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Bilingual education
Bilingual education involves teaching academic content in two languages, in a native and secondary language with varying
amounts of each language used in accordance with the program model. Bilingual education refers to the utilization of two
languages as means of instruction for students and considered part of or the entire school curriculum.[1]

Contents
Importance of Bilingual Education
Bilingual Education Program Models
American Congressional Acts
Myths surrounding bilingual education
By country or region
Effects of mother-tongue instruction
See also
References
Further reading
External links

Importance of Bilingual Education

Bilingual education is the pathway to bilingualism, which is the goal of understanding a second or foreign language. Bilingualism
provides a multidimensional view of language learning that contains five categories; individual, societal, family, school, and
disciplinary. Not only does bilingualism introduce new linguistics, but it gives a perspective on cultural diversity. This allows
intercultural communication which can lead to an increase in globalization and harmony among the universe.[2]

Bilingual Education Program Models

The following are several different types of bilingual education program models:

Transitional Bilingual Education. This involves education in a child's native language, typically for no more than three years,
to ensure that students do not fall behind in content areas like mathematics, science, and social studies while they are
learning English. Research has shown that many of the skills learned in the native language can be transferred easily to the
second language later. The goal is to help students transition to mainstream, English-only classrooms as quickly as
possible, and the linguistic goal of such programs is English acquisition only. In a transitional bilingual program, the
student's primary language is used as a vehicle to develop literacy skills and acquire academic knowledge. It is used to
develop literacy and academic skills in the primary language.[3]
Immersion Bilingual Programs: Immersion is a type of bilingual education in which subjects are taught in a students’
second language. The students are immersed into a classroom in which the subject is taught entirely in their second
language (non-native language). There are different facets of immersion in schools. There is total immersion in which the
whole class is taught in that second language. Partial immersion is when about half of the class time is spent learning that
second language. The third type of immersion within schools is called two-way immersion, also known as dual immersion.
Dual immersion occurs when half of the students in class natively speak that second language while the other half do not.
Dual immersion encourages each group of students to work together in learning each other’s language.[4]

Two-Way or Dual Language Immersion Bilingual Education. Dual Language or Two-Way Immersion education refers to
programs that provide grade-level content and literacy instruction to all students through two languages, English and a
partner language. These programs are designed to help native and non-native English speakers become bilingual and
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biliterate. There are four main types of dual language programs, these programs refer to how a student would best learn
with Dual Language Immersion based on their previous language skills.

Developmental, or maintenance bilingual programs. These programs enroll students who are native speakers of the
partner language to learn English.
Bilingual immersion programs. This program enrolls both native English speaker and native speakers of the partner
language.
Foreign language Immersion. This program primarily enrolls students who speak English as their native language.
Heritage language programs. These programs enroll students who primarily dominant in English, but a close relative
(parents, grandparents) speak the partner language.
There are two basic models for Dual Language Immersion The first model is 90/10 model. The two-way bilingual
immersion program has 90% of the instructions in grade K-1 in minority language which is less supported by the broader
society and 10% in the majority language. This proportion gradually changes in the majority language until the
curriculum is equally divided in both languages by 5th grade. The two-way bilingual immersion program is based on the
principle of clear curriculum separation of the two languages of instruction. Teachers do not repeat or translate the
subject matter in the second language but strengthen concepts taught in one language across the two languages in a
spiral curriculum in order to provide cognitive challenge(Thomas & Collier. 1997). The languages of instructions are
alternated by theme or content area. This type of immersion is required to develop the dual language proficiency, as
social language can be mastered in couple of years, but a higher level of competency is required to read social studies
texts or solve mathematics word problems, roughly around 5 to 7 years (Collier, 1987). The goal of gradually increasing
the majority of the language is for instruction to become 50% of English and 50% of the partner language. The second
model is the 50/50 model. In the 50/50 model English and the partner language are used equally throughout the
program.[5][6]
English as a Second Language: This program entails learning English while with people that speak the same language as
you. ESL is a supplementary, comprehensive English language program for students trying to learn the language to better
function in American society. People are learning English as a second language because English has assigned
communicative status in that country. Singapore, India, Malawi, and 50 other territories use English as part of the country’s
leading institutions, where it plays a second-language role in a multilingual society. ESL is different from EFL (English as a
foreign language). ESL is offered at many schools to accommodate the culturally diverse students, most often found in
urban areas, and helps these students keep up with subjects such as math and science. To teach ESL abroad, a bachelor's
degree and ESL teaching qualification is typically required at minimum.[7][8]
Dual Immersion classrooms encourage students but with the permission it may be enthusiastic &' native language development,
making an important contribution to heritage language maintenance and allows language minority students to remain in
classrooms with their native English-speaking peers, resulting in linguistic and socio-cultural advantages (Christian, 1996b). As
of May 2005, there were 317 dual immersion programs operating in elementary schools in the United States in 10 different
languages(Center for Applied Linguistics, 2005).

