IN THE MID-1980s there was a consensus that the Puerto Rico educational system needed to change an educational reform was needed in order to prepare the Puerto Rican child for the twenty-fírst century. As a result, the legislature of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico passed the Organic Act (Law 68 of August 1990) of the Department of Education to ensure and guarantee all its citizens the opportunity to develop their values, attitudes, personal.
characteristics, and talents to the fullest extent. To further this goal, the government and Department of Education of Puerto Rico believe that its citizenry should have the right and opportunity to learn a second language.
    A mission of this administration is to assure that the teaching of English as a second language in Puerto Rico maintains the highest level of quality and excellence in education. Our English Program keeps abreast of the latest research projects and studies on reading and the teaching of English as a second language. Current research findings have brought about a new understanding and new view of how students learn to read, how they learn another language, and how they learn to speak.
    The English Program of the Department of Education reinforces and complements the overall goals of the Department of Education. This English Program Curriculum Guide offers teachers and our citizenry a complete understanding of the philosophy, principles, needs, goals, objectives, missions, characteristics, and rationale for the English Program and for the teaching of English as a second language in Puerto Rico. It also provides the basic competencies and academic disciplines as well as suggested activities that will help teachers reach their educational objectives. The opportunity for teachers to carefully plan their instruction in order to foster positive values and attitudes in our students is reinforced throughout this curriculum guide and complements the Department of Education's goal to develop an integrated program for human development.
    This curriculum guide is your escort into the world of English as it is taught in Puerto Rico. it will provide you with a sense of direction and purpose. lt will also provide insights and awareness of the educational theories and support the proposed methodology of the English Program. Thus, the understanding of this curriculum guide will empower the teachers to be creative in implementing techniques and strategies that meet the unique needs of our diverse student population. Furthermore, through this curriculum guide the Department of Education strives to provide the teachers of Puerto Rico with a tool they can employ or adapt in order to accommodate the challenging and changing needs of our students.
I wish you good luck as we embark on this exciting journey.