Transitional Bilingual Education

Early/Late Exit

When discussions begin about education and how it should be improved a large area of need in education goes unnoticed-Bilingual Education.  An example of an attempt to solve the education problem of bilingual students is the early/late exit of transitional bilingual teaching(s).  These transitions are designed to teach bilingual students in their native tongues until main streaming them to the dominated language taught in class which is English.  When in it comes to early exit, students are taught for a period of two to three years about an hour a day, in a bilingual setting and the language English to help main stream them into English only classes.  The achievement that is being sought in the early exit program is to provide a bilingual student with the skills to understand the content of how to learn in English. Once this is achieved to the best of its potential, they are main streamed into English only taught programs.  The late exit program essentially works the same, but children spend about 50% of their time in bilingual classes and are main streamed much later.  The set-up of these programs have become quite questioned in the United States and Canada because the primary language of each child in the class is not the same, and children who speak a different language (regardless of what it is) are put into a bilingual program.  How can you mainstream a child into English classes if you cannot reach them in their bilingual class?  The content of the information taught in their native cultural may take on a different developmental execution in terms of teaching the subject matter at hand.  A longitudinal study was done on these two programs and can be read in its entirety for a clearer understanding of how these programs have resulted by visiting here: http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED330216&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED330216

Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

This type of teaching is designed to develop culturally responsive teachers to connect their curriculum to student’s lives.  In doing so, not only is there diversity being brought to an entire classroom, but helps the student connect and relate to the teacher offering them an education.  This teaching style helps the student connect what they already know and what their teachers wants them to learn.  The execution of the material being taught must be well associated so that the new material being taught can be related to old knowledge ultimately providing a clear link between the materials.  This approach to teaching bilingual students offers a sense of belonging as opposed to feeling ousted for not knowing the primary language in class; thus encouraging a higher education.  A number of sources that define Culturally Relevant Pedagogy and its teachings can be found at http://www.monarchcenter.org/resources/pedagogy.html

 

Transitional Bilingual Education Progams in Illinois

The Transitional Bilingual Education program provides supplemental financial assistance to help local school districts attempt to meet the extra costs that would help school districts in Illinois meet the needs of children who utilize the bilingual education programs before being mainstreamed into English classes. The programs offered in Illinois are:

  • Non-Transitional Bilingual Education/Transitional Programs of Instruction Funded limited-English Proficient Services*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Program of Instruction ONLY*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Bilingual Education ONLY*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Bilingual Education / Transitional Programs of Instruction ONLY*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Bilingual Education and Title III*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Programs of Instruction and Title III*

 

  • State-Funded Transitional Bilingual Education/Transitional Programs of Instruction and Title III*

*(2004 Evaluation Report, page.24)

 

 

These programs are highly needed and will continue to be a part of our education system especially according to the rise of 60% of demand and use for bilingual education from 1994 to 2004 (2004 Evaluation Report, page.32), and these programs succeed despite the growth in need and not funding.

 

NCLB-Title III

This program is another government funded program through the No Child Left Behind Act which tracks the progress of Limited English Proficient students.  The act is set-up with three goals in mind:

  • Annual Increase of LEP students in learning the primary language taught in schools-English.
  • Annual Increases of LEP students main streamed by the end of the school year which is determined by a proficiency assessment.
  • Successfully meeting adequate yearly progress on the spring ISAT for LEP students.

Just as many of the other programs offered through the NCLB Act, if these objectives are not met than the LEA's (Local Education Agencies) may lose funding as of the fourth consecutive year of unsatisfactory test scores for their bilingual students.  Prior to the fourth year if the school falls into not meeting the requirements listed above for the first two consecutive years than the LEP programs must be revised to ensure that plans are revised to ensure the success of the students within these programs.

 James Crawford

Advocate for Bilingual Education

This is a man who is single handedly trying to change the language policy and inform the general public of the controversies that bilingual education faces.  He has been writing for 20 years, a lecturer, and advocate, and is very involved in the politics of language.  He has helped found a nonprofit organization in 2006 the http://www.elladvocates.org/ which is designed primary to research advocacy for English language learners.  He has written many articles and books on the subject of Bilingual Education.  James Crawford is not settled on the idea that there is one solution to the Bilingual Education problems within our schools, instead he is very open and offers open insight to many of the myths and misconceptions of non-English speaker for which he outlines in the article http://www.ericdigests.org/1999-3/ten.htm.  This man brings true hope to the Bilingual Education needed population.

Ron Unz-California Proposition 227

Ron Unz is another advocate for the Bilingual Education Community.  He holds an undergrad and grad degrees from Harvard, Cambridge, and Stanford Universities.  Unz initiated a campaign in California for “English for Children” after a number of Hispanic parents boycotted language programs in the Los Angeles area.  The Proposition 227 he drafted and was initiated to offer the following:

·         Requires all public school instruction be conducted in English. *

·         Requirement may be waived if parents or guardian show that child already knows English, or has special needs, or would learn English faster through alternate instructional technique. *

·         Provides initial short-term placement, not normally exceeding one year, in intensive sheltered English immersion programs for children not fluent in English.*

·         Appropriates $50 million per year for ten years funding English instruction for individuals pledging to provide personal English tutoring to children in their community. *

·         Permits enforcement suits by parents and guardians.*

*English Language in Public Schools Initiative Statute Proposition 227

Following the implementation of this proposition the average test scores for over a million immigrant students in CA rose by an average of 40%!  Now that’s progress; for more information on Ron Unz and other historic propositions he has initiated please visit: http://www.onenation.org/unz.html

 

 

 

 
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