Suppose your child has been moved to China. Your child does not speak Chinese; is it the school system's responsibility to teach your child in English? Or should your child be expected to learn in the country's language and perhaps get extra help on the side? Why should a school district spend money on bilingual classes rather than on reducing class sizes?
Bilingual education is a compilation of multicultural views through which diversity is enriched and bilingualism becomes the ability to communicate effectively in two or more languages with a similar degree of proficiency (Gallo, Garcia, Pinuelas, & Youngs, 2008). Bilingual education in the United States is seemingly beginning to quickly flourish as a program in elementary schools. My hope for the future of bilingual education across America is that there will be opportunities for all students to be able to have the opportunity to learn more than one language. Whether the students are learning English and then a second language or continuing to learn their native language while learning English as well. Families who are coming to the United
Bilingual Education
Bilingual education has been a politicized topic of debate for years. There are many whom support bilingual education being incorporated into students’ curriculums while others are adamant that it should not be a part of the classroom. Those that are opponents of bilingual education seem to fear the idea of students being exposed to a second language or becoming proficient in two languages. Bilingual education has many dimensions and definitions, which can cause some confusion, but the benefits of its inclusion into student’s curriculum are irrefutable.
What Is Bilingual Education and How Did It Come About?
As America’s demographics become more diverse and the issue of whether or not we should accommodate minorities arises, bilingual education has become a hot topic. Bilingual education has been discussed and connected to other controversial topics such as nationalism, racism, immigration, and adoption of English as the official language of the United States, along with minority rights, cultural diversity, and the goals of education itself. Here are some questions to be discussed:
María Estela Brisk, a Boston College professor, believes providing quality education to every student should be the main goal. Brisk states, “Bilingual teachers bring added knowledge and teaching and managing strategies that help increasingly multicultural schools” (Brisk 5). With each student coming from the same background, by setting a common ground, the students can become more successful with learning two languages. Benefits include strengthening the brain, better reading skills, the ability to learn a third language more quickly, and even the ability to perform higher on tests, than those who did not receive bilingual education. Students also have lower chances of Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Drawbacks also occur when students are not able to participate in the community as much since they are focusing on another language rather than
Bilingual Education
In order to learn more about the bilingual education program in the Public School system, we felt it would be essential to discuss a few controversial issues with some bilingual teachers, and ask them for their opinion on the effectiveness of the system and the concept of bilingual education. We also questioned the benefits and disadvantages of the program. We wrote and asked these question with Latino (Puerto Rican) migrants in mind, however the Public School system consists of many ethnic groups which speak other languages other than Spanish. As one of the teachers stated, the political connotation that Bilingual Education carries is that of concerning only Spanish and English.
When visiting just about any school across America, students who attend come from all over the globe. This raises the question across America about bilingual education. This can create many challenges in and out of the classroom. The classroom should be a safe place for all students regardless of what native language they speak. In the essay Lost in translation written by Eva Hoffman, describes a foreign student who tries hard to fit in. Instead, Eva begins to feel angry, hurt and confused because people laugh at her. In Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education by Elizabeth R. Howard, Julie Sugarman, Donna Christian Center for Applied Linguistics Kathryn J. Lindholm-Leary San José State University David Rogers Dual Language Education of New Mexico. Guiding principles gives great ideas to educators to stop kids from making other students feel the way that Eva felt. After reading several articles about bilingual education, it is evident that all children in school should learn English but never lose their native language. When all the students speak one language, students will be less likely to make fun of each other. A good educator should learn enough foreign languages to aid them in effective communication in their classroom although; if an educator does not speak a foreign language, they should recruit within the classroom students to be peer mentors. However, a teacher should be willing to listen and encourage the students. Above all a good educator should be a good role model to their students by respecting their heritage and their language.
The Responsibility of Bilingual Education
Bilingual education in public schools has been the topic of much discussion over the last several years. This discussion has been prompted due to the ever increasing numbers of Spanish-speaking persons emigrating to the United States, especially in those states that border Mexico--California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. What the debate seems always to overlook is our country’s other non-English speaking members. This country is now and has always been the “Melting Pot” for the world with persons emigrating to this country from most every country in the world; however, we commonly gear the focus of bilingual education toward our Spanish-speaking citizens.
Individually, when bilinguals bear in mind the fact that their ability to speak two languages helps their cognitive skills in strengthening development and function of attention, their self satisfaction should escalate. This is a blessing, not a hindrance. In America, people wrongfully look down upon foreigners as they arrive in the States, learn a second language, while also cling to their native language and cultural values. Monolingual Americans unjustifiably believe they have the advantage over these future bilinguals. What they do not know is when bilinguals master two languages and put into practice brain plasticity and cognitive development they will surpass and excel monolinguals with flying colors. It is proven through research that bilinguals outscore their monolingual peers again and again by more quicker, attentive, and accurate results. They should take pride in their hard work and consistent pressing motives to master a new language, hold onto their first, and do not compare themselves to the native monolinguals surrounding them. The Associated Press reports that up to 66 percent of the world’s children are raised bilingual (2001). Consequently, with those numbers society is humbled in understanding the bilingual advantage. It is comforting to be reminded of such an enriched advantage in bilingualism, even though monolinguist society disputes otherwise. Honestly, respect and acceptance in understanding the role of bilingualism plays an influential performance in bringing individuals and society
Everyone deserves the right to an education. Bilingual Education needs
attention and needs to be taken seriously in this country. Technically,
"bilingual education" means instruction in two languages. As commonly
used, however, it refers to range of instruction provided to students who
need to learn English. Services vary from classes in English, to a little
help in the student's primary language, to most academic instruction in
that primary language.