It is incorrect to portray bilingual education as monolingual instruction in Spanish. The term bi- means two. English is taught in bilingual programs from day one. The difference between a bilingual program and an English-only program is that students have the opportunity to learn to read and write and to learn academic content in their native language while they are acquiring English. This is a great advantage for students because they do not fall behind academically during the 5 to 7 years time it takes them to acquire full proficiency in academic English. The results from poorly structured and implemented English-only programs are dismall. We know the factors that make programs work. What we lack is the political will to see that parents can make informed choices about what is best for their children and educators have the freedom, support and resources to implement effective programs.
Posted as a reply to:
structured immersion by ann myers
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