Premium Essay

Bilingual Education Research Paper

Submitted By
Words 478
Pages 2
First of all, I think that education is the best opportunity for people with an immigrant background to learn English and to integrate into the American society. Speaking the language of the country is the first step to integrate foreigners, and by consequence, immigrants. I chose the Hispanic community because it is one of the largest community living in the United States; the other one is the African-American community. Besides, in terms of bilingualism it is interested to study the relationship between Spanish and English as they involved in the same environment and how both Americans and Hispanics interact with those two languages. At least, I chose California not only because I had to restrain the geographical limits of my subject but …show more content…
Before dealing with Bilingual education in California, I will, firstly, study how Bilingual education appears in the United States and how far the federal government is concerned by the subject. Throughout my readings and my research, I found many websites and also research papers that deal with the matter. It appears that politicians were not really concerned by the issue. Bilingual education did not exist before the 20th century, Americans rejected the idea of learning other languages than English. This reaction must be understood as a part of the vision of the United States as a nation. The latter was an important notion for Americans at that time, they wanted to show to the world that the United States was a nation with his official language. By consequence, they reduced ethnic minorities' individual rights such as speaking their native language. I think, it is important to see Bilingual education from a general point of view to understand why it appears lately in the United States. In fact, the emergence of a policy about Bilingual education at a federal level was in the 1960s with the Bilingual Education Act in 1968. It is the first act passed by Congress in order to help people with

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Importance of Mother Tongue-Based Schooling for Educational Quality

...2005/ED/EFA/MRT/PI/9 Background paper prepared for the Education for All Global Monitoring Report 2005 The Quality Imperative The importance of mother tongue-based schooling for educational quality Carole Benson 2004 This paper was commissioned by the Education for All Global Monitoring Report as background information to assist in drafting the 2005 report. It has not been edited by the team. The views and opinions expressed in this paper are those of the author(s) and should not be attributed to the EFA Global Monitoring Report or to UNESCO. The papers can be cited with the following reference: “Paper commissioned for the EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005, The Quality Imperative”. For further information, please contact efareport@unesco.org The importance of mother tongue-based schooling for educational quality Commissioned study for EFA Global Monitoring Report 2005 Carol Benson, Ph.D. Centre for Research on Bilingualism Stockholm University 14 April 2004 Part A: Overview While there are many factors involved in delivering quality basic education, language is clearly the key to communication and understanding in the classroom. Many developing countries are characterized by individual as well as societal multilingualism, yet continue to allow a single foreign language to dominate the education sector. Instruction through a language that learners do not speak has been called “submersion” (Skutnabb-Kangas 2000) because it is analogous to...

Words: 10095 - Pages: 41

Premium Essay

Meow

...Research Problem and Method Paper In the late 19th century an influx of immigrants to the United States—mostly Irish, Italians, Jews, and Poles—prompted a public campaign to socialize the norms, values, and languages of these immigrants through the use of the public school system (Brandon, Taliaferro Baszile & Berry, 2009; Schaefer, 2006). It was believed that such a cultural transition from the immigrant’s native tongue to the monolingual, English structure of the American public school system would aid in the academic, and later when they became adults, the economic development of the students. Notwithstanding, today there is a new inflow of immigrants from Latin America—Mexico in particular—Asia, and Puerto Rico who do not speak English as their primary language, and the predominant response of the U.S. public school system is the use of translators in the classroom (Parker, Rubalcava & Teruel, 2005). I propose a research study design to isolate the utility of monolingual—with translator—and bilingual education to the assimilation of information by students from grades 3-5 in the public school system. The remainder of this paper will examine the interplay between language and education, the relationship between race/ethnicity and socialization in contemporary American culture, and the research design proposed to investigate the aforementioned interactions. Language and Education For those immigrants coming to America that do not speak English, the overwhelmingly...

Words: 979 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Topic

...1. Should non-standard varieties of English be used in education? Some educators believe that teaching students in the standard variety of their language is beneficial as it provides a universal mode of communication. Others believe that students are best served by education taught in their own variety of a language, even if it is non-standard. Choose and defend a position in this debate, making sure to explore the benefits and drawbacks of your choice. Focus on a single non-standard variety of English (e.g. AAVE), and evaluate specific benefits and drawbacks of your chosen position from the perspective of both speakers of this variety and educators. 2. Is bilingual acquisition beneficial? Some educators and other professionals believe that the simultaneous acquisition of two languages is confusing for an infant or young child and may delay acquisition of both languages. Others hold the view that not only is simultaneous language acquisition not confusing, the process of learning two languages at the same time is beneficial for the process of acquiring both. Review research on language acquisition with particular focus on bilingual acquisition. What are the advantages and disadvantages of early bilingual acquisition? Which position is more compelling? 3. Is language innate or just part of general cognition? The specific way that we acquire language is a contentious debate in the field of linguistics. Some researchers believe that humans are born with...

