User:Rmeaso/Bilingual education


 * I am also considering adding a simple infographic/flow chart to show different types of programs - let me know if you think that would be helpful**

In a bilingual education approach, students are taught in two (or more) languages. It is distinct from learning a second language as a subject because both languages are used for instruction in different content areas like math, science, and history. The time spent in each language depends on the model. For example, some models focus on providing education in both languages throughout a student's entire education while others gradually transition to education in only one language. The ultimate goal of bilingual education is fluency and literacy in both languages.

Bilingual education program models
There are several different ways to categorize bilingual education models, one of the most common approaches is to separate programs by their end goal. This is the approach used below, though it is not the only possible approach. For a more comprehensive review of different approaches to bilingual education worldwide see bilingual education by country or region.

Maintenance bilingual education
In a maintenance bilingual education program, the goal is for students to continue to learn about and in both languages for the majority of their education. Students in a maintenance bilingual education program should graduate being able to have a discussion about any content area in either language. Two common forms of maintenance bilingual education are two-way/dual language immersion and developmental (late-exit) bilingual education. Both programs are considered language immersion programs.

In a dual language program, students are in mixed classrooms with a balance of native speakers for each language. . One common model for dual language programs is the 90/10 model. In this model, 90% of instruction in the early grades is in the student's home language and 10% is in their second language. This proportion changes as the student ages until there is an equal amount of time spent in each language. This can be contrasted with the 50/50 model which starts with an even (50/50) balance between languages from the very beginning of a student's education.

In a late exit or developmental program, students all have the same native language. They tend to follow the 90/10 model described above and gradually transition from a majority of instruction in their home language to a more balanced split between languages as they progress through primary school.

Transitional bilingual education
In transitional (early-exit) bilingual education programs, the goal is to provide education in a child's native language to ensure that students do not fall behind in content areas such as mathematics, science, and social studies while they are learning English. Unlike in maintenance bilingual education programs, when the child's English proficiency is deemed satisfactory, they transition to an English-only environment. This approach is based on the Common Underlying Proficiency model of bilingualism which posits that many of the skills learned in the native language can be transferred easily to the second language later. While the linguistic goal of such programs is to help students transition to mainstream, English-only classrooms, the use of the student's primary language as a vehicle to develop literacy skills and acquire academic knowledge also prevents the degeneration of a child's native language.

English as a second language
English as a second language (ESL) programs are not considered bilingual education programs because they do not aim to have students become bi-literate in two (or more) languages. The goal of ESL programs is for English-language learners learn English after having acquired one or more native languages. ESL is a supplementary, comprehensive English language learning program common in English-speaking countries and countries where English has an important role in communication as a result of colonialism or globalization. One common approach in ESL programs is Sheltered English instruction (SEI).

Bilingual education strategies
There are many different strategies used in bilingual education, this section summarizes some of the most common.

Translanguaging
Translanguaging or language mixing is a strategy that emphasizes using all languages a student knows to support their learning. One example of this is allowing students to express themselves in either or both languages when discussing different academic content. Practicing translanguaging can help students more easily switch between languages.

Language separation
In a classroom, language separation involves designating one language to a specific time, content, or activity. The goal of language separation is to encourage students to focus on skills in a specific language. Many bilingual programs use a mix of translanguaging and language separation practices to support students in becoming bi-literate.

Scaffolding
Instructional scaffolding can be used in all types of education, not only bilingual education. A teacher scaffolds instruction to provide the necessary support for students to learn the content. In a bilingual education classroom, this could look like pre-teaching content in the student's native language before teaching the same content in the second language.

Recasting
When a teacher recasts something a student has said, they repeat what the student said but correct for any grammatical or pronunciation errors, similar to what a parent often does as their child acquires their first language. This can be contrasted with explicit correction in which a teacher explicitly tells a student about an error in their statement, which can also be used in bilingual education.

Effects of bilingual education
This section focuses on the effects of bilingual education specifically, see Cognitive effects of bilingualism for information about the effects of bilingualism or multilingualism.

Benefits of bilingual education
The most obvious benefit of bilingual education is proficiency and literacy in two (or more languages). Fluency in multiple languages can lead to increased employment options as well as create more opportunities for intercultural communication.

Bilingual education can also support minority language speakers by communicating the value of their home or heritage language, resulting in increased self-esteem. Additionally, bilingual education models have been shown to improve student engagement and attendance as parent involvement in school activities.

Bilingual education supports students in becoming literate in both languages, which has been shown to increase reading scores for students in both languages. Researchers have proposed that this could be due to students in bilingual programs having an increased awareness of languages and their writing systems.

While there has been significant research on the "bilingual brain," research specifically on how bilingual education impacts brain structure and activation is fairly limited. Though much of the research on bilinguals shows that the benefits of bilingualism are maximized when children are exposed to multiple languages at an early age, as they are in many bilingual education programs. However, some initial research has shown preschool children in bilingual education programs have similar brain activation patterns in response to known and unknown languages as adults who have been learning a second language for several years.

Bilingual education can support language revitalization efforts in countries with endangered languages.

Disadvantages of bilingual education
In many English-speaking countries, standardized tests are in English, so there is a push to maximize the time spent learning English. Proponents of this framing advocate for Structured English Immersion in which students spend the majority of their day learning about English and in English with scaffolded supports based on their current English knowledge.

Bilingual education requires teachers to be fluent and literate in both languages, as compared to English as a second language programs that only require teachers to have English fluency and literacy.