Language, Culture, and Teaching: Critical Perspectives for a New Century (Volume in the Language, Culture, and Teaching Series

Bringing over 30 years to the topic of bilingual education, Nieto meticulously takes langauge and language learning apart by revealing it as a organ for cultural expression. To expand a child's literacy, to teach them the cummunicative value of language,--especially in a bilignual way--, a teacher and a school must develop an accepting, affirming philosophy. They must listen to students and bolster their solidarity as a cultural of students and as cultures of students by abandoning the traditional ESL or TESOL models. Teachers must strive to understand the linguistic concepts of second langauge acquisition in order to best instill literacy in their students.

All of those concepts require frequent revisits of this book. It reads quite well, but stay frosty. If you skim too much, you will miss a valuable nugget of information. I suggested reading the book in whatever order that you wish the second time because you will fine that each chapter can stand alone once you understand her primary thesis. Also, read it in small pieces while you teach your children about literacy (especially early childhood teachers). Then you will know how to apply it with much more fluidity within your teaching philosophy.