Bilingual Schooling in the United States
- What is your opinion of bilingual education/schooling in the United States?
Bilingual schooling is an approach that has been embraced by many countries across the globe. It, ideally, involves the use of two different languages, native and secondary, to teach students academic content (Genesee et al., 2006). The idea to initiate and implement the bilingual schooling in the United States came into being in 1968 following the introduction and adoption of Bilingual Act. Based on the act, academic instructions were to be provided in English in addition to the native languages of the learners. This trend that began several years ago is still embraced today, and even other countries have followed suit.
To this understanding, I believe that the benefits associated with bilingual education are far much higher than the corresponding drawbacks. The use of two different languages to practically implement academic programs does not only give learners the ability to learn and be competent in the second language but also promotes cultural understanding and interactions (Goldstein, 2012). It seems bilingual education is the only way to bilingualism, which, in a sense, has the ability to enhance the cognitive functions of a learner as opposed to monolingualism. Understanding a second language gives the learner the ability to communicate with culturally diverse groups, which enhance interactions and coexistence.
Even while embracing bilingual education, the system should be so cautious that the native languages are not replaced by the secondary dialects (Genesee, 2006). Appreciating the culture of other people should not be used to extinct our values and traditions. As much as bilingual education is good, it should be done moderately to avoid the assimilation effect. The world is a dynamic entity, and an understanding of several other languages could be the first step towards the exploitation of its potentials.
References
Genesee, F., Paradis, J., & Crago, M. B. (2006). Dual language development and disorders: a handbook on bilingualism and second language learning (Baltimore, MD, Paul H. Brookes).
Goldstein, B. A. (2012). Bilingual Language Development & Disorders in Spanish–English Speakers. Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co., Baltimore (2004), (354 pp., ISBN 1-55766-687-3).