scholarly journals School Library eBook Providers and Linguistic Equity

Author(s):  
Andrea Paganelli ◽  
Cynthia Houston

If school library collections must meet the needs of the communities they serve, the native languages of the student population must be an important consideration when making purchasing decisions about eBooks. Many professionals in the library community believe that materials in electronic format have the potential to enrich library collections with linguistic diversity. To ensure that school library collections reflect the linguistic diversity of the community, as school library professionals we need to gain a better understanding of what resources are available for our students in digital format. Recent studies indicate that eBooks available from vendors to schools libraries do not meet the linguistic needs of children whose native language is not English. Several international organizations have recognized this issue and are developing initiatives to resolve the growing digital and linguistic divide.

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (100) ◽  
pp. 51
Author(s):  
Vicenta Tasa Fuster

Resumen:Este trabajo pretende dar una visión general del reconocimiento de la diversidad lingüística española que se deriva de la Constitución. Nos referimos exclusivamente a las lenguas autóctonas históricamente habladas en España; teniendo en cuenta, además, que una misma lengua puede recibir diversas denominaciones populares y oficiales.Partiendo de estas premisas, el trabajo estudia el reconocimiento que hace la Constitución Española de la diversidad lingüística en España en su artículo 3. Se subraya en el estudio que, en dicho artículo de la Constitución se establece que el castellano es la lengua española oficial del Estado y que todos los españoles tienen el deber de conocerla y el derecho a usarla (art. 3.1), que las otras lenguas españolas serán también oficiales en las respectivas comunidades autónomas, en función de la regulación que hagan sus estatutos (art. 3.2) y que España considera que la riqueza de las diferentes modalidades lingüísticas esun patrimonio cultural que deberá tener un respeto y una protección especiales (art. 3.3).El contenido de la Constitución, la jurisprudencia constitucional de las últimas cuatro décadas y los estatutos de autonomía y legislación lingüística autonómica, han asentado un reconocimiento de la diversidad lingüística española y de los derechos lingüísticos concretos de los hablantes de las distintas lenguas españolas fundamentado en el principio de jerarquía lingüística y no en los de seguridad lingüística e igualdad de derechos lingüísticos. El principio de jerarquía lingüística presupone considerar que existen unas lenguas que deben tener un reconocimiento legal y oficial superior a otras. Y, lo que es lo mismo, que los derechos lingüísticos de sus hablantes no tienen el mismo grado de reconocimiento. Llegándose a dar el caso que, en España, una misma lengua pueda llegar a tener diferentes niveles de reconocimiento legal-oficial y un número aún mayor de políticas lingüísticas que traten de convertir en una realidad substantiva todos o una parte de los derechos lingüísticos reconocidos formalmente a los hablantes de una lengua diferente del castellano en una comunidad autónoma.Así las cosas, se constata que legalmente una lengua (castellano) tiene una situación de preeminencia legal-oficial, seis lenguas españolas (catalán, gallego, vasco, occitano, aragonés y asturleonés) tienen algún tipo de reconocimiento oficial en parte del territorio en el que son habladas de manera autóctona, una lengua tiene reconocimiento político (tamazight), otra tiene un reconocimiento administrativo menor en Cataluña (caló), y tres lenguas autóctonas no tienen el más mínimo reconocimiento legal, político o administrativo (árabe, haquetia yportugués). El trabajo estudia detalladamente y de manera global la estructuración de la jerarquía lingüística en la legislación española derivadade la Constitución y concluye con una descripción de los seis niveles de jerarquía lingüística y de derechos lingüísticos que existen en España. Se defiende, finalmente, un cambio sistema lingüístico legalconstitucional que respete los principios de seguridad lingüística y el principio de igualdad de derechos lingüísticos de todos los ciudadanos españoles. Summary:1. Introduction. The Constitution and the Spanish languages. 2.Language in the statutes of monolingual communities. 3. Linguisticdiversity in multilingual communities with a single official language.4. Communities with co-officiality. 5. Final considerations: a hierarchicalrecognition. 6. Bibliography cited. Abstract:This paper is an overview of the recognition of the Spanish linguistic diversity derived from the Constitution. We refer exclusively to the native languages historically spoken in Spain; about that is important to know that the same language can receive diverse popular and official denominations.With these premises, the work studies the recognition in the article 3 of the Spanish Constitution of the linguistic diversity in Spain. It is emphasized in the study that this article establishes that the Castilian is the official Spanish language of the State and that all Spaniards have the duty to know it and the right to use it (article 3.1), that the other Spanish languages would be official in the respective autonomous communities, depending on the regulation made by their statutes of autonomy (article 3.2 ), and that Spain considers the richness of the different linguistic modalities a cultural heritage that must have special respect and protection (article 3.3).The content of the Constitution, the constitutional jurisprudence of the last four decades and the statutes of autonomy and autonomous linguistic legislation, have established a recognition of the Spanish linguistic diversity and of the specific linguistic rights of the speakers of the different Spanish languages based on the principle of linguistic hierarchy and not in those of linguistic security and equality of linguistic rights. The principle of linguistic hierarchy considers that there are some languages that have to have a legal and official recognitionsuperior to others. And, what is the same, that the linguistic rights of its speakers do not have the same degree of recognition. In Spain, the same language may have different levels of legal-official recognition and a lot of linguistic policies in the autonomous communities that try to be reality all or part of the linguistic rights formally recognized to speakers of a language other than Castilian. So it is verified that legally a language (Castilian) has a situation oflegal-official preeminence, six Spanish languages (Catalan, Galician, Basque, Occitan, Aragonese and Asturian) have some type of official recognition in part of the territory where are spoken, one language has political recognition (Tamazight), another has a lower administrative recognition in Catalonia (Caló), and three indigenous languages do not have the least legal, political or administrative recognition (Arabic, Hachetia and Portuguese).The paper studies in detail the structure of the linguistic hierarchy in Spanish legislation derived from the Constitution and concludes with a description of the six levels of linguistic hierarchy and of linguistic rights that exist in Spain. Finally, it defends a legal-constitutional linguistic system that respects the principles of linguistic security and of equality of linguistic rights of all Spanish citizens.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandy Campbell

