Developmental Bilingual Education in the Real World: Using Longitudinal Data to Enhance Dual Language Program Development (original) (raw)
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Proceedings of the 2019 AERA Annual Meeting, 2019
Background and Significance Recent research findings on the cognitive and academic advantages of bilingualism (Adesope, Lavin, Thompson, & Ungerleider, 2010; Lindholm-Leary & Block, 2010) have contributed to the proliferation of dual language (DL) programs in the United States. DL programs provide instruction through two languages with the goal of promoting high academic achievement, bilingualism and biliteracy, and socio-cultural competence. Many DL programs serve English learners (ELs) and native speakers of English. Evidence from educational research on the effects of U.S. bilingual education on the academic outcomes of ELs comes from studies that have compared programs that provide instruction in the students' home language and those in which English is the only medium of instruction. Research conducted over the past three decades, including a number of metaanalyses and reviews, has found that ELs in bilingual programs, especially those that provide instruction in the two languages for an extended period of time, such as DL, perform as well or better than their peers in English only programs on state achievement tests in English (Green
Dual language programs: Are they an effective model for English language learners?
Long Island Education Review, 2010
Performance outcomes from dual language and transitional bilingual approaches on the acquisition of English were compared for English language learners in the first and second grades in a large urban elementary school. The sample consisted of English language learners attending dual language (n=58) and transitional bilingual classes (n=36) in both grades one and two. The design used was a two-way mixed factor analysis of variance, with groups (dual language and transitional bilingual) as the between subjects factor, and time of testing (pretest and posttest) as the within-subjects factor. The dependent variable was student performance on the English proficiency assessment, Results of the study revealed that second language learners instructed in both dual language and transitional bilingual education methods demonstrated an increase in language acquisition and oral literacy skills in English. Results of the study further suggest that the dual language approach was more effective than transitional bilingual education in attainment of English proficiency. lntroduction The U.S. Census Bureau ( 2004) repods that 37 million people living in the United States are foreign born, representing over 11.7 percent of the population. In fact, more lhan 47 million Americans speak a language other than English at home, with Spanish being the most common foreign language. In 2005, 33% of the U.S, population was comprised of minorities, with Hispanics representing the largest group. More recently, it has been repoded (U,S. Census Bureau, 2009) that 64.9% of elementary school Hispanic students were either foreign born or had one or more foreign born parents.
Dual Language Instruction and Achievement: A Need and a Void in the Midwest
Mid-Western Educational Researcher, 2015
In recent years, the benefits of bilingualism through dual language (DL) education models have been well documented. Despite evidence of bilinguals' heightened cognition and achievement, Midwestern English language learners (ELLs) are relegated to language programs that do nothing to enhance or maintain students' native language. This descriptive study employed a survey to collect data on existing DL programs across the state of Illinois (the largest population of ELLs in the Midwest), to better understand the challenges facing DL educators and administrators in the nation's middle. Data suggests the predominant obstacle encountered by school administrators is a lack of qualified DL educators, including an inadequate knowledge of dual language pedagogy and/or limited academic language biliteracy. Dual language program expansion across the Midwest can only continue if the teacher shortage and development needs are addressed. This study presents recommendations for DL teacher preparation and professional development.
