Our States’
Laws and Districts’ Decisions Do Not Match the Research or Reality.
After reading many, many academic articles, any district with
a high percentage of ELLs (English Language Learners) should include bilingual
education. Below are links to just two articles written in the last week
regarding this issue. The evidence cannot be argued. It is not only about
keeping their native language but also their cultural identity. It is also
shown to increase their English Language proficiencies as well. So why is it
not a priority or even part of a serious conversation in especially urban districts
where a higher percentage of ELLs attend?
7 More CPS Schools to Add Dual
Language Programs by
Stephanie Lulay states, “Expanding dual language programming will provide more
students with the opportunity to enhance their language skills, develop their
cultural literacy, and build the needed skills to pursue their dreams.”
In English Learners: A Jumble
of Strategies has Distressing Results by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas shares the experience
of Enrique Sepúlveda, an associate professor of
education at the University of Saint Joseph, while enrolling his bilingual
daughter in an urban district. This same district has more ELLs struggling to
make gains in English than any other in the state. “Our
state’s thinking is ‘forget your native language and learn English –
yesterday,” he said during an interview. “That ideology is not what’s best for
the kids.”
He concluded that students whose native
culture is valued at school are more likely to be better learners. Students’
native language cannot just be acknowledged but needs to be put at the
forefront of their education right alongside their English Language
instruction.
Our states’
laws and districts’ decisions do not match the research.
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State Laws/District
Decisions
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Research/Reality
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Only a
small handful students are in a Dual Language Programs
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Research shows the
Dual Language Programs best foster English proficiency and academic achievement
for English learners
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State
law requires
the state education department to “assist and encourage local and
regional boards of education” to implement dual-language
instruction
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There are
very few checks and balances
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ELLS
are expected by state law to transition
to English for “more than half of the instructional time” by the
end of the year.
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Research
does not support that an ELL will become proficient in a year’s time. It
takes at least five years. So to pull an ELLs support by 50% in the first
year makes no sense!
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The district’s
ESL strategies and programs are good enough.
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The achievement
gap between ELLs and their peers are at an all-time low.
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ELLs are
given extra money through Title III
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The
districts with the highest percentage of ELLs are in the most economically
disadvantaged and underperforming schools with resources stretched thin.
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Bilingual education seems to be one simple step to more
effectively educate our ELLs. So why not try? Maybe I am a just a simple
teacher with a simple idea.
Michelle thank you for sharing your findings through google alerts. I can tell from your summaries that these articles must have been interesting and have a great deal of information. I believe that each school district should have a bilingual program and classrooms in which ELL's can be enrolled and benefit from. I believe these types of classrooms increase the students ability to excel as they build and transfer knowledge they already have within their primary languages to English. I think that it is an ideal learning experience for students to be provided, as it is the most appropriate way to acquire a second language while building on prior knowledge.
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