Words: 488 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Advantages of Bilingualism

...EDPROFST 226: Introduction to Bilingualism and Bilingual Immersion Education Assignment One: In his book, Language, Power and Pedagogy: bilingual children in the crossfire, Cummins (2000) tells a story of a bilingual Mexican mother who was ordered by a judge to stop speaking Spanish to her daughter during a custody dispute with her husband. The judge’s view was that the mother was ‘abusing’ her daughter by speaking Spanish in their home (p.13). Unfortunately the judge is not alone in his opinion in regards to second language acquisition and bilingualism. Nor is the context of America and the minority language of Spanish different from the New Zealand context in the way that minority languages are viewed ‘ongoing bilingualism in a so-called minority, indigenous or community language is still regarded by many as an educational, and wider social impediment” (May, Hill, Tiakiwai, 2004, p.8). Cummins asks some important questions in regards to bilingual education in both homes and schools including, ‘To what extent is it child abuse to send new teachers into classrooms (in multilingual cities such as Toronto, London, or New York) with minimal or no preparation on how to teach academic content to students who are in the process of learning English and whose cultural background differs significantly from that assumed by all of the structures of schooling (e.g. curriculum, assessment, and teacher preparation)?’ (Cummins, 2000, p.14) New Zealand is a rich, diverse multicultural...

Words: 2352 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Bilingual Education Vs Bilingual Education

...Bilingual Education is a way to label a huge term used to describe a wide variation of programs used in the United States. These programs are engineered to use full bilingualism, which is the use of two languages to teach academic content in the classroom. There are various different types of bilingual programs that are designed however, but all are geared to have the same exact outcome. The outcome for all of these programs is to use two languages proficiently in the classroom. The true question is whether bilingual programs are more effective in the long run over only English programs in raising students’ academic achievements. There are very many political and economic concerns that revolve around bilingual education in the U.S. Since...

Words: 1311 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Bilingualism

...de Información Científica Miranda Montenegro, Iván Ricardo Insights on Bilingualism and Bilingual Education: A Sociolinguistic Perspective Íkala, revista de lenguaje y cultura, vol. 17, núm. 3, septiembre-diciembre, 2012, pp. 263-272 Universidad de Antioquia Medellín, Colombia Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=255025411004 Íkala, revista de lenguaje y cultura, ISSN (Printed Version): 0123-3432 ikala@quimbaya.udea.edu.co Universidad de Antioquia Colombia How to cite Complete issue More information about this article Journal's homepage www.redalyc.org Non-Profit Academic Project, developed under the Open Acces Initiative InsIghts on BIlIngualIsm and BIlIngual EducatIon: a socIolInguIstIc PErsPEctIvE [Percepciones sobre el bilingüismo y la educación bilingüe: una perspectiva sociolingüística] Iván Ricardo Miranda Montenegro holds a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics to EFL Teaching from Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas. Colombia. He currently works as assistant professor at Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia. Mailing address: Universidad Pedagógica y Tecnológica de Colombia, Instituto Internacional de Idiomas, Calle 4 sur No 15-134 Sogamoso, Boyacá, Colombia. E-mail: ivan.miranda@uptc.edu.co Abstract This paper is primarily intended to present some major considerations about bilingualism and bilingual education from a sociolinguistic perspective. In the first instance and due to the high complexity...

Words: 5776 - Pages: 24

Premium Essay

Essay 1

...Leader 1 Mary Leader (Vesey) Professor: Michael Bell ENGLISH 701 9 September 2015 Essay Paper 1 Thesis Title Using these two articles, the Kenyan Malik articles, “Let Them Die, and Emilo Gutierrez, “My Bilingualism,” I will be supporting both articles, with statements about children being left at school because they are bilingual, and why languages should not die. Why we should preserve the languages dying, and the benefits in learning two languages. In Kenyan Malik’s article, he says, “There are 6000 languages in the world today, and that by the year 3000, there will be 600. He says languages die because people die. Malik, also states, that each nation speaks in the manner it thinks. For instance, if we live in France, the common language is French. If we lived in China the common language spoken, is Chinese, if we lived in Japan, the common language spoken is Japanese. And in my theory, opinion, if we do no preserve the language, there will be less for bilingual teachers and bilingual schools. Here is a false dilemma, fallacies Malik uses. Malik, says, “A language spoken by one person, or a few hundred, is not a language at all.” It is a private conceit, like a child’s secret code. This author is basis. The whole point of a language is to enable communication. Languages, can be saved, through books, and the internet. In Maliks article, he quotes, from Enoch Powell and he says, “Languages...

