Needs Assessment Survey and Goals and Objectives.

Overview & Synopsis

Inservice training sessions for directors, teachers, and teacher aides were the services most commonly requested in a 1978 survey of administrators and staff of Title VII bilingual education programs in the American Indian Bilingual Education Center (AIBEC) service region of New Mexico and parts of Colorado, Arizona, and Utah. Respondents felt that Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) should help meet staff training needs with courses in bilingual education methodology and philosophy, American Indian art for classroom teachers, and curriculum development. All respondents endorsed pilot and field tests of classroom materials. More information regarding bilingual education and greater involvement in schools and learning activities were the most commonly requested services for parents. Respondents perceived AIBEC's role in the overall Title VII bilingual plan as including the provision of: a united effort for American Indian bilingual education, teacher training, and program and legislative information. Respondents recommended that AIBEC improve communications with regional Title VII programs. Based on the survey results, AIBEC's goals for 1978-79 included: conducting needs assessments; providing training, technical assistance, and programmatic assistance for LEAs; pilot testing of curriculum materials; organizing a communication system; materials collection; parent training; and linguistic survey and analysis. (SB)