Dual Language programs are less common in US schools, although research indicates they are extremely effective in helping
students learn English well and aiding the long-term performance of English learners in school. Native English speakers benefit
by learning a second language. English language learners (ELLs) are not segregated from their peers.[9] These students are
taught in their mother tongue yet still in the typical 'American' classroom they need to be in, for both cognitive and social
benefits.

Another form of Bilingual Education is a type of Dual Language program that has students study in two different ways: 1) A
variety of academic subjects are taught in the students' second language, with specially trained bilingual teachers who can
understand students when they ask questions in their native language, but always answer in the second language; and 2)
Native language literacy classes improve students' writing and higher-order language skills in their first language. Research
has shown that many of the skills learned in the native language can be transferred easily to the second language later. In
this type of program, the native language classes do not teach academic subjects. The second-language classes are
content-based, rather than grammar-based, so students learn all of their academic subjects in the second language.[10]
Dual language is a type of bilingual education where students learn about reading and writing in two languages. In the
United States, majority of programs are English and Spanish but new partner languages have emerged lately such as
Japanese, Korean, French, Mandarin, and Arabic. The concept of Dual Language promotes bilingualism, improved
awareness of cultural diversity, and higher levels of academic achievement by means of lessons in two languages.[10]
Late-Exit or Developmental Bilingual Education. Education is in the child's native language for an extended duration,
accompanied by education in English. The goal is to develop literacy in the child's native language first, and transfer these
skills to the second language. This education is ideal for many English learning students, but in many instances the
resources for such education are not available.

American Congressional Acts

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The United States Congress introduced the Bilingual Act in 1968; it defines the term program for bilingual education. This
program of instruction is intended for children who are not fully proficient in the English language. Instructions are given so
pupils can achieve the necessary competence in English as well as in their original languages, taking into consideration the
children’s cultural heritage. This can be integrated into the subjects or courses of study, with the intent to enable students to
grow effectively throughout the educational system.[11]

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (1968) was another significant measure for bilingual education. Title VII
(Bilingual Education Act) created federal guidelines for bilingual education and recognized that "large numbers of children of
limited English-speaking ability in the United States" had "[s]pecial educational needs". The Act specified a federal
governmental obligation to subsidize creative bilingual programs. Title VII has been amended numerous times since it was
introduced; it became part of the America Schools Act in 1994.[12]

Myths surrounding bilingual education

Many myths and much prejudice has grown around bilingual education. Researchers from the UK and Poland have listed the
most entrenched misconceptions:[13]

bi- or multilinguals are exceptions to the ‘default’ monolingual ‘norm’;

in order to deserve the label ‘bi-/multilingual’, one needs to have an equal, ‘perfect’, ‘nativelike’ command of both/all her/his
languages;
childhood bilingualism may be detrimental to both linguistic and cognitive development and consequently lead to poorer
results at school;
exposing a child to more than one tongue may cause language impairment or deficits, or that for children already diagnosed
with impairments two languages mean too much unnecessary pressure and effort;
children do not have enough time to learn both languages, therefore it is better if they only acquire the majority language.
These are all harmful convictions which have long been debunked,[13] yet still persist among many parents. It is important to
understand what constitutes the decision for sending children to a bilingual school. The decision should be based on,
appropriate age, curriculum, and the preference of the child.[14]

In spite of these myths surrounding language education, there are numerous significant benefits to a child's development when
exposed to secondary language education. The American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages has identified over
twenty benefits to a child's development when provided adequate secondary language education, therefore debunking the vast
majority of myths that may inhibit such education.[15]

By country or region

Effects of mother-tongue instruction

Continuing to foster the abilities of children's mother tongue along with other languages has proven essential for their personal
and educational development because they retain their cultural identity and gain a deeper understanding of language.[16] Two
2016 studies of mother-tongue instruction in Ethiopia and Kenya respectively show that it had positive outcomes for the
students in both countries.[17][18]

See also
English as a foreign or second language
Intercultural bilingual education
Multilingual Education
National Association for Bilingual Education
Secondary Level English Proficiency test
Bimodal bilingualism

