English As A Second Language
Bilingual education is a method used to teach language-minority students in public schools. The concept is that teaching English Language Learners (ELLs) partially in their native language will enhance their understanding of the curriculum and help them succeed in an otherwise English-based environment. The hope is that once ELL students are fairly proficient in English, they can continue their education in classes with their English-speaking peers.
The question of whether or not these programs offer the best education for ELLs remains a point of contention. Proponents of bilingual education believe it is the ELL's right and need to make use of their native languages to ease their transition to an English-only education. Opponents say that the programs are hindering students' ability to learn curriculum by cradling them in their native languages too long.
The bilingual programs of today are mostly a product of the Bilingual Education Act (Title VII) passed in 1968. Congress passed the act as part of Civil Rights Title VI, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities receiving federal financial assistance. The Bilingual Education Act requires that, when needed, schools must provide equal educational opportunities specifically for language-minority students. The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) enforces the act.
Under the act, ELL students must be kept in an adequate program until they can read, write and comprehend English well enough to participate meaningfully in all aspects of the school's curriculum. While the OCR provides a set of characteristics that bilingual programs must have, it does not require any specific program for ELL instruction. Some of the common programs used by schools include:
English as a Second Language (ESL): The main focus of this program is to teach students the English language. Classes may include students of different languages, all...
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