Unsuccessful
Attempt at Integration into Society: Bilingual education was deemed necessary since
it was supposed to help integrate the children of immigrants and minorities
into society. The system of bilingual education demanded separate teachers and
classrooms and believed in gradual integration into society by allowing
children to receive education in their native language for a period of 3 or more
years. Proponents of a single medium of instruction opposed bilingual education
since they believed that separate teachers and classrooms would widen the
already existing gap between citizens and immigrants. They further proposed
that encouraging children to interact within their own community for a period
of 3 years would delay the process of adjusting to the ways of life in a new
country.
School Drop Out Rates: Over the years, the dropout rate in various schools across North America has reduced significantly. The medium of instruction in above mentioned schools is English. However, there has been no reduction in the drop out rates for schools offering bilingual education. Most people feel that a drop out rate of 35% doesn't justify the costs involved in providing bilingual education.
Unavailability of Teachers: Bilingual education requires a number of trained teachers who are proficient in both English and their native language, assuming that English is one of the mediums of instruction. There is a wide gap between the demand and the supply for teachers who are both confident and capable of handing the intense pressure associated with managing a class of students requiring special attention.
Lack of Classrooms: There is a dearth of classrooms that can accommodate students who require instructions in both English and their native language. Students are expected to sit together in one class regardless of their age and the variations in the required level of education. This poses a great problem for teachers who, in addition to being well versed in two languages, have to exhibit a certain level of comfort in handling different levels of education simultaneously.
Lack of Funds: The above issues bring us to the crux of the problem; lack of funds to promote bilingual education. The debate on bilingual education would be redundant had there been sufficient funds to promote its cause. Had the means to satisfy the wants of various sections of society been unlimited, we would be debating a moot point.
Bilingual education can be advantageous to some but disadvantageous to the society as a whole. Immigration and cultural integration are not easy issues to deal with. Immigrants and citizens have different views on what would be best fo Issue: Bilinguil Education Parental involvement in education provides a unique opportunity for parents to grow in their roles as teachers and decision makers. Parents have an opportunity to help their children learn by helping with instruction at home and at school. They also can influence learning by providing input into decisions about programs designed to address their children's special needs, however the parents need to understand how schools. This lack of understanding is particularly problematic for parents of language minority students who are not proficient in English, either because they do not speak English well themselves or because they feel alienated from the school system. It is critical that they comprehend that schools have the responsibility to help their children and that they know exactly how this charge should be dispensed and their programs operate Ten key questions that parents must ask are discussed below. 1. Does the school district have policies that support and value the contributions of bilingual education in the community?
School Drop Out Rates: Over the years, the dropout rate in various schools across North America has reduced significantly. The medium of instruction in above mentioned schools is English. However, there has been no reduction in the drop out rates for schools offering bilingual education. Most people feel that a drop out rate of 35% doesn't justify the costs involved in providing bilingual education.
Unavailability of Teachers: Bilingual education requires a number of trained teachers who are proficient in both English and their native language, assuming that English is one of the mediums of instruction. There is a wide gap between the demand and the supply for teachers who are both confident and capable of handing the intense pressure associated with managing a class of students requiring special attention.
Lack of Classrooms: There is a dearth of classrooms that can accommodate students who require instructions in both English and their native language. Students are expected to sit together in one class regardless of their age and the variations in the required level of education. This poses a great problem for teachers who, in addition to being well versed in two languages, have to exhibit a certain level of comfort in handling different levels of education simultaneously.
Lack of Funds: The above issues bring us to the crux of the problem; lack of funds to promote bilingual education. The debate on bilingual education would be redundant had there been sufficient funds to promote its cause. Had the means to satisfy the wants of various sections of society been unlimited, we would be debating a moot point.
Bilingual education can be advantageous to some but disadvantageous to the society as a whole. Immigration and cultural integration are not easy issues to deal with. Immigrants and citizens have different views on what would be best fo Issue: Bilinguil Education Parental involvement in education provides a unique opportunity for parents to grow in their roles as teachers and decision makers. Parents have an opportunity to help their children learn by helping with instruction at home and at school. They also can influence learning by providing input into decisions about programs designed to address their children's special needs, however the parents need to understand how schools. This lack of understanding is particularly problematic for parents of language minority students who are not proficient in English, either because they do not speak English well themselves or because they feel alienated from the school system. It is critical that they comprehend that schools have the responsibility to help their children and that they know exactly how this charge should be dispensed and their programs operate Ten key questions that parents must ask are discussed below. 1. Does the school district have policies that support and value the contributions of bilingual education in the community?
