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TitleArticle: New Massachusetts English Immersion Policy May Set Newcomers Back
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From http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/09/25/english_period

English period: Some educators say pushing immersion before bilingual classes may do more harm than good
By Lisa Kocian
September 25, 2008

Do you remember the indecipherable teacher's voice from old Charlie Brown cartoons? That's what second grade sounds like to 7-year-old Marian Lora.

In this country for all of a few weeks, she understands almost no English. But during her first 30 days of school in Framingham, that's all she will be hearing from teachers, under the requirements of a state law that seeks to minimize bilingual education in favor of immersing children quickly into the English language.

That's one tough month for students and teachers alike, says Margaret Doyle, principal of the Brophy School, where Marian has just enrolled. During the month of English-only instruction, there are "many more trips to the bathroom, nurse's office. We've had kids crying, headaches, tummy aches," Doyle said.

Read the entire article at http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/09/25/english_period .

SourceBoston Globe
Inputdate2008-11-30 10:55:07
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Publishdate2008-12-01 00:00:00
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