A Longitudinal Study of Transitional and Immersion Bilingual Education Programs in One District
Elementary School Journal, 1995
This article describes a longitudinal evaluation of 2 approaches to the education of language-minority students-transitional bilingual education and a new approach, bilingual immersion-in El Paso, Texas. Rationales for both programs are provided along with a brief description of the factors that led to the development of the bilingual immersion approach. Students' (N = 228) achievement on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills was traced from grades 4 through 7. Results indicated significant effects favoring bilingual immersion in language and reading in grades 4-6, but not in the seventh grade. Students taught with bilingual immersion entered the mainstream more rapidly, as designed. Questionnaire responses (N = 307) also indicated that teachers appeared to be much more satisfied with the rapid but systematic introduction of English in the bilingual immersion program than the relatively slow introduction in the transitional program. 60 students' reactions to the 2 programs in interviews were not significantly different on any variable. The current wave of immigrants to the United States, the largest in history (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1990), has had a profound effect on elementary education. The range of cultures and native languages represented among these immigrants poses major challenges to bilingual education programs across the country. Some of the recent immigrants-be they from Mexico, Central America, Cambodia, or other parts of Southeast Asia-have had little formal schooling (Foster, 1980; Kleinman & Daniel, 1981; Maingot, 1981; Marx, 1981). Teachers are thus often confronted with students not only new to English but with limited exposure to print materials at home (Teale, 1986). This limited exposure is likely to lead to subsequent academic problems unless instruction in the elementary grades is recon-224 THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL JOURNAL ceptualized (Goldenberg & Gallimore, 1991; Teale, 1986). Over the past 15 years, the field of bilingual education has grappled with the problem of how and when to introduce English-language instruction in school. Many early English as a Second Language (ESL) programs stressed grammar and usage in a decontextualized fashion. Over the past 10 years, ESL programs have emphasized more natural, conversational instructional methods (McLaughlin, 1985). Recently, ESL programs have begun to emphasize merging second-language instruction with reading, language arts, and content-area instruction. This has been stimulated by insights from research by Allen (1989), Au (1992), Barrera (1984), Chamot and O'Malley (1989), Elley and Mangubhai (1983), and Flores (1982). Many of these researchers have utilized contemporary approaches to literacy instruction as a basis for enhancing English language development. When researchers have integrated English-language instruction with contentarea instruction in subjects such as mathematics, science, and social studies, results have also been promising (Chamot & O'Malley, 1989). This emerging body of research has had a profound effect on the manner in which English is introduced to limited-English-proficient students. As much as the thinking in the field has advanced, evaluation of bilingual education programs continues to produce considerable debate and uncertainty (Lam, 1992; Meyer & Fienburg, 1992). There is still a good deal of argument, for example, about the other central question in bilingual education-when to introduce students to intensive English-language academic instruction (Crawford, 1989; McLaughlin, 1985). Some educators hoped that a recent federally supported, large-scale evaluation study of numerous school districts throughout the country conducted by Ramirez (1992) would resolve this issue. Unfortunately, the results were inconclusive. Ramirez (1992) attempted to determine the best time to move students into classes taught only in English. In some programs, virtually all instruction from first grade on was in English. In others, English-language instruction in academic subjects did not begin until the fourth or fifth grade. A third approach involved giving students almost all instruction in Spanish 1 year and all instruction in English the following year. These researchers' 5-year longitudinal evaluation involved a rich range of measures, including academic assessments in both English and Spanish and classroom observations documenting the language used for instruction. Among the three approaches evaluated, the only clear finding was that academic performance was significantly worse in the school district where students spent 1 year in the program that was virtually all Spanish and the next year received all instruction in English. The researchers concluded that this type of drastic transition from one language to another is likely to be highly problematic for students. Regrettably, we have found that this rapid transition occurs often in large urban districts (Gersten & Woodward, 1994). Discouraging and confusing as the lack of significant differences among programs may appear, such results have forced researchers to redefine research topics as well as to constrain and more clearly delineate the scope of bilingual investigation. In a recent, comprehensive review of bilingual research, Cziko (1992) noted that large-scale evaluations of bilingual education models will yield results of only limited interest. Even within a given model (e.g., transitional bilingual education, structured immersion), one is likely to find diverse instructional practices, especially in evaluations that encompass several school districts (Lam, 1992; Tikunoff, 1985). Still, a good deal could be learned from exploratory longitudinal research conducted within one district in which different instructional models and underlying philosophies are reasonably well defined. Al-JANUARY 1995 Rosslyn, VA: National Clearinghouse for Bilingual Education. U.S. Department of Commerce. (1990). U.S. Census. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census. Wong-Fillmore, L., & Valadez, C. (1986). Teaching bilingual learners. In M. C. Wittrock (Ed.), Handbook of research on teaching (pp.
Bilingual Research Journal, 2021
We are witnessing a transformation in bilingual education in the United States: dual language bilingual education (DLBE) programs are increasing in number across the country, even as the once more common transitional bilingual education (TBE) programs are fading away. On the one hand, this is an exciting development with the potential to positively transform the educational experiences of emerging bilingual students or English language learners (ELLs). DLBE programs promote an additive, enrichment-oriented model for the development of student bilingualism and biliteracy, and are associated with high academic achievement for all students participating
The Promise of Bilingual and Dual Immersion Education. CEPA Working Paper No. 15-11
2015
One in five school-age children in the U.S. speaks a language other than English at home (Zeigler & Camarota, 2014). Roughly half of these emerging bilingual students (Garcia, 2009) are classified as English learners (ELs) when they enter school, meaning they do not meet state or district criteria for English proficiency (NCES, 2015). As the fastest growing official subgroup of students, ELs are transforming schools across the country, in cities as well as suburban and rural communities; in traditional immigrant-receiving areas as well as in new immigrant destinations. Emerging bilingual students, and the subset of them that are classified as ELs, bring with them important linguistic, social, cultural, and intellectual assets that can enrich and strengthen education for all students (González, Moll & Amanti, 2013). But questions persist around how best to ensure that students who are not yet proficient in English can thrive in school, academically, linguistically, and socially. Should ELs be taught in bilingual classrooms that promote fluency in their home language while ensuring access to core academic content and developing English language skills? Or should they be taught in English immersion classrooms in order to maximize exposure to English? How do we ensure that emerging bilingual students develop both English proficiency and strong academic skills, while maintaining and developing literacy in their home language? How can schools best build on ELs' linguistic assets and support their educational needs?
