Fred Genesee, Katheryn Lindholm-Leary, William M. Saunders, and Donna Christian (eds.), Educating English language learners: A synthesis of research evidence

Extract

Fred Genesee, Katheryn Lindholm-Leary, William M. Saunders, and Donna Christian (eds.), Educating English language learners: A synthesis of research evidence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006. Pp. x, 245. Pb $24.99.

Educating English language learners appeared as a result of a U.S. government-funded project in an attempt to synthesize “research on the relationship among oral language, literacy, and academic achievement for English language learners (ELLs) in the United States” (1). Referring to what Donna Christian calls “educational facts” (1) about the lower academic ability of students with limited English proficiency, and placing institutionalized academic achievement at the center of their discussions, the contributors review three databases and a number of journals of language and education. They explore research trends in the education of English as a second language in the past 20 years, how research findings have been applied in U.S. schools, and possible future research directions.