Controversies regarding the issue of language to be used in education in California are gaining public attention. A significant proportion of the population in California, being one of the states adjacent to Mexico, is comprised of Hispanic. This enriches, but also complicates the educational system of the state. Specifically, the range of different racial background causes language problems in school today. Therefore, especially in terms of the formulation of educational policies as well as in the classroom setting, the Hispanic population must be taken into consideration. Although bilingual education seems like a positive way to educate Spanish-speaking students, it is actually detrimental because it makes no difference in their grades, there is a limited amount of bilingual speakers to teach them, and the parents of the Hispanic students support the ban of the bilingual education system.
As of yet, there are still varied opinions as to whether the use of both the native and the local language is constructive or distractive to the Latino students’ learning of the English language and of the school subjects as a whole. A recent study by Branum and other authors of “Contextual Effects of Bilingual Programs ” in 2010 shows that, in a test for comprehension of English passages, the average scores of first graders under the English Immersion program and those under Spanish Maintenance programs did not vary significantly (341). This proves that the bilingual educational system does not really benefits the students when it comes to grades.
For all the parties involved in the educational system, from the policy-makers and the educators to the students (and to some extent the students’ parents), bilingualism brings forth further comp...
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...nd the students. Amidst the discussions, the proper education of every student, without exemption, remains the ultimate goal, and we must not lose sight of this.
Works Cited
Branum-Martin, Lee et al. “Contextual Effects of Bilingual Programs on Beginning Reading.” Journal of Educational Psychology 102.2 (2010): 341–55.
Farruggio, Pete. “Latino Immigrant Parents’ Views of Bilingual Education as a Vehicle for Heritage Preservation.” Journal of Latinos and Education 9.1 (2010): 3-21.
Monzó, Lilia. Latino Parents’ “Choice” for Bilingual Education in an Urban California School: Language Politics in the Aftermath of Proposition 227.” Bilingual Research Journal 29.2 (2005): 365-86.
Necochea, Juan, and Zulmara Cline. “Effective Educational Practices for English Language Learners within Mainstream Settings.” Race Ethnicity and Education 3.3 (2000): 317-32.
Opinion Editorial By Hassan Abdi In the article written by Richard Rodriguez, Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood, he conveys an opinion that Bilingual education doesn’t work. He conveys it through his personal experience. Published by the Phi Beta Kappa to the American Society in 1981, the audience and his message are a broad and important now as it was thirty five years ago. As the amount of children that don’t speak English as their first language continue to rise, bilingual education has become a polarizing topic like most things, and for me, I am neutral on the topic. A form of bilingual education has failed me, but, for most students it benefits in the long term, and it 's not right to dispel one side of the topic to push your own
...roughout his autobiography, Rodriguez illustrates the problematic conditions revolving around bilingual education programs and affirmative action, pointing out that both policies tend to negate their intentions. Rodriguez scathingly criticizes both programs correctly identifying the first as an obstacle to what he sees as the keys to success in America--a solid education and learning to speak and write English well--and the second as promoting socially crippling labels--"disadvantaged minority." Through countless arguments that a bilingual program hinders English and non-English students' education and that affirmative action accommodates only "privileged" minority students rather than the students most in need, Rodriguez's life story, Hunger of Memory, serves as a political publication meant to raise concern for the function of government in the education system.
According with Jean Piaget whose theory on child development has been a great influence in education; language development is the most important phase during the Preoperational stage of cognitive development. During this stage children develop and build up their knowledge and vocabulary by asking questions and expressing ideas through words, images and drawings. This stage is considerate to happen from two years of to seven years of age (Kendra Cherry). Language development has direct implications in the intellectual development of a child, and it is one of the main tools to develop our thinking process. We use words to store and access memories or other information. For Latinos children and especially recent arrivals whose language is Spanish entering to school where their primary language (Mother tongue) has no validation neither use may be traumatic and even hinder their future opportunities to succeed in a school system that is complete foreign in concept and in language. In order to integrate and create opportunities for the Latino students to succeed the in the educational system we must create programs that address the specific needs of the Latino community such as bilingual education where students learn to speak, read and write in their mother tongue language first.
The legal and historical rationale of Bilingual Education has been around for quite some time and appears to a continuous issue with educators and political figures. Numerous articles have been written in favor and against Bilingual Education. The articles I read and summarized relate to some of the issues that have evolved from various proponents and opponents of how education should be presented to ELs in the United States. Summaries and a brief timeline of legislation up to the passage of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) follow.
Bilingual education policy is political activity replete with historical, social, cultural, and economic contexts (Crawford, 2000; Tolleson & Tsui, 2004). It is linked to legislation, court decisions, and executive actions. (Gandara & Gomez, 2009). The BEA came at an exceptional period of domestic upheaval, demographic transformation, and on the heel of the civil right movement. The Act created a channel to provide states and local education districts with funds, personnel assistance, and other incentives for the development of bilingual education program.
