As the population of Hispanic students grows, itÆs more important than ever to persevere beyond the language barrier and nature these studentsÆ gifts and talents. This book provides teachers and leaders with the skills needed to uncover each childÆs abilities and ultimately boost achievement for Spanish-speaking students. Packed with strategies, suggestions, and materials teachers can immediately use to enhance instruction and assessment, this book shows how to

Hispanics and the Future of America presents details of the complex story of a population that varies in many dimensions, including national origin, immigration status, and generation. The papers in this volume draw on a wide variety of data sources to describe the contours of this population, from the perspectives of history, demography, geography, education, family, employment, economic well-being, health, and political engagement. They provide a rich source of information for researchers, policy makers, and others who want to better understand the fast-growing and diverse population that we call "Hispanic." The current period is a critical one for getting a better understanding of how Hispanics are being shaped by the U.S. experience. This will, in turn, affect the United States and the contours of the Hispanic future remain uncertain. The uncertainties include such issues as whether Hispanics, especially immigrants, improve their educational attainment and fluency in English and thereby improve their economic position; whether growing numbers of foreign-born Hispanics become citizens and achieve empowerment at the ballot box and through elected office; whether impending health problems are successfully averted; and whether Hispanics' geographic dispersal accelerates their spatial and social integration. The papers in this volume provide invaluable information to explore these issues.

Our society has never been more diverse, and teachers need to be culturally responsive educators in order to be most competent. But being culturally responsive is no simple task. Promoting Language Through Physical Education makes that task easier. This text offers strategies that physical education teachers can use to integrate non-English speakers and Deaf children in their classes. Sign language and Spanish are used as examples of how teachers can integrate students of any language background into classes. The use of sign language and Spanish phrases not only enhances communication among students and between students and teachers but promotes learning, open-mindedness, and appreciation for other cultures. Physical education is the ideal setting for integrating other languages because play fosters language development; children interact so much with each other and have ample opportunity to express themselves in physical education. With this book, teachers can expertly guide that development--even if they don't have a Spanish-speaking or Deaf child in their class. Promoting Language Through Physical Education grounds teachers in the importance of language and the value of learning about other cultures. Teachers will also * use games and strategies that help them infuse language into their daily classes; * have access to Spanish and sign language dictionaries, with vocabulary organized by movement concepts, games, and activities; and * use a DVD-ROM to facilitate both their teaching and their students' learning. The DVD includes video footage of key physical education terms and common words and phrases in Spanish and American Sign Language. Students can follow along as teachers play the footage, thus taking pressure off teachers who are not familiar with sign language or Spanish. The DVD also contains reproducibles and assessment tools that teachers can print and use, saving preparation time. With this practical text, teachers can promote language development and cultural appreciation while offering developmentally appropriate games and activities for students from elementary grades through high school. The games and strategies blend into and enhance regular physical education curricula. And the book includes appendixes of resources that can augment students' learning and ability to overcome language barriers.

This book is the first volume to be devoted to the examination of the application of the multiliteracies pedagogical framework to the teaching of Spanish to heritage language learners in higher education institutions in the United States. The Hispanic population is a growing minority, and the presence of heritage speakers can be observed in second language Spanish classes in all levels of education, which presents unique challenges for practitioners. This collection focuses on differing populations of learners in educational settings in a variety of geographical areas, such as Arizona, California, Maryland, Massachusetts, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. The studies included in the volume offer invaluable data and methodological insights into the instructional advantages of multiliteracies pedagogies in heritage language classrooms, and they will appeal to Spanish practitioners and researchers, as well as those interested in the education and practice of heritage languages.