1980 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Cincinnati, Ohio

Background

Although by 1980, research and practice had provided much new and useful knowledge about language learning and language differences, NCTE members voiced concern that this knowledge was not being widely applied in the nation’s classrooms. Be it therefore

Resolution

Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English and its members affirm the responsibility of the English-teaching profession to develop English language skills of all our students, including the linguistically different, whether bilingual, bi-dialectical, or non-English speaking;

that NCTE and its members seek ways to make our commitment known to the United States Department of Education, the state departments of education, boards of education, school administrators, teachers, parents, and the general public;

that NCTE and its members work with the foregoing groups and other professional associations to help school systems and classroom teachers develop appropriate resource materials, teaching techniques, curricula, and inservice training programs;

that NCTE and its members promote and disseminate materials and offer guidance through NCTE journals and other publications, through conventions and conferences, and by other appropriate means; and

that NCTE and its members urge the passage of legislation that will support the efforts of language arts teachers to develop the English language skills of students who are linguistically diverse.

This position statement may be printed, copied, and disseminated without permission from NCTE.