Cycles of Harm and Repair: The Role of Research in Shaping Multilingual Learner Policies and Practices Since Lau v. Nichols

Session Type: Invited Speaker Session

Abstract

In 2024-25, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of the landmark Lau v. Nichols decision, which ruled that denying students with limited English proficiency appropriate language instruction violated their rights under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by denying them equal access to education. Over the past five decades, not only has the terminology for these students evolved—from “limited English proficient” to "English learners" to "multilingual learners"—but so have the policies and instructional practices designed to support them. This session brings together experts in policy, language ideology, language instruction, content instruction, and assessment to explore how research has shaped the evolving policies and practices impacting multilingual learners, highlighting the ongoing cycles of harm and repair that have defined the last 50 years.

Sub Unit

• AERA Presidential Session

Chair

• Lorena Llosa, New York University

Participants

• George C. Bunch, University of California - Santa Cruz

• Molly M. Faulkner-Bond, WestEd

• Michael J. Kieffer, New York University

• Ramon Antonio Martinez, Stanford University