Commission on Language

Function: The Commission on Language is a deliberative and advisory body which each year identifies and reports to the NCTE Executive Committee on key issues in the teaching of language; reviews what the Council has done concerning language during the year; and recommends new projects and persons who might undertake them. The Commission monitors current and projected NCTE publications (other than journals); suggests topics for future NCTE publications on language; and performs a similar role of review and recommendation for the NCTE Annual Convention program. Occasionally, the Commission undertakes further tasks and projects as approved by the Executive Committee. 

The Commission on Language continues to focus its long-term efforts of supporting the Students' Right to Their Own Language (SRTOL).  The focus on SRTOL allows the Commission to address continued concerns over a) gaps in teacher knowledge about how to address the needs of English Language and Second Dialect Learners, b) the effects of globalization on language pedagogy; and c) the impact of No Child Left Behind legislation on current educational policies and teaching practices. All were considered avenues for reversing positive steps toward improving language/language arts theory, research, practice, and educational policies. Members of the Commission have been engaged in the following activities:

• The Commission had been working on two book prospectuses but decided to direct their efforts to one prospectus by condensing topics from both prospectuses. The book prospectus entitled Affirming Students’ Rights to their Own Language: Bridging Educational Policies and Literacy/Language Arts Teaching Practices will chronicle the interplay between legislated/litigated educational policies and language/literacy teaching practices in diverse classrooms. The importance of promoting all students’ rights to their own language will be addressed, with a focus on four major non-Caucasian population groups within the United States; African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans and Asian-Americans. The introductory chapter, Cross Currents in Legislated, Litigated, Educational Policies, provides a context for the book by establishing a timeline of historical features of related language litigation and legislation. The first section, Education Policies and Unfulfilled Promises links the educational policies and practices discussed in the introductory chapter to evolving language/language arts teaching practices. The second section, Teacher Preparation, focuses on the roles of teacher educators in preparing preservice and inservice teachers to address language variation in their classrooms. The third section, Toward a Pedagogy of Success in Classrooms, presents exemplary language/language arts teaching practices across the spectrum of preschool – post secondary classrooms. The final section, Global Perspectives on Language Diversity and Learning, describes effective practices used in other countries to address critical issues of language diversity. The closing chapter, Reflections on Policies and Practices, highlights the responses provided in this volume to the two central questions that the book set out to address; what are some of the key elements of a policy-based framework that supports the key tenets of the SRTOL resolution? And, what are the values of and guiding principles for giving non-mainstream students greater access tot heir own language and cultural orientation in the teaching of the language and language arts?

In October 2006, the editors of the book, Jerrie Scott, Dolores Straker and Laurie Katz were awarded a contract from Lawrence Erlbaum Associates (LEA). LEA is in the process of working out a co-marketing agreement with NCTE. In addition to the editors, there are many other Commission members who will be participating in the book.

• Chris DaSilva Iddings, representative to the English language learner task force of NCTE participated in the development of a position statement regarding the role of English teachers in educating English Language Learners. The statement is available on the NCTE website.
• Nancy Shelton has been the liaison between the COL members and NCTE for distribution of the Council-Grams. She is also distributing the Council-Grams to the Maryland College Professors of Reading.

Members of the Commission continue to engage in the analyses and write-ups of their own pilot studies across several campuses to examine pre and inservice teachers’ understanding of their language practices and their awareness of the positionality of language forms in diverse spaces.  One study involves the completion of a survey that has been adapted (with permission) from a previous survey conducted by members of the Conference on College Composition and Communication and the NCTE. The second study involves preservice and inservice teachers engaging in direct activities to examine their own positionalities in language communities. Preliminary results were shared at the 2005 NCTE conference and will be published in Affirming Students’ Rights to their Own Language: Bridging Educational Policies and Literacy/Language Arts Teaching Practices.

Plans for future work include:

• Completing the book. The LEA contract calls for submitting to the Publishers on or before October 1, 2007 a manuscript satisfactory to the Publishers in form and content. 
• Revisiting the issue of teaching grammar in context.
• Continuing to examine issues that support the Students' Right to Their Own Language resolution.
• Networking with other Commissions to increase understanding of areas of shared concerns.
• Continuing as a liaison to NCTE foci areas. 

Laurie Katz, Director