McDermott, Noel.  Kiviuq and the Bee Woman. Iqauit, NU, Inhabit Media, 2019. When we last heard of Kiviuq, he had just survived a harrowing encounter with scary monster mermaids or tuutalik (Deakin Review by Kirk MacLeod). In Kiviuq and the Bee Woman, the grandfather who narrated Kiviuq and the Mermaid continues the bedtime story to his grandchildren. Kiviuq begins paddling home, but comes upon a tent where an old woman invites him to rest and dry his clothing. She turns out to be a giant Bee Woman who wants to cut up Kiviuq and put him in her cooking pot. For a bedtime story, both the text and the illustrations are quite scary. Illustrator Toma Feizo Gas lets us see into the dark, dramatic and frightening world of the Bee Woman, who is a determined killer. “She shouted, ‘I am Iguttarjuaq, the Bee Woman, and I am going to kill you with my ulu’.”  The accompanying image shows a woman with pointy teeth and insect mouth pincers, who is shaking a sharp ulu (knife) at Kiviuq. As is the case with many of Inhabit Media’s publications, the reading level is higher than one would expect to find in a picture book. For younger children, this book will need some adult intervention. In addition to the scary content, human skulls talk, the woman eats her own eyelids and “Kiviuq, realized the woman was boiling human meat.” Some of the language is difficult. For example, Kiviuq “fainted” of fright, but “feinted” to get away. McDermott also intersperses many Inuktitut words, which will slow down younger readers. These are defined at the end of the book. Overall, this excellent product from Inhabit Media should be included in public library collections and school library collections, but should probably be placed in collections designed for older children.  Highly recommended: 4 out of 4 starsReviewer: Sandy Campbell Sandy is a Health Sciences Librarian at the University of Alberta, who has written hundreds of book reviews across many disciplines. Sandy thinks that sharing books with children is one of the greatest gifts anyone can give. 


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 218
Author(s):  
Wellington de Oliveira ◽  
Wéllia Pimentel Santos

