Professor quoted in Atlanta newspaper article

Department of language and literacy education professor Ruth Harman was recently quoted in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in a story addressing the large number of students with limited English proficiency.

The piece detailed new efforts by Gwinnett County Schools to help foreign-born students who have had little formal schooling. Many students are from Central or South America and have trouble comprehending English.

Harman says schools should embrace the students' native language, with research showing that students who master their native language can learn English or another language better. She suggests the state should add more dual-language immersion programs to teach students subjects in two languages.

"If you devalue (their native) language, you devalue the student," she says.