Puerto Rico Language Policy Timeline

By mig671
  • English Teachers

    English teachers will have a job. John Eaton, Ex-Commissioner and his helper Dr. Clark, established that Puerto Rican teachers had to learn English. Those who learnt it had the advantage of being hired for teaching.
  • Language Policy in PR after Spanish American War

    All classes will be taught in English
  • The creation of the Department of Education

    The Public Instruction Department of Puerto Rico is created with a commissioner in charge of the department.
  • Educators must learn Emglish

    Commissioner of Education educators had to learn English in order to teach classes in English.
  • Language Act English and Spanish

    English and Spanish become the official languages of Puerto Rico. Spanish is the first language, English as a second language.
    The educational policy was to keep Spanish and to acquire English: All subjects will be taught in Spanish except for English.
  • English becomes the official language of PR

    The use of English in schools was very popular. The use of English in schools was intended to have it become the official language of the schools in Puerto Rico.
  • Teachers College in the USA

    Five hundred and forty Puerto Rican teachers are sent to universities in the USA to learn English during the summer.
  • Spanish no longer taught in school

    Spanish use is eliminated, English is the only language used to teach all subjects in school.
  • The number of registered students increased in schools.

    The number of English teachers increased as a result English became the official language. The demand to learn English increased therefore more students registered in schools.
  • Spanish language only taught in first grade

    Spanish is the official language in classes such as Hygiene, Health, and Reading.
  • Spanish language

    A law is introduced which stets that Spanish as the official language to be taught dusring instruction in Puerto Rico.
  • Spanish and English

    Spanish is the official language to be used in a classroom from grades first through fourth grade. From the fifth grade on English would be used in some classes and Spanish on the rest.
  • American Citizanship

    Puerto Ricans are granted American Citizenship
    World War I begins. Puerto Ricans are granted American citizenship. Children are taught in school about patriotism.
  • English used and taught at all times.

    Commissioner Juan B. Huyke encourages thath English is used at all times in order to practice and learn the language. Teacher s and students were encouraged to use English in and out of the classroom. Books were published in English only. Spanish books and materials were banned.
  • ESL

    ESL
    Jose Padin established English as a foreign language in a pedagogical perspective. He encouraged to use Spanish as the means of instruction. English was taught and used as a second language.
  • English instruction results

    President Roosevelt demanded that Puerto Ricans should learn English after 38 years of instruction. Presidents Roosevelt required that all education was to be given in English, so that the generations to come could speak and write in English.
  • Spanish and English separated

    From first to sixth grade Spanish remained as the main language. English was taught as a separate subject.
  • Spanish used up to ninth grade

    Spanish used up to ninth grade
    The Spanish language was to be used from first to ninth grade as the official language.
  • Spanish language prevails

    Dr. Mariano Villaronga put an end to the bilingual debate. Dr. Villaronga stated thath Spanish was to be used at all grade levels in 1949, this rule prevails today.
  • Federal grants and funding for Education

    The Department of Education and the Universities requested educational funding in order to teach students that came from the USA.
  • Bilingual Projects

    The Catholic Church implemented Bilingual projects in Puerto Rico
    Padre Rufo and Papa Juan XXIII established Bilingual Projects in Puerto Rico.
  • Bilingual Projects

    Bilingual projects transferred
    The Bilingual Program is transferred to the English Department.
  • Spanish only Law Passed

    Under the government of Rafael Hernández Colón the "Spanish Only Law" was approved as Law Number 4 on April 5, 1991.
  • English and Spanish become official languages

    Under the government of Pedro Roselló Law Number 1 of January 28, 1993, proclaimed English and Spanish to be the official languages of Puerto Rico.
  • Bilingual Schools

    The Bilingual Citizen Project was established in various schools across the island.
  • Bilingual projects

    Governor Luis Fortuno established new bilingual schools and initiatives in Puerto Rico under the BEC-21 and ES-21 projects.
  • Future of Bilingual Programs

    Governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla will stop the BEC 21 and ES21 projects on May 2013.