RESUMONo início do processo de colonização, os portugueses tiveram de conviver com as muitas línguas que eram faladas pelos povos indígenas que ocupavam o território brasileiro. A partir do século XVIII, um Decreto do governo do Marquês de Pombal proibiu o uso da chamada língua geral e demais línguas nativas, impondo ao povo brasileiro a línguaportuguesa como língua oficial. Entretanto, muitas línguas indígenas permaneceram, talvez como forma de resistência. O português é a língua oficial do Brasil, mas esse mesmo Brasil é dono de um patrimônio linguístico que conta com cerca de 200 línguas indígenas, além de ter grande influência em outras línguas de origem africana, europeia e asiática. Destarte, o presente trabalho, partindo de uma análise crítica, visa trazer algumas concepções sobre essa diversidade linguística na história da educação brasileira. Para tanto, esta pesquisa faz um breve retrospecto sobre o processo que levou a hegemonização do português falado no Brasil, discute os métodos de repressão aos povos migrantes do sul do Brasil e o processo de extinção das línguas dospovos indígenas, além de trazer uma breve abordagem sobre a variação linguística no que tange ao português falado assim como o escrito. A metodologia aplicada ao trabalho se ateve a um estudo descritivo, do tipo revisão bibliográfica, que se respaldou em literaturas científicas e trabalhos acadêmicos referenciados, que discutem a diversidade cultural e sociolinguística, com enfoques distintos.Palavras-chave: Diversidade. Língua. Português.ABSTRACTAt the beginning of the colonization process, the Portuguese had to live with many languages that were spoken by the indigenous people who occupied the Brazilian territory. From the eighteenth century, a government decree of the Marquis of Pombal banned the use of socalled general language and other native languages, requiring the Brazilian people to Portuguese as an official language. However, manyindigenous languages remained, perhaps as a form of resistance. Portuguese is the official language of Brazil. But that same Brazil owns a linguistic heritage that has about 200 indigenous languages, besides having great influence on other languages of African, European and Asian origin. Thus, the present study, based on a critical analysis, aimsto bring some views on this linguistic diversity in the history of Brazilian education. Therefore this research makes a brief review of the process that led to the hegemony of the Portuguese spoken in Brazil, discusses the methods of repression of migrant people in southern Brazil and theprocess of extinction of the languages of indigenous peoples, and bring a brief approach on linguistic variation in relation to the Portuguese spoken as well as written. The methodology applied to this work adhered to a descriptive study, the type literature review, which is backed by scientific literature and referenced academic papers that discuss cultural diversity and sociolinguistics with different approaches. Keywords: Diversity. Language. Portuguese.RESUMENAl comienzo del proceso de colonización, los portugueses tuvieron que convivir con muchas lenguas que eran habladas por los indígenas que ocupaban el territorio brasileño. A partir del siglo XVIII, un Decreto del gobierno del Marqués de Pombal prohibió el uso de lallamada lengua general y otras lenguas nativas, imponiendo al puebblo brasileño la lengua portuguesa como lengua oficial. Sin embargo, muchos idiomas indígenas siguieron siendo, tal vez como una forma de resistencia. El portugués es la lengua oficial de Brasil, pero esse mismo Brasil posee un patrimonio lingüístico que tiene alrededor de 200 lenguas indígenas, además de tener una gran influencia en otras lenguas de origen africana, europea y asiática. Así, el presente estudio, basado en un análisis crítico, tiene como objetivo traer algunas concepciones sobre esta diversidade linguística en la historia de la educación brasileña. Por lo tanto, en esta investigación se hace una breve retrospectiva del proceso que condujo a la hegemonización del portugués hablado en Brasil, se discute los métodos de represión a las personas migrantes del sur de Brasil y el processo de extinción de las lenguas de los pueblos indígenas, además de traer un enfoque sobre la variación linguística en relación al portugués hablado, así como escrito. La metodología aplicada al trabajo se basó en un estudio descriptivo, con una la revisión bibliográfica, que se respaldó en literaturas científicas y trabajos académicos referenciados, que tratan sobre la diversidad cultural y sociolinguística, con diferentes enfoques.Palabras clave: Diversidad. Idioma. Portugués.


2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 250
Author(s):  
Marcia A. Mardis

National emphases on STEM learning and digital textbooks have highlighted the importance of high quality digital instructional materials. Because teachers often lack the time and expertise to find, assess, and organize multimedia, school librarians can support STEM learning by providing media-rich, current, curriculum-linked library collections. To determine whether Discovery Education Streaming, a leading commercial database is a viable source of school library STEM resources, the researcher analyzed its multimedia assets by media, grade, category, and copyright. Results suggested that the database’s extensive content was comprised mainly of video segments, complete videos, and images but that this content was outdated, had uneven grade coverage, and addressed limited topics. While the results raise concerns about Discovery Education Streaming as an enhancement to library collections, careful use of these sources may allow school librarians opportunities to integrate high quality digital assets into their collections through specific strategies for policy, research, and practice.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tamzen Kulyk