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Translanguaging

References
1. ASCD. "Bilingual Education: Effective Programming for Language-Minority Students" (http://www.ascd.org/publications/curri
culum_handbook/413/chapters/Bilingual_Education@_Effective_Programming_for_Language-Minority_Students.aspx).
ascd.org. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
2. "Bilingualism and Language Teaching Series: 2. How Bilingualism Informs Language Teaching - Papers & Essays" (https://w
ww.childresearch.net/papers/language/2013_02.html). Childresearch.net.
3. "What is Dual Language Education" (http://www.dlenm.org/what-is-dual-language-education.aspx). Dlenm.org.
4. "What is Language Immersion?" (http://www.teach-nology.com/teachers/bilingual_ed/langimmersion.html). Teach-
nology.com.
5. "What is Dual Language Education?" (http://www.dlenm.org/what-is-dual-language-education.aspx). Dlenm.org. Retrieved
February 23, 2019.
6. Washington, 4646 40th St NW. "Bilingual and Dual Language Education" (http://www.cal.org/areas-of-impact/english-learner
s/bilingual-and-dual-language-education). CAL. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
7. writer, Richard Nordquist Richard Nordquist is a freelance; English, former professor of; Grammar, Rhetoric who wrote
college-level; textbooks, Composition. "What Is English as a Second Language?" (https://www.thoughtco.com/english-as-a-
second-language-esl-1690599). ThoughtCo. Retrieved February 23, 2019.
8. "Teaching English as a Second Language (ESL)" (https://teach.com/become/what-can-i-teach/tesol/). teach.com. Retrieved
February 23, 2019.
9. (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2005; Thomas & Collier, 1997; Lindholm-Leary, 2000)
10. "What is Dual Language Education?" (http://www.dlenm.org/what-is-dual-language-education.aspx). dlenm.org. Retrieved
June 13, 2018.
11. Inc., US Legal. "Bilingual Education Act (1968) – Education" (https://education.uslegal.com/bilingualism/landmark-legislatio
n/bilingual-education-act-1968/). education.uslegal.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
12. "Transitional Bilingual Education Programs: Pros & Cons | Study.com" (https://study.com/academy/lesson/transitional-bilingu
al-education-programs-pros-cons.html). Study.com. Retrieved June 13, 2018.
13. Paradowski MB, Bator A (2016). "Perceived effectiveness of language acquisition in the process of multilingual upbringing
by parents of different nationalities". International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism. 21 (6): 1–19.
doi:10.1080/13670050.2016.1203858 (https://doi.org/10.1080%2F13670050.2016.1203858).
14. Racoma, Bernadine (March 6, 2014). "The Pros and Cons of Sending Your Kids to a Bilingual School" (https://www.daytrans
lations.com/blog/2014/03/the-pros-and-cons-of-sending-your-kids-to-a-bilingual-school-3924). Day Translations.
15. Crane, John (September 3, 2018). "When Will Public Elementary Schools in the US Finally Start Teaching Foreign
Languages?" (https://medium.com/@jcrane1/when-will-public-elementary-schools-in-the-us-finally-start-teaching-foreign-lan
guages-6cbc2716161b). Medium.com. Retrieved November 16, 2018.
16. Cummins, Jim (2001). "Bilingual children's mother tongue: Why is it important for education". Sprogforum. 19: 15–20 – via
Google Scholar.
17. Seid, Yared (December 1, 2016). "Does learning in mother tongue matter? Evidence from a natural experiment in Ethiopia".
Economics of Education Review. 55: 21–38. doi:10.1016/j.econedurev.2016.08.006 (https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.econedure
v.2016.08.006).
18. Piper, Benjamin; Zuilkowski, Stephanie S.; Ong’ele, Salome (September 15, 2016). "Implementing Mother Tongue
Instruction in the Real World: Results from a Medium-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial in Kenya". Comparative Education
Review. 60 (4): 776–807. doi:10.1086/688493 (https://doi.org/10.1086%2F688493). ISSN 0010-4086 (https://www.worldcat.
org/issn/0010-4086).