When one thinks about Hispanics, all too often the image of a field full of migrant workers picking fruit or vegetables in the hot sun comes to mind. This has become the stereotypical picture of a people whose determination and character are as strong or stronger than that of the Polish, Jewish, Greek, or Italian who arrived in the United States in the early 1900's. Then, the center of the new beginning for each immigrant family was an education. An education was the "ladder by which the children of immigrants climbed out of poverty into the mainstream." (Calderon & Slavin, 2001, p. iv) That ideal has not changed, as the Hispanic population has grown in the United States to large numbers very quickly and with little fanfare. Now, the population of Hispanics in the United States has reached numbers that are finally drawing that attention of schools, state offices, the federal government, and the marketplace. As the new, largest minority, as well as the largest bilingual group, in the United States, Hispanics are finally being recognized as a group of people with the potential to greatly impact economic, social, and education reform. In this paper, several issues will be examined that relate to education: language barriers, poverty, cultural representation, and problem schools. Through an understanding of the Hispanic culture and the motivation behind the Hispanic population, the American education system will be able to overcome the natural hindrances of a diverse society.
What would happen to a city that has a declining rate of bilingualism and has always thrived and been successful because of it? Nothing but a bad outcome. That, amongst other crucial consequences, is exactly what Phillip M. Carter, author of “It’s Time for Miami to Embrace Bilingualism” warns us about in his editorial. This article was originally published in the print edition of Diario las Americas on April 15, a Hispanic news outlet with its main focus in America’s cultural and political events. This online news article is targeted to young Latinos born in the United States. The purpose is to create awareness and inform them about the significance of bilingualism in their individual lives and its contributions to society.
Hispanic culture has had a profound effect on American education when it comes to diversity in schools. “Here are now approximately 10 million Hispanic students in the nation’s public kindergartens and its elementary and high schools; they make up about one-in-five public school students in the United States” (Fry 5). There is predicted to be a strong growth in Hispanic students, by 2050 bureau projects predicts that the Hispanic school-age population will increase by 166% (Gonzales 5). With the increase of Hispanics in America, there has been an increase of the graduating Hispanics in school “A record seven- in – ten (69%) A Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012” (Fry 5). There has been a 97.1% enrollment rate for Hispanics in America ranging from ages 5 through 7 in 2011 (Fry 5). For college there has been a 15.3% enrollment for Hispanics ages 18 through 24, and for ages 25 and up the enrollment rate is 2.1% (Fry 5). More than 21% of schoolchildren are Hispanic (Samuels ...
Despite the high number of ELL students, it is difficult to know, because of lack of data to see what type of educational programs they participate in. According to Prospects, a 1995 national survey, reading and math were taught in programs using bilingual education in less than half of first and third grade classrooms serving limited English proficient students. Offered more frequently were programs where instruction was offered only in English, or where instructional aides, not teachers, were the vehicles for native language instruction.
This essay will consist of two analyses of significant legislations. One is the reauthorization of 1994 regarding the Bilingual Education Act (BEA). Two is Title III or English Language Acquisition Language Enhancement and Academic Achievement Act. The three states discussed in this essay regarding English language learner issues are California, Arizona, and Massachusetts. However, these three states share the anti-bilingual education law. California enacted the law in 1998. Arizona initiated the law in 2000. Massachusetts approved by legislature the law in 2002. This essay will also discuss the comparisons with the anti-bilingual law passed in these three states, explanation of challenges with the anti-bilingual law in the three states and an explanation of the benefits of the anti-bilingual law in the three states.
In 1939, Ohio became the first state to adopt a bilingual education law, authorizing German-English instruction at parents’ request. By the end of the nineteenth century, about a dozen states had passed similar laws. By the turn of the century, it was estimated that at least 600,000 primary school students were receiving part, or all, of their education in the German language, that equaled approximately four percent of American children in the elementary level. These numbers add up to be more students than those students enrolled in Spanish-English programs today. It seemed, at that time, that bilingual education was becoming more prominent and successful in the United States. However, once the country entered the first world war, these educational programs seemed to collapse dramatically. Fears about the ...
The debate now is whether there is sufficient studies proving the effectiveness of Bilingual education and the need to continue it in many states. In 1998 Los Angeles County passed Proposition 227 to create bilingual education programs. (LA Times October 23.1998) Because of the passing of this bill many students were left in limbo waiting for teaching plans to be made. As well as the budget to be reformed to accommodate the extra expenses of a bilingual education programs, books, and to hire the proper teachers and aids to assists in the new bilingual classes. Often there are only a few children in a classroom being taught in their native language whil...
The author points out a number of factors that are key to the prosperity of the Hispanic people in America. He does not just focus on the cultural belonging part as the other liberals are claiming, but Greg puts his main focus and consideration on the future of the Hispanic people, and the prosperity of their generations to come and not just their personal short lived desires. If bilingual education is established in the American system of teaching, then it would be a mean that most of them will un...
From my experience, bilingual education was a disadvantage during my childhood. At the age of twelve, I was introduced into a bilingual classroom for the first time. The crowded classroom was a combination of seventh and eighth grade Spanish-speaking students, who ranged from the ages of twelve to fifteen. The idea of bilingual education was to help students who weren’t fluent in the English language. The main focus of bilingual education was to teach English and, at the same time, teach a very basic knowledge of the core curriculum subjects: Mathematics, Social Sciences, and Natural Sciences. Unfortunately, bilingual education had academic, psychological, and social disadvantages for me.
America, a country built on immigration dating back to the early 1600s Mayflower voyage, continues to thrive as a melting pot full of various cultures and ethnics. In the past, many immigrants came to America due to the offered freedoms and equality, yet today, many naturalized citizens suffer with injustices, including with educational practices. The use of bilingual education, which is teaching students in both English and their native language, has become a controversial topic. In 1968, the Bilingual Education Act, which recognized and offered education to students who were lacking English, was passed, yet the topic still seems questionable to some. Bilingual education provides a variety of beneficial attributes to equally help foreigners