Pyle, C. Kevin.  Take What You Can Carry. New York. Henry Holt and Company LLC, 2012. Print. ​This graphic novel intertwines two different stories, set four generations apart. The two stories are told in alternating perspectives of the two main characters, Ken and Kyle. To emphasize and distinguish between the two different stories, Pyle uses two diverse colors to set them apart.  Ken’s story, in sepia tones, is set in 1941 when his family is sent to a Japanese Internment camp.  Kyle’s story, in blue watercolor, takes place in 1978 in Chicago when he moves to a new neighborhood, is making new friends and rebelling against his father. ​ At the beginning it seems as though the two stories may never connect.  Ken’s family has been uprooted from their home, his father is placed in jail, and he and his family are taken to an internment camp where they are treated like animals.  Ken is faced with many decisions and choices about how to deal with his new life.  Similarly, Kyle’s new friends begin stealing and they all become more reckless.  Although Ken and Kyle’s worlds are vastly different, they are both faced with strikingly similar choices.  Both teenagers are able to rise above, with the help of a wise adult, and take responsibility for their actions, and discover compassion and loyalty despite the hardships faced.  Ken’s story has no narration or text, only pictures.  This requires the reader to rely on the images to infer and make meaning from them.  As a result, Ken’s story can be difficult to understand and necessitates an experienced visual reader with an ability to draw conclusions from images, and a reader interested enough to reread sections.   Historical notes are provided at the end of the story to fill in the gaps and provide further context for the reader. Despite the shortcomings of having to put the pieces together, it does challenge the reader to think critically about this time in history and make connections to current day society.  A thought provoking read, with important messages for all ages about forgiveness and finding happiness even in the most destitute of situations.  Recommended for school library collections. ​ ​Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars Reviewer: Tamzen Kulyk ​ Tamzen Kulyk is a teacher-librarian at two elementary schools in the Saskatoon Public School Division in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (14) ◽  
pp. 81-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshuaa Allison-Burbank

This article focuses on the influence of historical trauma (Brave Heart, Chase, Elkins, & Altschul, 2011) on the health and education of contemporary Native American (NA) communities. It is crucial that educators and health care professionals understand how events in American history have manifested as attempts to forcefully assimilate NAs into mainstream Euro-American culture. These attempts, which included relocation of NA communities onto reservations, enrollment of young NA children in government boarding schools and forcing these children to stop speaking native languages, and delivery of inadequate medical services (Adams, 1997) have resulted in psychological trauma that has negatively impacted multiple generations of NA families (Walker, 1999). These traumas have been found to be related to the high incidence of chronic health conditions and low academic achievement in NA communities (Whitbeck, Adams, Hoyt, & Chen, 2004; also see article by Gillispie, this issue). Understanding historical trauma as it has occurred in NA communities is a first step in our attempt to best serve NAs as speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in health care and educational settings. Knowledge and a deeper awareness of this historical trauma allows professionals to better understand negative attitudes toward formal education and medical service delivery systems that are not responsive to the rich cultural and linguistic diversity of NA people.


2021 ◽  
pp. 159-172
Author(s):  
Katarzyna Bałandynowicz-Panfil

How to convince the undecided – communication with the elderly and attitudes towards vaccination COVID-19 The pandemic has had its toll on the socio-economic life of most people. Governments and international organizations face new challenges in a situation of uncertainty. The next step in the fight against the threat of COVID-19 is the mass vaccination procedure. Social campaigns are designed to encourage as many people as possible to join the vaccination plan Achieving population resilience requires a significant commitment of organizational, financial and communication resources. Older people constitute a priority group in the vaccination system in Poland. However, despite the measures taken, there remains a significant share of seniors who remain reluctant to vaccination. The government is taking further pro-turnout measures targeted at the elderly. The shortcomings of the existing strategies should be eliminated for the benefit of society. This article is an attempt to summarize the research conducted so far in the field of the needs and possibilities of communication with the elderly, attitudes towards vaccinations and sources of influence on making purchasing decisions of seniors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Talita Talita ◽  
Tine Silvana Rachmawati ◽  
Edwin Rizal

The existence of school libraries can provide benefits for students to search for the information needed, as a place to work on their tasks, looking for entertaining reading materials or just to fill their spare time while on a break. The school library becomes to foster students reading interest if the collection is adapted to the students' needs. The SMA 3 Depok Library is a school library that has a library collection from fiction and non-fiction. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the availability of library collections which included the relevance and completeness of collections, and the collection updates in order to foster students’ interest in reading. The research method used the quantitative method through descriptive survey conducted on students of class XI SMA 3 Depok, with a population of 408 students. The sampling technique used in this study was simple random sampling with a total sample of 81 students. Data were obtained through a questionnaire, observation, interview, and literature study. The result of this research indicated, the library collection was quite relevant, the collection of books fulfilled the completeness of the collection, however the non-book collection did not exist yet; moreover, the library collection was in accordance with the latest development of knowledge. So, based on the three indicators previously mentioned, SMA 3 Depok students’ reading interest has developed which is shown by the high frequency of reading interest. The library in 3 SMA in Depok should be provided with adequate facilities to support the use of library collections.


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