Policies of the Department of Education regarding the teaching of English in the past 114 years
By Lionellys1
-
The first change in in the Puerto Rican language policy
This change introduced teaching all subjects in English in the public school. Also the Ex-Commissioner of U.S. Dr. John Eaton, established that puertorican teachers should learn English. -
A new policy in education
The Department of Public Instruction was created. Between 1900-1902, Commissioner Brumbaugh and the President of Education Mckinley established an educational policy indicating that the Spanish language will stay and students will acquire the English language. In the elementary level English was taught as a special subject and in highschool all subjects were going to be taught in English except Spanish that was going to be taught as a special subject. -
The Official Language Act
This year was created the Official Language Act. This Act granted the official status to both languages: English and Spanish. -
The Official Language Act was revoked
Theodore Roosevelt Commissioner of Education re-established English as the medium of instruction in all grades. -
Only English in all grades
English continued as the instruction mode in all subjects and in all grades of the School System. Lopez laguerre indicates that this policy was able through many different points like: English courses were prepared to de offered to teachers, once a week the classes were offered by American teachers, teachers were exposed to different types of tests to be evaluated, teacher obtained 10 dollars of amount in their check if they were qualified to teach English. -
The separatist movement
Many teachers were unconfortable with the only English mode. Therefore a group of teachers started a protest call the separative movement with the objective of adopting Spanish as the teaching language. This year, the use of Spanish language was allowed in some first grade courses like: health, hygiene and lecture. -
A new project of law
A new project of law was presented to make compulsory the usage of Spanish as a teachin mode. This project was allowed for grades from first to fourth and English was teached in the half of the assignments in the fifth grade. This last mode was applied in six to eight grade and highschool. -
Other changes in language policies
A change occured, Spanish was reinstated as the medium of instruction for the first four grades. -
The English language was emphasized
Juan B. Huyke, the Commissioner of Instruction made emphazise in the usage of English. It was a requirement for techers and students to speak spanish in and out of the classroom.The class material was published only in English. At this time no spanish material was allowed to be published. -
Teaching Spanish again!!
The Commissioner of Education, Jose Padin introduced a language policy which required all subjects except English to be taught in Spanish in the first eight grades. -
The language policy shifted
Blanton S. Winthrop made a language policy change. This time classes would be taught in English in all grades. -
A bilingual option
This time Jose Gallardo was the Commissioner of Education and proposed a bilingual education but many public protest did not allow his plan. -
English seems to be the Language again!!!
Winthrop's policy was modified during this year. English was established as the language of instruction in secondary schools. -
Spanish!!!
Education was offered in Spanish from the first to the sixth grade. English was only a simple assignment. -
Keep going on Spanish!!!
Classes kept on in Spanish but this time uptill twelve grade. This shift occured by the Popular Party, specifically by the Governor Luis Munos Marin. He established English will be taught for one period a day as a second language. -
No bilingualism allowed
Mariano Villaronga proposed that the teaching process was going to be in Spanish our mother tongue, and this way he finished with the bilingualism debate during many years. -
"Spanish Only"
A recent example of language policy was when the popular party approved the "Only Spanish" legislation. -
The law was revoked!!
A pro statehood party language policy occured, which established both English and Spanish as official languages on the island. -
Education in 2012
Students have many possibilities to acquire knowledge of English as a second language.