Words: 1494 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Bilingual Education Friend or Foe?

...Bilingual Education : Friend or Foe? Jennifer Smith Faulkner University Abstract This paper explores both the history of bilingual education as well as it’s implications for American Society. We will define the difference between bilingual education and bilingualism. It takes a formative look at the Bilingual Education Act to see our roots in bilingual education. We will examine both the advantages and disadvantages of bilingualism and it’s effect on the brain. Also, we will attempt to shed some needed light on just why this is such a hot political topic. Why do Americans still seem unwilling to accept bilingual education as a necessity for their children? Bilingual Education: Friend or Foe? Bilingual education is a polarizing topic in America. Torn between preserving American culture and what makes us American, and providing immigrant children with the same access to education that all Americans deserve, bilingual education is now a political topic in America. There have been many attempts to make positive changes in our education system concerning bilingual education. Even for those who agree that bilingual education is important, arriving at the answer to the best approach is on a meandering path. With decades of studies, opinions and speculation as to the right way to best educate English language learners, it is not unlikely that many Americans wonder if bilingual education is friend or foe? Answers to these questions...

Words: 2681 - Pages: 11

Free Essay

Case Analysis

...Bilingual Education and the Success of Boston’s Latino Youth The success of Latino students in the Boston Public School system is undoubtedly and inextricably linked to the success of the district, in partnership with state government, combining both proven and innovative strategies in delivering English language instruction to the city’s students. At 43% of total enrollment, Latino students are the largest and fastest-growing demographic in Boston Public Schools (Handy). And while a majority of Latino students speak English proficiently, census records show that in the City of Boston half of all Latinos were born outside of the United States; 30% of Latinos in the Boston Public School system are English Language Learners (Uriarte, Chen, and Kala 9), and, not surprisingly, the majority (57% in 2012) of Boston’s students classified as Limited English Proficient, speak Spanish (Uriarte). Simply put, there is no way to ensure that schools are working to the best capacity for the district’s largest ethnic group without also ensuring that proper systems are in place to educate English Language Learners, who are disproportionately Latino. Unfortunately, this has not always been the easiest of tasks, and a ballot initiative of over a decade ago would come to undermine much of the needed progress in the Boston Public Schools. November 5, 2002 may seem like a distant memory for some, but on that day, the result of that year’s election would come to have a resounding impact on Massachusetts’...

Words: 5472 - Pages: 22

Free Essay

Code-Switching Annotated Bibliography

...Wonguk Cho SLS 380 Annotated Bibliography García, O. (2008). Bilingual education in the 21st century. (1st ed., Vol. 1, pp. 42-71). Chichest, England: Wiley-Blackwell. This chapter of the book deals with translanguaging, which is an approach to explain bilingualism where speakers switch from one language to another. The author thinks bilingualism is not the simple sum of a language and another language, but more complicated ability that is involved in a complex processing of human brain. Moreover, she saw code-switching as an actuality or evidence of procedure of bilingualism. At first, she refers to there are two types of code-switching; intrasentential and intersentential. Intrasentential occurs in boundaries of a clause or a sentence, so a speaker may add words or phrase of a language into a sentence in another language. On the other hand, intersentential occurs at clause or sentence boundaries. In this case, a narrator adds a whole sentence of a particular language during speaking in another language. In addition, he describes how to distinguish between code-switching and code-mixing. The main difference is whether or not the speaker knows how to differentiate between the two languages. If they do, it must be code-switching. This chapter describes how to approach to my recording data with theoretical background. Since it is hard to explain why and how code-switching is happening in the data, this chapter provides me a strong notion of code-switching, which will...

Words: 945 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Bilingualism

...2009). People use this term in different ways. For some, bilingualism means an equal ability to communicate in two languages. For others, bilingualism means the ability to communicate in two languages but with the possibility of greater skills in one language. There is a lot of criteria that goes along with bilingualism. For this research paper, the criteria I focused on were: The history of bilingualism laws in the United States, pros/cons of bilingual education in America’s school system, who benefits the most from bilingual education programs; youths in elementary or the youths in high school, bilingualism in the labor market, and bilingualism in the media. In the society that we live in today, Bilingualism has become just as it is important to learn as to learn the language from the country of a person’s ethnical background. Bilingualism has come a far way in the last 20 years to where it is today. Whether we notice it or not bilingualism plays a part in every person’s day to day life. Bilingualism is highly researchable subject is given a lot of political, as well as ethical attention. Twenty years ago in the school system bilingual education programs were almost never heard of much in elementary schools for English speaking students to have to learn another language. Most often the kids who didn’t t know English well would leave the Reed 2 classroom and go to another classroom for language programs such as E.S.L for example. What is the ESL program and does ESL even...

