The United States has been a country of Immigrants for more than 200 years. Historically, immigrants were expected to shun their native customs and languages in favor of the dominant, local language, English. Most immigrants did learn English over time, but as education become more necessary for success, the gap between native non-native English speakers became more important to close. Drop out rates for non-native speakers were very high, and many students who did not drop out still performed very poorly, in part because they didn’t understand what was happening in class. According to the American Federation of Teachers, many states, including California and Texas created their own state-wide policies to help non-native English speaking students, but the Bilingual Education Act of 1968 was the first federal policy to recognize the needs of these students. The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSO) quotes the law on their website as follows: “Where inability to speak and understand the English language excludes national origin minority group children from effective participation in the educational program offered by a school district, the district must take affirmative steps to rectify the language deficiency in order to open its instructional program to these students."
Even today many people argue that full assimilation is better for the immigrant and the greater community, while others feel that multiple languages are a tremendous asset both for an individual and his/her community.
According to the U.S.
Department of Education's Office of Bilingual Education and Minority Languages
Affairs, "the role of bilingual education is grounded in two
knowledge-based principles:
- All children are capable of engaging in complex thinking tasks.
- Developing and maintaining the [student's] native language in no way interferes with English language acquisition. On the contrary, research over the last decade in bilingual classrooms with established models of instructional excellence indicates that utilization of and facility in the primary language enhances the acquisition of a second language."
What is bilingual
education?
According to the National Association for
Bilingual Education (NABE), bilingual education “refers to approaches in
the classroom that use the native languages of English language learners (ELLs)
for instruction.” By teaching in a student’s native language, as well as
English, native cultures and languages remain intact, but the student is able
to grow into the new language environment and ultimately achieve academic
success.
An article accessed from the UNesco
site explains there are multiple styles of multilingual education:
Bilingual education:
Students are given instruction
in two or more languages. The amount of instruction given in each language
varies from school to school.
Submersion:
Non-native English speakers are
given instruction completely in English, regardless of how long the student has
been learning English.
Two-way bilingual education:
Native and non-native English
speakers are placed in the same classes. Instruction is given in English as
well as the other native language, with the goal of all students becoming
proficient in both.
English as a Second Language (ESL):
Students spend part of the day
in regular classes and part of the day in ESL classes. In the ESL classes, they
receive focused instruction in mastering English.
Immersion:
This is often targeted towards
native English speakers who want to master a foreign language. Teachers deliver
instruction in a foreign language for the entire day.
Benefits and Drawbacks of Bilingual Education
The National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education explains
that “there are years of research showing that the brains of
bilingual people have better executive function, which is what allows you to
focus on problem solving, moving between tasks, and recalling words and
information. All of these are keys to being successful in life.”
According to Asia Society, speaking a
second language is a distinct
advantage when seeking a job and can result in higher
pay. The benefits of bilingual
education seem to have been accepted by a significant portion of the US
population, because now native English speaking students are being placed by
their parents in dual immersion schools—where they can learn a second or third
language fluently without leaving the country.
However, bilingual education can be
very expensive relative to monolingual systems. And much frustration stems from
the fact that not all students are seeing such positive results. Critics point
to test scores showing many students who perform poorly both in English and in
their Native language. Proponents and critics agree that there is a shortage of
qualified bilingual teachers.
What Can I Do As a Multilingual
Teacher?
The NEA has a list on their website
describing five things each of us can do to advocate for bilingual learning.
1. Isolate the issue. Begin by clarifying the
source of the issue, with the goal of identifying concerns in your immediate
environment and gaining insights about broader, external factors. For example,
imagine educators are complaining that many ELL families do not attend
parent-teacher conferences. Speak with families and find out why this is
happening. Are the conferences only occurring during hours when families have
to work? Have the expectations and procedures for conferences been clearly
conveyed to families in their home language? Is childcare provided if needed?
Once the root of the issue has been identified, appropriate action steps can be
planned. “Advocates often upset the applecart in their pursuit of a fair and
equitable society.” 2. Identify your allies. Advocacy occurs at different levels, alongside varied partners. To be effective, you must foster relationships with others, be willing to listen to opposing viewpoints, and use conflict as an impetus for change. There will be a wide variety of perspectives for any issue, and it’s important not to dismiss those who do not share your beliefs. Despite differing opinions, the advocacy process has the potential to be a consciousness-raising experience for all participants.
3. Be clear on the rights of ELL students. Have a clear understanding of the policies and laws that are in place to protect ELLs and their families. It empowers you to advocate from a position of what is ethically right and legally right. The rights of ELLs are encased in legislation, but also in hard-fought court victories that have been instrumental in actually protecting those rights and establishing educational standards: Mendez v. Westminster addressed the segregation of Mexican students in California schools and paved the way for Brown v. Board; Lau v. Nichols argued for ELL students’ rights to have instruction in a language they understand; Casteñeda v. Pickard demanded high-quality bilingual education programs; and Plyler v. Doe secured the right of undocumented students to an education.
4. Organize and educate others. Remember you are not alone. Create opportunities to share what you are doing with others. Take advantage of community events to discuss the issues impacting ELLs. These steps will allow you to expand your network of allies and to inform others about issues occurring in local schools. “An advocacy lens is always appropriate, but it is imperative in the face of injustice.” 2
5. Identify your outlets for change. Consider asking the following questions:
- What can I do in my classroom?
- What can I do in my school?
- What can I do in my district?
- What can I do in my community?
- How can I collaborate with other non-school-based communities?
Stewner-Manzanares, Gloria (Fall 1988). "Bilingual
Education Act: Twenty Years Later" (PDF). National Clearinghouse for
Bilingual Education. 6: 3.
Retrieved 9 October 2011
CCSO, (November 2015). “Dcuments Ensuring Equal Education
Opportunities for English Language Learners” (PDF) http://www.ccsso.org/Documents/Ensuring%20Equal%20Education%20Opportunities%20for%20English%20Language%20Learners.pdf
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