Educational Policy, Ethics, & Leadership

Bilingual Learning & Brain Development

The San Antonio Express-News reports today on important research being conducted at UTSA by Harriett Romo on brain development in children exposed to a bilingual environment.  LINK

Turns out that this is a big research question and could lead to all types of greater understanding about child development and cognitive development. And San Antonio is a great laboratory for studying that question.

The very question of brain development is at the heart of a research project that's going on under the direction of Professor Harriett Romo of the University of Texas at San Antonio

She's leading a team here that's working with the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences at the University of Washington to study how a language environment affects a child's development — in terms of a child's linguistic, cognitive and mathematical skills.

UTSA to Tutor Young Students

Also in today's Express-News is a report the University of Texas at San Antonio College of Education and Human Development will tutor young students, ages 4-8, this summer.  LINK 

The language, reading and writing sessions are offered through the department's Reading Place.

Classes meet at the downtown campus and are free and open to the public.

Sessions run July 17 through Aug. 1. Applications must be submitted by June 30.

For more information or to apply, call (210) 458-2649.

Distance Learning in the Valley

The Associated Press reports that the University of Texas and the government of Mexico are collaborating on a distance learning program in South Texas.  LINK

Spanish-speaking students in South Texas will be able to take Mexican high school courses online under a program devised by the University of Texas and Mexican education agencies.

The program will be piloted this fall in the Donna and Edcouch-Elsa school districts in Hidalgo County. It will enable students to use computers to study math and science courses in Spanish, while learning English and social studies in their Texas schools.

Proponents say the program could help reduce the dropout rate among high school students who become frustrated with the language barrier.