How can we best support Bilingual &
Dual Language Education in schools?
As a third grade teacher in a NYC public school, a mom of a beautiful toddler and a former prekindergarten teacher, I often wonder about Bilingualism and Dual Language Schools. Is only speaking Spanish at home to my daughter the right thing? Will she confuse English and Spanish when she starts school? Should I consider putting her into a Dual Language School of another language other than Spanish or English?
According to the US Census Bureau, children whose first language is not English would consist of approximately 40 percent of the school population by the year 2030. The percentage increase is even more drastic when looking at preschool years. The increase can be mainly attributed to immigration and birth rate for first generation Americans.[i]
The increase in Dual Language Learners in our school population has lead to a call for increase awareness to schooling environment. These environments play a huge role in their educational achievement and because they are Dual Language Leaners it makes it just that much harder for them then it would a native English speaker to excel in today’s environment.
What does this mean? Does bilingual education have a chance to become a more significant instructional model in public school? Is this possible?
Children in Europe and other countries around the world are often exposed to more than one language from an early age in school. In the United States, we are slow to jump on the bandwagon. We are just now offering Dual Language Programs, which offer instruction in both English and a second language. These programs are exploding across the nation in elementary schools.
Research has shown speaking multiple languages increases our ability to communicate with each other and can actually help in creating new neural pathways in our brain. When a bilingual child shifts between languages, the brain matures increased exclusive control. This allows the child the capacity to effectively achieve higher cognitive processes; such as problem-solving, memory, and thought.
Statement of Purpose: the purpose of this research project is to investigate the teaching practices in today’s classrooms for Dual Language Students. Changing how we are currently delivering instruction that is culturally and linguistically appropriate for all diverse learners.
Below would be the Logic Model I would use to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of my research proposal.
**The clipart in this design is from Melonheadz Illustrating. Thank you for sharing your designs!**
“We cannot lose sight of the benefits of using the home language in any child’s education, and we cannot ignore the benefits that will accrue to anyone in the 21st century who has bilingual and plurilingual abilities.” Garcia, 2010[ii]
Overall Dual Language Schools ensure remarkable advantages. Through the development of combining biography-driven instruction and bilingualism, we can help students with learning disabilities be more successful in an academic setting, to ensure they are receiving “lifeworthy” learning for the 21st century.
[i] Center for Public Education. 2012. “The United States of Education: The Changing Demographics of the United States and Their Schools.” www.centerforpubliceducation.org/You-May-Also-Be- Interested-In-landing-page-level/Organizing-a-School-YMABI/ The-United-States-of-education-The-changing-demographics-of- the-United-States-and-their-schools.html.
[ii] https://www.engageny.org/file/103356/download/nti-august-2014-ell-presentation.pdf?token=tJ39YTVM.
Espinosa, L.M. 2010. “Assessment of Young English Language Learners.” Chap. 7 in Young English Language Learners: Current Research and Emerging Directions for Practice and Policy, eds. E.E. GarcÃa & E.C. Frede, 119–42. New York: Teachers College Press.