The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All
Our longitudinal research findings from one-way and two-way dual language enrichment models of schooling demonstrate the substantial power of this program for enhancing student outcomes and fully closing the achievement gap in second language (L2). Effect sizes for dual language are very large compared to other programs for English learners (ELLs). Dual language schooling also can transform the experience of teachers, administrators, and parents into an inclusive and supportive school community for all. Our research findings of the past 18 years are summarized here, with focus on ELLs' outcomes in one-way and two-way, 50:50 and 90:10, dual language models, including heritage language programs for students of bilingual and bicultural ancestry who are more proficient in English than in their heritage language. Key Concepts This is not just a research report, this is a wakeup call to the field of bilingual education, written for both researchers and practitioners. We use the word astounding in the title because we have been truly amazed at the elevated student outcomes resulting from participation in dual language programs. Each data set is like a mystery because you never know how it's all going to turn out when you start organizing a school district's data files for analyses. But, after almost two decades of program evaluation research that we have conducted in 23 large and small school districts from 15 different states, representing all regions of the U.S. in urban, suburban, and rural contexts, we continue to be astonished at the power of this school reform model. The Pertinent Distinction: Enrichment vs. Remediation Enrichment dual language schooling closes the academic achievement gap in L2 and in first language (L1) students initially below grade level, and for all categories of students participating in this program. This is the only program for English learners that fully closes the gap; in contrast, remedial models only partially close the gap. Once students leave a special remedial program and join the curricular mainstream, we find that, at best, they make one year's Collier & Thomas / The Astounding Effectiveness of Dual Language Education for All 1
Effective Bilingual Education: From Theory to Academic Achievement in a Two-Way Bilingual Program
Bilingual Research Journal, 2002
Program evaluation can be used to shift the debate on effective schools for bilingual students from an ideological impasse to a datadriven and research-based discussion. Using the example of the Barbieri Two-Way Bilingual Education Program in Framingham, Massachusetts, this article links theoretical understandings about bilingualism and second language acquisition to program design and implementation, and subsequently to academic outcomes. Disaggregated academic achievement data in English and Spanish show that the Barbieri program meets its academic and linguistic goals for both target groups by fifth grade. Reflections on these academic achievement patterns, in turn, have prompted changes in the program to further increase its effectiveness.
Advances in bilingual education research
1985
Papers on theory, technology, and public policy in bilingualism and bilingual education are collected in this volume designed to fill the need for systematic, high quality research related to bilingual populations in the United States. Part 1, "Language and Culture," contains five papers that discuss first and second language development, code-switching, language use, and personality development in multilingual/multicultural populations. Part 2, "Educational Perspectives," presents five papers relevant to practitioners. Topics are specific to teaching and learning and include language use in bilingual classrooms, parents' and educators' opinions about bilingual education, language and culture maintenance, cognitive development of minority children, and a model for teacher supervision in bilingual programs. In the third and final part, "Policy Issues," three papers provide projections on ethnolinguistic group populations, institutionalization of bilingual education, and an analysis of the political context of bilingual education. (JHZ)
Bilingual Research Journal, 2018
View related articles View Crossmark data Citing articles: 1 View citing articles Coeditors' introduction: Ensuring the success of dual language programs through alignment of research, policy, and practice A growing body of research shows that dual language programs, both one-way and two-way models, are effective in closing achievement gaps between English Learners (ELs) and their non-EL peers (Thomas and Collier 2002; August and Shanahan 2006) and between ELs who participate in these programs and those who do not (Steele, et al., 2017). The articles in this issue of the Bilingual Research Journal (Volume 41, Number 3) add to this body of knowledge and emphasize the importance of fidelity of implementation of a shared program vision and adherence to pedagogical practices known to be effective for English Learners. However, contributing authors caution that dissonance between research, policy, and practice can make it difficult to achieve the goals of bilingualism and biliteracy, cross-cultural competence, and high academic achievement.