Policies passed by the school board at the campus level are statements that
support and lend credence to certain actions that must occur at the campus or
classroom level. Policies are statements that support a philosophy about
student learning and success. These policies become the voice of the school
district and tell teacher and all school personnel how the school board thinks
and expects the schools to act. Policies that cast a doubt about the value of
bilingual education are usually interpreted at the school level as permission
to do otherwise or to give little attention to the issue. Parents must examine
these policies and push for the revision of policies to ensure quality
educational opportunities for all children. Parents have a key responsibility
as advocates for the rights of children to demand policies that support and
value bilingual education.
2. Does the school value and
support bilingual education as a most promising instructional program for
children who are of limited English proficiency.
A
school that communicates to its faculty and community that a certain program is
suspect creates a hostile environment that dooms that program to failure before
it is given a chance to succeed such as:
3. Is the bilingual education program given high status
or at least seen as important as any other successful program in the school? Primary language
instruction in Spanish helps in at least two ways First, through Spanish the
child can learn concepts and develop skills in the core "content
areas," such as math, science and social studies while he or she is
mastering the skills of English. Second, instruction in Spanish develops or
improves the child's skills in this language. In many cases, children's
competence in Spanish is only in the oral skills. Other children's Spanish
skills may be latent, or hiding, in the subconscious because of lack of
practice. Yet, these students identify with the language because, through it,
they can stay connected to family and friends in the community. Staying
connected is an important element in positive motivation and self-concept
development, and these attitudes and feelings influence student learning in
general.
Parents should ask questions about the qualifications of the
teachers, their commitment to preserve the integrity of the bilingual program
and the opportunities in the school district to upgrade or refine the teachers'
skills to address the needs of LEP students. Is this commitment with the
bilingual education teachers across the board? .
5. Are bilingual teachers implementing bilingual education
as it should be implemented?
Many schools will have well designed plans for the
implementation of bilingual education programs. Administrators and teachers can
articulate the principles of bilingual education and can talk about their
commitment to all children. However, when we observe many bilingual education
classrooms, we know right away that bilingual instruction is not happening and
that teachers feel the pressure to exit students to English as soon as
possible.
Parents should visit the classrooms and see if the teachers
are giving equal value to both languages, see how often both languages are used
for instruction, see how the teacher uses the children's experiences to base
the instruction, and see if the teachers use both languages to assess
children's knowledge. .
6. Is
there an urgency to exit students from the bilingual education program with no
regard for their readiness to transfer to an all English program?
Texas requires that schools have a Language Proficiency
Assessment Committee (LPAC) to determine and approve bilingual education
offerings and exiting of students from the program. Many times these committees
are faced with pressure, overtly or covertly expressed, from administrators and
teachers to move students out of the program as soon as possible. Moving a
student out of a bilingual education program prematurely will have adverse
effects on the student's achievement. Nevertheless, it is not uncommon to see
the urgency to get students out of the bilingual program with no support to
provide for the adjustment to the transition experience.
Parents must not allow for schools to exit students
prematurely from the bilingual education program. They should inquire about the
existing policies and the expertise that LPAC committee members have in
bilingual education to make these extremely important decisions. They should
require that training be provided to LPAC members periodically.
7. What
criteria are being used by the school to ensure that children are placed in a
quality instructional program, one that will cause children to achieve and excel?
The state law and rules for educating LEP students indicate
that parents have the right to information and to decision +making, and they specify
how parents need to be informed and involved. Specifically, the parent(s) of
every child who qualifies for the program must receive information about the
program features and benefits. Then, most importantly, the parent(s) must
provide consent in writing for the student's participation in the program.
Once the child is in the program, parents must receive
information on the child's assessment and progress, program placement changes,
and completion of the program (exiting). Parents also, must be part of the
district's Language Proficiency Assessment Committees. So, one thing parents
can do is to become more familiar with Commissioner's Rules Concerning State
Plan for Educating Limited English Proficient Students and other information
about bilingual education from the state-as well as other sources.
The state law and rules for educating LEP students indicate
that parents have the right to information and to decision +making, and they
specify how parents need to be informed and involved. Specifically, the
parent(s) of every child who qualifies for the program must receive information
about the program features and benefits. Then, most importantly, the parent(s)
must provide consent in writing for the student's participation in the program.
Once the child is in the program, parents must receive
information on the child's assessment and progress, program placement changes,
and completion of the program (exiting). Parents also, must be part of the
district's Language Proficiency Assessment Committees. So, one thing parents
can do is to become more familiar with Commissioner's Rules Concerning State
Plan for Educating Limited English Proficient Students and other information
about bilingual education from the state-as well as other sources.
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