Dual Language Programs
Introduction
Due to high mobility, rapid change, economic growth, and other factors, increasing deculturation has become a current global issue that has begun to affect education (Cornish, 2005). Deculturation usually occurs when a person moves to a country where people speak a language and have a culture they do not understand or are familiar with. Cornish (2005) also states that today individuals do not have to move to another country to experience deculturation, they are able to experience deculturation when people of other cultures immigrate and their culture takes over part or much of their culture. Because this has become such an impact on the United States of America, our educational system has also had to make modifications in order to serve students of diverse cultural backgrounds. In March of 2007, the Census Bureau gathered data from a survey where it was evident that Hispanic immigrants are the largest group of immigrants into the United States. The table below shows that 48.3% of immigrants that enter the United States are Hispanic. Given that the Hispanic population has continued to grow, public education has created programs such as dual language (DL) to assist not only the Hispanic students to learn English, but also American students to learn Spanish. DL is a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. DL programs use the partner language for at least half of the instructional day in the elementary years. This type of program usually begins in kindergarten and extends for at least 5 years. These programs aim for bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement equal to that of students in standard programs, and cross-cultural competence.
Review of Literature Banks (2003) expresses that in order to create multi-cultural awareness and understanding we need to begin by educating our students on becoming multicultural citizens. His definition of a multicultural citizen is a person who is
Due to high mobility, rapid change, economic growth, and other factors, increasing deculturation has become a current global issue that has begun to affect education (Cornish, 2005). Deculturation usually occurs when a person moves to a country where people speak a language and have a culture they do not understand or are familiar with. Cornish (2005) also states that today individuals do not have to move to another country to experience deculturation, they are able to experience deculturation when people of other cultures immigrate and their culture takes over part or much of their culture. Because this has become such an impact on the United States of America, our educational system has also had to make modifications in order to serve students of diverse cultural backgrounds. In March of 2007, the Census Bureau gathered data from a survey where it was evident that Hispanic immigrants are the largest group of immigrants into the United States. The table below shows that 48.3% of immigrants that enter the United States are Hispanic. Given that the Hispanic population has continued to grow, public education has created programs such as dual language (DL) to assist not only the Hispanic students to learn English, but also American students to learn Spanish. DL is a form of education in which students are taught literacy and content in two languages. DL programs use the partner language for at least half of the instructional day in the elementary years. This type of program usually begins in kindergarten and extends for at least 5 years. These programs aim for bilingualism, biliteracy, academic achievement equal to that of students in standard programs, and cross-cultural competence.
Review of Literature Banks (2003) expresses that in order to create multi-cultural awareness and understanding we need to begin by educating our students on becoming multicultural citizens. His definition of a multicultural citizen is a person who is
Bibliography: Aguirre-Baeza, L. (2001). Creating two-way dual language schools through effective leadership. Educational Horizon, 79 (4), 167-170. Banks, J.A. (2003). Educating Global Citizens in a diverse world. Retrieved March 28, 2008 from www.newhorizons.org. Collier, V.P. & Thomas, W. P. (2004). The astounding effectiveness of dual language education for all. NABE Journal of Research and Practice, 2 (1), 1-20. Cornish, E. (2004). Futuring: The exploration of the future. Bathesda, MD: World Future Society. Garcia, E. E. & Jensen, B. (2006). Dual-Language programs in U.S. schools: An alternative to monocultural, monolingual education. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from http://nieer.org. Thomas, W.P., & Collier, V. P. (2003). The multiple benefits of dual language. Educational Leadership, 61 (2), 61-64. Wiley, T. G. (1997). Myths about language diversity and literacy in the United States. Retrieved March 27, 2008 from www.cal.org.