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Dueling Philosophies: Inclusion or Separation for Florida's English Language Learners?
Author(s) -
PLATT ELIZABETH,
HARPER CANDACE,
MENDOZA MARIA BEATRIZ
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
tesol quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.737
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1545-7249
pISSN - 0039-8322
DOI - 10.2307/3588467
Subject(s) - inclusion (mineral) , english language , linguistics , psychology , sociology , mathematics education , pedagogy , philosophy , gender studies
Educational policies in Florida affect one of the United States' largest and most diverse student populations. A major consequence of the comprehensive restructuring of education for English language learners since 1990 has been a rapid move toward inclusion (mainstreaming) for these learners. The current study provides an overview of the historical background and philosophical bases of inclusion versus separation and presents recent developments affecting L2 education policy and practice in Florida. Data from interviews with 29 district‐level ESL administrators address their rationales for the models implemented in their districts and their beliefs about the effectiveness of each model. Administrators expressed both positive and negative sentiments regarding inclusion and separation. The article notes parallel trends toward inclusion and standardization in national and international contexts. Findings document how issues of equity for English language learners have been forced into the background and why the specialized nature of the ESL/EFL teaching profession is in jeopardy.