ABSTRACT
Socialactionhadtakenplace.Thechildrenhadacquiredthelanguage andculturalknowledgetobeonequalparwithhigh-statusmembersofthe institution.Theyhadtransferredwhathadbeenlivedaspartofanengineered environmenttoanunfamiliarcontext(Stanton-Salazaretal.,1995).Theyfelt athomeattheuniversity.Somuchsothatattheendoftheirpresentation.a10year-oldboylookedstraightatthestudents,pointedinthemanneroftheUncle SamontheArmyposterandloudlyannounced,"WENEEDYOU!"Theorder ofthingshadbeendisrupted.Insteadoffeelingdifferent,outofsync,or acquiescent.languageminoritylearnershadassumedapositionofleadership withinaprestigiousinstitution.Theyhadachieved"expertparticipation"ina systemthatalthoughspatiallyremovedfromtheireverydaylivesformedan integralpartofthesocialandintellectualactivitiesofLaClaseMagica.