Words: 2979 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Why People Code Switch

...Code-switch: A Sociolinguistic Approach Walid M Rihane Arab Open University Why do People Code-switch 2 Abstract This paper sets out at the beginning different definitions and approaches to the linguistic phenomenon - Code-Switching. Through my work, I will highlight five different factors that motivate code-switching in a bilingual speaker although the reasons for code-switching are many . I will talk about the role of ethnic solidarity, social class, topic, affection, and persuasion in motivating switching codes. I will use different approaches and case-studies conducted by researchers from inside and outside Lebanon to back up my discussion. Why do People Code-switch 3 Why do People Code-switch: A Sociolinguistic Approach 1. Introduction: A person is said to be multilingual if he or she is competent in more than one language. Multilingualism is usually the result of many factors, such as colonisation, intercultural marriage, cultural interaction, education, and many other reasons. The applied linguist Del Hymes defines communicative linguistic competence as, '[a person] acquires competence as to when to speak, when not, and as to what to talk about with whom, when, where, in what manner' (Hymes, 1979). In this way, a person who is capable of using appropriately two languages or more is said to be multilingual. Usually, bilinguals and multilinguals tend to switch languages within the same utterance. This phenomenon is referred to as code-switching. Eyamba...

Words: 2441 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

Education Is Essential for Me.

...Reading and Second Language Learners Research Report May 1999 This report prepared by Magda Costantino, Ph.D. The Evergreen Center for Education Improvement The Evergreen State College Olympia, Washington 98505 With assistance from: Joe St. Charles Susan Tepper Edlamae Baird Acknowledgment to Gary Burris and Lynne Adair For their invaluable assistance with the project This material is available in alternative format by request. Contact Bilingual Education at 360-753-2573, TDD 360-664-3631. The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction complies with all federal and state rules and regulations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or marital status. Table of Contents (click on page number for access) Introduction......................................................................................................................... 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 3 Chapter One Language Acquisition and the Language Learner .......................................................... 7 Section One: How Does First Language Develop? .................................................... 7 Section Two: How Does Second Language Develop? ............................................... 9 Foundational Theories ...............................................................................................

Words: 43239 - Pages: 173

Free Essay

Careers in Accounting

...Khan Strayer University December 2, 2014 NOTE: This is your title page for the research paper in APA style. YOUR RUNNING HEAD IN ALL CAPS (a shortened version of your title no more than 50 characters). Be sure to type the words, Running head: and then place your shortened version of your title in all caps. Subheadings in the paper will derive from your brainstorming/prewriting research questions that are formed into phrases. Subheadings (for level one) are centered and bold. Always capitalize the important words in all subheadings including the title of the paper. You will more than likely have 5 to 7 subheadings. The entire paper must be double-spaced using size 12 font Times New Roman style. Abstract Your abstract starts here. Summarize your project in 150-250 words. Tell what stance you are taking on the topic and how you will provide evidence. Tell how you will argue the point. Avoid using contractions and 1st and 2nd person pronouns throughout the entire paper. First and second person pronouns include the following: I, me, my, myself, mine, we, us, our, ours, ourselves, you, your, yours, yourself, and yourselves. (NOTE: Although APA requires this page to be single spaced, and not indented, your professor may have other requirements). The word, Abstract is centered in bold. Title of Paper Here Your Subheading for the Introduction Here The above subheading should consist...

Words: 2300 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

English-Only Debate Paper

...Running head: ENGLISH-ONLY DEBATE PAPER English-Only Debate Paper Anne-Cecile Grundy Grand Canyon University ESL 523N September 26, 2010 Abstract English language learners are a very heterogeneous and complex group of children, with diverse gifts, educational needs, backgrounds, languages, and goals. They are the fastest growing section of the student population in schools and offer challenges and opportunities to the American education. In this study, the writer will explore the arguments of both sides of the English-only issue, which started decades ago and is still very active today. Emphasis will be placed on the comparison and contrast of the positions presented by advocates and opponents of the English-only debate and will be supported with state’ voter-driven initiatives and laws relating to English language learners. English-Only Debate Paper In the eighteen century, education in the United States was provided in different languages: German, Dutch, French or Swedish. After World War I, when German was a proscribed language, the American population started to think about an education solely in English. However, until 1968, the language policies were left to the discretion of the school, church, city, or state. At this time, the federal government dictated how the non-English-speaking students should be taught, and therefore, started a very controversial debate in the public education sector (Porter, 1998). “In September 1995, Representative John T. Doolittle...

Words: 2340 - Pages: 10