Policies Regarding the Teaching of English in Puerto Rico During the Past 114 Years
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First Change in Puerto Rico's language Policy after the conquest of 1898
The United States conquested Puerto Rico Island on July 25 of 1898. After the conquest, the first change of the language policy occurred; all subjects had to be taught in English. -
Teaching English only in the secondary schools
President Mckinley sent a commisioner of education to the island. Comissioner Brumbaugh decided that the language taught in the secondary schools was going to be English. In the previous grades classes were taught in Spanish. -
Official Language Act
In 1902 the Official Language Act was approved. This Act gave official status to English and Spanish. -
Revocation of Official Language Act; English Only
In this year, the Official Language Act was revoked by Theodore Roosevelt's Commisioner. He decided that English was the only language of instruction in all grades. -
Period: to
Nationalistic Trend to teach in Spanish from first to fourth grade
During this period a more nationalistic trend was observed. All classes were being taught in Spanish from first grade to fourth grade. -
José Padín: Spanish up to eighth grade.
Commissioner of Education José Padín established Spanish as the medium of instruction from first grade through eighth grade. There was an English class, but all the other classes were being taught in Spanish. -
Governor Blanton S. Winthdrop established English as the only way of instruction in all grades.
President Franklin Roosevelt named Blanton S. Winthrop governor of Puerto Rico. This governor changed the language policy again, and in this occasion established English as the language of instruction in all grades. -
Language Policy was changed once again: English only in the secondary schools
On this year, the language policy changed again. This time the policy was that English was going to be taught only in the secondary schools. Elementary school classes were in Spanish. -
Governor Luis Muñoz Marín established Spanish as the language of instruction
For the first time in the history of Puerto Rico a governor was elected. His name was Luis Muñoz He brought his new language policy. He established that Spanish was the way of instruction in all grades, but included English as a second language as a one period class a day. -
Law Number 4: "Spanish Only"
Governor Rafael Hernández Colón signed the law "Spanish Only". This law made Spanish the only official language in Puerto Rico. -
Law Number 1: Established English and Spanish as the official languages of Puerto Rico
This law revoked law number 4 from April 5, 1991 and established one more time English and Spanish as the official languages of Puerto Rico. -
"Bilingual Generation Program" by Governor Luis Fortuño
English and Spanish are still the official languages of the Island. Governor Luis Fortuño announced his "Bilingual Generation Program". He aims to have all public school students to be fully bilingual in ten years.
