Bilingual Education

Bilingual education is a growing aspect in American education that is becoming more important every day. Gollnick and Chinn discuss language and education in Chapter 6. In most educational settings in America, the most frequently used form of language and communication is Standard English. However, not all students are fluent or actively speaking Standard English at home. There are several students who come from various backgrounds and cultures, who speak different languages at home and with friends. Gollnick and Chinn (2008) also state that language is a “socializing agent” (p.201). Students who share similar languages will tend to connect with each other, while it separates students who do not share similar languages. Languages can also create disconnects in the classroom because students and teachers may not understand each other in the academic setting or even in developing a rapport.
“Official English” is a movement in which supporters believe that English should be the only language taught in the schools and be named as the official language of the United States (p.218). English Only in schools and the United States as a whole is a disconcerting idea. While it is the common language, it also restricts learning for a growing number of people in America (p.219). Pull-out programs and separate classrooms are not the answer to helping these students achieve in school. Instead, we should turn to bilingual education as a means to communicate ideas and questions in the classroom. Bilingualism is a growing concept in education because of the increase of immigration to the United States. More families are coming from countries and continents from around the world.
In my experiences, there are several students in my classroom who speak Spanish at home and English in school. Parents and families speak little or no English at home. Students have difficulty transitioning from one language to the other. I have noticed that students who are bilingual are challenged most by the grammar “rules” of Standard English. They forget linking verbs, like “is”, and often have trouble with their reading comprehension. They work hard and want to achieve, but lack the resources to do so. The rise in these incidences calls for a growing need for bilingual education in all schools and classrooms, with proper staff members who are bilingual themselves.
In a previous class, a group had a presentation about bilingual education. The presenters opened with a biology lesson completely in Spanish. Although I had four years of Spanish in high school, I could not follow along with any amount of competency. I could not understand much of the vocabulary or any of the important points that the “teachers” brought up in the lesson. This exercise really proved the need for administrators and staff to be aware of language, how language is taught, and our students’ backgrounds.
Bilingual education is necessary for students to reach their full potential. The presenters brought up an interesting concept to create classrooms with half English-speaking and half Spanish or other foreign language speaking students. A teacher or co-teachers could teach in both English and the other language. Students who speak foreign languages could practice English, but receive important information and understanding in their own language. In turn, English-speaking students would also receive instruction in their own language and develop a sense of understanding in the other one. While it is not traditional, it allows for students to interact in a diverse environment and hopefully, create a sense of a global community once the language barriers are crossed.
Bilingual education is often pushed aside because of the high costs and lack of trained educators. There are few teachers who are trained in education who are also bilingual and have an understanding of different cultures. Those who are trained are needed throughout the country. There just are not enough of these teachers for every school and student that needs it. In addition, dialects and accents can hinder the ability of teachers to communicate with students who have a differing one (p.206-207). Many students suffer because of their inability to understand the information that is taught and communicate their ideas to the teacher.
Our goal should be to create students who have additive bilingualism versus subtractive bilingualism. We want students to have a higher understanding of both languages, instead of having Standard English replacing the students’ native tongue (206). The only way this is possible is for schools to put in the time and money to provide these resources to our students throughout the country.


References:

Gollnick, D. M. & Chinn, P. C. (2008). Multicultural Education in a Pluralistic Society with
MyEducationLab (8th Edition) (MyEducationLab Series). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.