bilingual education programs throughout the world, offers a critical reading of the current conversations around them, and invites readers to imagine a new paradigm for the 21st century: one based on the idea of multilingual fluidity as a social and cultural imperative in a globalized world. García examines languages and bilingualism as individual and societal phenomena, presents program types, variables, and policies in bilingual education, and concludes by looking at practices, especially pedagogies and assessments. Questioning assumptions regarding language, bilingualism and bilingual education, this book proposes a new theoretical framework and alternative views of teaching and assessment practices. From the Back Cover Bilingual education has long been a controversial topic for communities, policy makers, and teachers. Misconceptions about what bilingualism itself is, and what bilingual education should do, have laid the groundwork for a wide range of policies that don't al