Bilingual Education

Bilingual education is used in many schools and educational settings to teach students a new language, while still utilizing their current speaking skills. The purposes of this education are to teach students a second language to advance academic achievement in all areas. This program also seeks to help immigrants assimilate to a new culture while preserving their linguistic heritage. For someone just moving to a new country, this can be an excellent way to learn and study. "There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard." (Psalm 19:3)

These programs are for students who do not speak English or who have very limited English proficient (LEP). In some districts, bilingual education may be implemented to instruct a student in their native language in areas such as math and science so those areas can advance despite weak English skills. English instruction is provided so that the ultimate goal is for that student to become English proficient. Some bilingual learning programs end once the student is proficient in English. Others place more emphasis on preserving the native language and instruction continues in both languages with the goal that the student is literate in both.

Opponents of this type of education feel that completely immersing learners in a "sink or swim" method of language instruction is a faster and more efficient method of language instruction, and that supporting the use of two languages sends mixed messages and confuses learners. Some feel that if the government gives support to the use of this education process for classroom instruction, it is saying that learning English is not a necessary skill to be successful in our country. Language is a highly charged political topic in many areas and some states are trying to pass legislation that would mandate English-only instruction until an ESL (English as a Second Language) student were fully proficient in English. English-only proponents not only feel that the "sink or swim" method is faster and sends more appropriate messages, but that this approach is also cheaper since funding bilingual education programs is expensive and requires more teachers to address instruction in both languages in all subjects.

Current research seems to support the use of bilingual learning. Linguists argue that using two languages does not confuse learners who are clearly able to differentiate and separate the two languages. High school foreign language classes for English learners support this research. In French class, the teacher provides a great deal of instruction and explanation in English in effort to teach the French lessons. Supporters of bilingual education also argue that it is the quality of instruction and exposure to English that matter, not the quantity. In order for instruction to be meaningful, it has to be in an understandable context. Using the speaker's native language to give context helps support understanding. The debate over this issue has been brewing in the education community for decades. Now the debate has spread to the political level, spurred by ever-present school district budget problems and the shortage of bilingual teachers. Both sides of the debate cite research findings for their position and the topic is not likely to leave the political or education discussion tables anytime soon.



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