Research that Benefits Children and Families-Uplifting Stories

Bilingual Education

The topic that would make a major positive contribution to the well-being of children and/or their families is bilingual education. Bilingual education is grounded in common sense, experience, and research. Common sense says that children will not learn academic subject material if they can't understand the language of instruction. Experience documents that, students from minority-language backgrounds have higher dropout rates and lower achievement scores. Research on bilingual education and in working in a bilingual setting has shown me some of the positive contributions. One thing would be that a child’s first language skills must become well developed to ensure that their academic and linguistic performance in the second language is maximized. A child’s growth in their second language will depend upon a well-developed first language. In addition, a child must attain a certain level of proficiency in both the native and second language in order for the beneficial aspects of bilingualism to accrue.

When we as educators provide children quality education in their primary language, we give them two things: knowledge and literacy. The knowledge that children get through their first language helps make the English they hear and read more comprehensible. Literacy developed in the primary language  transfers to the second language. Spanish-speaking kids, bilingual education will help them adapt better and faster to the curriculum and the culture, and for English-speaking children, it will develop cognitive flexibility among many other benefits. I personally advocate for bilingual education every chance I can personally attest to the fact that their are benefits.

In order to be successful teachers will need the following resources visuals, charts, establishing a link between home and school, technology, manipulative, books to employ varied reading. Meeting the needs of the students in today’s classrooms requires teachers to modify their teaching strategies by incorporating second language acquisition techniques. By employing these strategies in their classrooms, teachers will begin to make a positive impact in meeting the needs of their diverse students.

References:

Baker, Colin., (1995). A Parents' and Teachers Guide to Bilingualism. Clevedon, Eng,; Multilangual Matters.

Baker, Colin, (1996). Foundations of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 2nd edition, Clevedon, Eng.; Multilingual Matters

Cummins, James.,(1979). Linguistic Interdependence and the Educational Development of Bilingual Children. Review of Educational Research 49:222-251