Mehan, director of the Center for Research in Educational Equity, Assessment and Teaching Excellence, says Somalia is the source of the latest surge of immigrant refugees. They concentrate in neighborhoods, he says. When you consider there are 50 to 55 indigenous languages spoken within Mexico alone, and 200 to 250 pockets of relocated people across the United States, you see the immensity of the problem. In 1998, California voters passed Proposition 227, which effectively banned bilingual teaching in the state s classrooms. San Diego voters also handily approved the measure.
Most youngsters pick up English informally.
But since teaching in a child s native language has been discouraged by Proposition 227, teaching techniques for second-language learners needed to be specially designed. San Diego is on the cutting edge of this movement, says Mehan. As a port of entry, we pride ourselves on handling diversity. And it s everywhere in the schools. My mom wants bread.