The Importance of Bilingual Education in America
The Importance of Bilingual Education in America
First off, it’s important to understand the difference between learning and education. Learning is the ability of an individual’s brain to acquire and retain information for a lifetime, whereas education is an aide to further strengthen a student’s learning capacity with the use of resources: teachers, libraries, classroom environment, etc. All students are essentially equal when they enter the educational environment, however students who don’t speak English have an unfair disadvantage in the american educational system. Some students are fortunate enough to be offered English as a Second Language classes (abbreviated ESL) or bilingual programs in school. Sandy Yanes, a third grade bilingual teacher for the New Caney ISD, says ‘“there are two main differences between ESL and bilingual programs: ESL is comprised of students who have different language backgrounds from their peers, and a student enrolled in a bilingual program is situated with other students who speak the same native language. Also, the teacher of an ESL class is not required to be fluent in any language other than English, while a bilingual teacher is tested in English and another specific language in which the class will be divided with equal opportunities for advancement in both languages” (Information about Bilingual Education). It is apparent that the more beneficial of the two language programs is bilingual education, for the simple fact that the program itself enables the student to learn from a teacher who possesses the ultimate trait of each individual student, becoming knowledgeable in English and their native language, and allows learning to be done in a more comfortable environment. For a student enrolled in a bilingual program, their days are divided half in the native language and half in English. It’s imperative to make the division equal, to ensure that the proper techniques in reading, writing, and verbal communications are
First off, it’s important to understand the difference between learning and education. Learning is the ability of an individual’s brain to acquire and retain information for a lifetime, whereas education is an aide to further strengthen a student’s learning capacity with the use of resources: teachers, libraries, classroom environment, etc. All students are essentially equal when they enter the educational environment, however students who don’t speak English have an unfair disadvantage in the american educational system. Some students are fortunate enough to be offered English as a Second Language classes (abbreviated ESL) or bilingual programs in school. Sandy Yanes, a third grade bilingual teacher for the New Caney ISD, says ‘“there are two main differences between ESL and bilingual programs: ESL is comprised of students who have different language backgrounds from their peers, and a student enrolled in a bilingual program is situated with other students who speak the same native language. Also, the teacher of an ESL class is not required to be fluent in any language other than English, while a bilingual teacher is tested in English and another specific language in which the class will be divided with equal opportunities for advancement in both languages” (Information about Bilingual Education). It is apparent that the more beneficial of the two language programs is bilingual education, for the simple fact that the program itself enables the student to learn from a teacher who possesses the ultimate trait of each individual student, becoming knowledgeable in English and their native language, and allows learning to be done in a more comfortable environment. For a student enrolled in a bilingual program, their days are divided half in the native language and half in English. It’s imperative to make the division equal, to ensure that the proper techniques in reading, writing, and verbal communications are
Bibliography: Ballantyne, K.G., Sanderman, A.R. & McLaughlin, N. (2008). Dual Language Learners in the Early Years: Getting ready to Succeed in School. Washington, DC: National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition. Donahue, P.L., Grigg, W.S., Lee, J. (2007) National Assessment of Educational Progress. 25 Sept. 2007. “Information about Bilingual Education.” Personal interview. 15 Sept. 2010.