Further reading
Anderson, Barbara A., and Brian D. Silver, "Equality, Efficiency, and Politics in Soviet Bilingual Education Policy, 1934-
1980." American Political Science Review, Vol. 78, No. 4 (Dec., 1984), pp. 1019-1039
Baldauf, R.B. (2005). Coordinating government and community support for community language teaching in Australia:
Overview with special attention to New South Wales. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 8 (2&3):
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132–144
Carter, Steven. (November 2004). "Oui! They're only 3." Oregon Live.com
Crawford, J. (2004). Educating English Learners: Language Diversity in the Classroom (5th edition). Los Angeles: Bilingual
Educational Services (BES).
Cummins, J. & Genzuk, M. (1991). Analysis of Final Report: Longitudinal Study of Structured English Immersion Strategy,
Early Exit and Late-Exit Transitional Bilingual Education Programs for Language-Minority Children. USC Center for
Multilingual, Multicultural Research (https://web.archive.org/web/20100704044843/http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~genzuk/Ramirez
_report.html).
Dean, Bartholomew (Ed.) (2004) "Indigenous Education and the Prospects for Cultural Survival", Cultural Survival Quarterly,
(27) 4.
del Mazo, Pilar (2006) "The Multicultural Schoolbus: Is Bilingual Education Driving Our Children, and Our Nation, Towards
Failure?" [2006 Education Law Consortium]. The article is available at:
https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214202/http://www.educationlawconsortium.org/forum/2006/papers/delMazo2006_1.pdf
Dutcher, N., in collaboration with Tucker, G.R. (1994). The use of first and second languages in education: A review of
educational experience. Washington, DC: World Bank, East Asia and the Pacific Region, Country Department III.
Gao, Helen. (November 2004). "Fight over bilingual education continues." The San Diego Union-Tribune.
Gonzalez, A. (1998). Teaching in two or more languages in the Philippine context. In J. Cenoz & F. Genesee (Eds.), Beyond
bilingualism: Multilingualism and multilingual education (pp. 192–205). Clevedon, England: Multilingual Matters.
Grimes, B.F. (1992). Ethnologue: Languages of the world Dallas, TX: Summer Institute of Linguistics.
Hakuta, K. (1986).Mirror of language: The debate on bilingualism. New York: Basic Books.
Harris, S.G. & Devlin, B.C. (1996). "Bilingual programs involving Aboriginal languages in Australia". In Jim Cummins and
David Corso (Eds.), Encyclopedia of language and education, vol 5, pp. 1–14. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.
Hult, F.M. (2012). Ecology and multilingual education. In C. Chapelle (Gen. Ed.), Encyclopedia of applied linguistics (Vol. 3,
pp. 1835-1840). Malden, MA: Wiley-Blackwell.
Kalist, David E. (2005). "Registered Nurses and the Value of Bilingualism." Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 59(1): 101-
118.<http://digitalcommons.ilr.cornell.edu/ilrreview/vol59/iss1/6/>
Kloss, Heinz (1977, reprinted 1998). The American Bilingual Tradition. (Language in Education; 88) McHenry, IL: Center for
Applied Linguistics and Delta Systems. ISBN 1-887744-02-9
Krashen, S.D. (1999). Bilingual Education: Arguments for and (Bogus) Arguments Against [sic] University of Southern
California professor's article is available online at "digital.georgetown.edu" (http://digital.georgetown.edu/gurt/1999/gurt_199
9_10.pdf) (PDF). (201 KB)
Parrish, T.; Perez, M; Merickel, A.; and Linquanti, R.(2006). "Effects of the Implementation of Proposition 227 on the
Education of English Learners, K-12, Findings from a Five-Year Evaluation: Final Report." Washington, DC: AIR and San
Francisco: WestEd. The complete report is available free at http://www.WestEd.org/cs/we/view/rs/804 (https://web.archive.o
rg/web/20070425175151/http://www.wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/804). An abbreviated, more accessible summary of the
findings is available at http://www.WestEd.org/cs/we/view/rs/825 (https://web.archive.org/web/20070513205307/http://www.
wested.org/cs/we/view/rs/825)
Seidner, Stanley S.(1981–1989) Issues of Language Assessment. 3 vols. Springfield, Il.: State Board of Education.
Summer Institute of Linguistics. (1995). A survey of vernacular education programming at the provincial level within Papua
New Guinea. Ukarumpa, Papua New Guinea: Author.
Swain, M. (1996). Discovering successful second language teaching strategies and practices: From program evaluation to
classroom experimentation." Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, 17," 89-104.
Thomas, W.P., & Collier, V.P. (1997). Two languages are better than one. Educational Leadership, 55(4), 23-26.

External links
U.S. Department of Education Office of English Language Acquisition (http://www.ed.gov/offices/OELA)
National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (https://web.archive.org/web/20131113145910/http://www.ncela.g
wu.edu/)
PACE recommendation 1740 (2006) The place of the mother tongue in school education (http://assembly.coe.int/Mainf.asp?
link=/Documents/AdoptedText/ta06/EREC1740.htm)

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