Mission

The failure of traditional American Educational Institutions, including the K-12, Community College, and State University systems, to effectively educate African American and other students of color to levels of excellence has long been the norm and current data suggest that the trend is not changing fast enough. When students from diverse cultures enter traditional American schools, their culture, language, experiences, behaviors and ways of being and learning often do not match school norms and teacher expectations. African American, American Indian, Hawaiian American and Mexican American “Standard English Learners” – who constitute a large percentage of those students performing below and far below basic in core academic areas– bring cultural and linguistic differences to the classroom that when not accommodated, can pose significant educational challenges.  Spindler & Spindler (1994,) suggest that when the culture of school and different ethnic groups are not compatible, we have an obligation to improve the congruence between them in order to facilitate learning.

If Standard English Learners (SELs), (those students for whom standard English is not native) are to succeed in American schools they must acquire mastery of the language, culture, and literacies of school that serve as gatekeepers to educational opportunities and career options.  How best to facilitate this learning in Standard English learners (SELs) has proven illusive for most American public educational institutions. Limited knowledge of the cultural and linguistic capital Standard English Learners bring to the learning environment and minimal emphasis placed on identifying instructional methodologies that build on their learning styles and strengths, have negatively impacted school learning in this population.

America’s public schools have an obligation to identify and implement best practices in the instruction of all students, including Standard English Learners, that will foster the acquisition of school language, literacy, and learning at high levels while concomitantly  preserving the cultural and linguistic integrity of the student.

LeMoine and Associates Educational Consulting consortium is dedicated to eliminating disparities in educational outcomes and increasing academic achievement for underperforming SEL students. The consortium places an emphasis on Standard English Learner (SEL) populations including African American, American Indian, Hawaiian American, and Mexican American students for whom Standard English is not native. Our mission is to assure equity and excellence in education for SELs whose language acquisition and related learning needs have been consistently overlooked by educational institutions.

The LeMoine & Associates consortium provides comprehensive professional development, educational seminars, instructional institutes for college and university professors and training for teachers, administrators, coaches and other instructional support staff relative to meeting the language acquisition and learning needs of Standard English Learners. We advocate untiringly for SELs to have opportunities to acquire proficiency in the language and culture of school and to have access to rigorous core instruction in culturally and linguistically affirming learning environments.