How do metaphors like “melting pot” and “tossed salad” both capture and mask American identity?
Traditionally, Americans viewed their identity as a simplistic melting pot, where the historical and cultural differences of immigrants are lost and a new American is forged. The tossed salad image views Americans as honoring their past cultures as well as their new nationality. Perhaps both are simplistic perceptions, but they influence people’s mindset a great deal. • What are the political and instructional issues surrounding bilingual education? In Lau v. Nichols (1974), the Supreme Court ruled that schools were deficient in their treatment of students with limited English proficiency. Many schools subsequently established a variety of bilingual programs. Some programs teach students in their native language until they learn English (the transitional approach), others teach in both languages (the maintenance approach), and some use English as a Second Language (ESL). Studies suggest that many bilingual programs often fall short of their goals, and some critics advocate fast-paced i
