The nature of dual-language programs

[Kevin Rocap]

Dear R. A.,

Let me try. ;-)

Properly speaking a "dual language program" should refer to any program
in which at least two languages are used for instruction across the
subject matter areas, regardless of the language background of students
in the school.  The goal is for all students to become bilingual, by
formally learning to speak, listen, read, write and comprehend in each
language, and by learning academic content through each language (in an
appropriately structured way).

That said, I believe Carmen (who is Carmen Farina, by the way, not
Carmen Faria as the article states), is referring to a a specific type
of dual language program, that is, a Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program.

In a Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program you want several things to be
in place in the program:

(1) You want roughly equal numbers of English speakers (Majority
language in the U.S. context) and "target language" speakers (e.g., half
the kids speak English and half speak Spanish or some other Minority
Language)

(2) You want the program to follow one of the preferred models of 90/10
or 80/20 instruction.

The model involves placing more emphasis in lower grades (K-3) on the
subordinate or, in this case, non-English "target language".  The
rationale for this is that it is the best way for the English speakers
to develop proficiencies in the target language, while for language
minority students it provides a strong language foundation in their
native language for moving on to learn English as they move through the
grades.  Part of the dynamics for why this is preferable has to do with
the relative dominance or subordination of the languages in the wider
social, community context.  Since English is prevalent in U.S. society,
intensive Spanish (or some other non-English target language)
instruction provides the preferred language development opportunities
for both the English speakers and the non-English native speakers of the
"target language".

So what does it look like?  Well, 90/10 means that kids, in say an
English/Spanish Two-Way Bilingual Immersion program would spend 90% of
their time in kindergarten in Spanish language instruction (not one
language group or another, but ALL of the kids).  The 10% time is likely
spent in English instruction.  As the students progress up the grades
the percentage of time spent in each language becomes more equal, until
by upper Elementary they are spending 50% of their day in each
language.  During that 50% time they are getting Language
Development/Language Arts experience in both languages and they are also
learning key subject area content in both languages.

Of course, in any given class the language of instruction is the same
for all students, and students of both native language groups are
generally in the same class together in roughly equal proportions.  In
some programs, there may be an exception for having certain Language
Development/Acquisition classes by language group, but on the whole
students are mixed together for most or all of the day.  This is one of
the features of the program as well in that the mixing of students from
both language groups encourages the students to interact, to negotiate
meaning and to be language models for each other.

That's a rough description.  For some succinct definitions about program
types you may want to visit this URL:

http://www.duallanguagenm.org/101.html

This URL is from the Dual Language Education of New Mexico website.

In Peace,
K.

R. A. Stegemann wrote:

> Hi everyone!
>
> Can anyone provide a glimpse into what has been called a dual language
> program in the following article. I simply cannot imagine how it would
> work. Are the children taught the same courses in two languages? The
> same languages in two courses? Different courses in alternating
> languages? What actually transpires in such a setting?
>
> Sincerely,
>
> R. A. Stegemann
>
>
> On 6 Oct 2004, at 21:17, Harold F. Schiffman wrote:
>
>         From the NYTimes, October 6, 2004
>
>
>     Panel Focuses on Programs for Students New to English By ELISSA
>     GOOTMAN
>
>     More than a year after Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg promised to
>     strengthen
>     programs for students who do not speak English, advocates for those
>     students testified yesterday that their achievement levels are still
>     extremely low, that parents are often misinformed about their
>     children's
>     options, and that often those options are limited. Speaking at a
>     hearing
>     of the City Council's Education Committee, Carmen Faria, the
>     city's deputy
>     chancellor for teaching and learning, testified that the
>     Department of
>     Education had started to make headway. She cited improvements in the
>     training of educators who work with non-native English speakers
>     and said
>     she was starting to hold principals accountable for such students.
>     Previously, she said, those students were often considered the
>     responsibility of supervisors in district offices.
>
>     Ms. Faria testified that in the spring, only 7.5 percent of the
>     system's
>     134,670 English language learners, as the students are called, passed
>     tests allowing them to leave the special programs. But she
>     suggested there
>     could be problems with the test, which recently replaced a far less
>     rigorous one. "Many more kids pass other tests at higher levels,"
>     she told
>     reporters. Ms. Faria lauded the appointment of 107 English language
>     learner instructional specialists and 20 supervisors. Together
>     with Maria
>     Santos, a senior manager in her office who also testified
>     yesterday, Ms.
>     Faria said she intended to improve math instruction in other
>     languages and
>     promote the use of technology to help students improve their
>     English and
>     other academic skills.
>
>     Shortly after being appointed to her post seven months ago, Ms. Faria
>     cited services for English language learners as one of her
>     priorities. It
>     is also a personal issue: growing up with parents who had recently
>     immigrated from Spain, Ms. Faria started school speaking no English.
>     Councilwoman Eva S. Moskowitz, chairwoman of the committee, said she
>     believed that under Mr. Bloomberg and Schools Chancellor Joel I.
>     Klein,
>     the department had lagged in its efforts to improve services for
>     non-native English speakers.
>
>     "In my mind this is an area that requires very fundamental reform,
>     and I'm
>     not sure the administration has offered fundamental reform," Ms.
>     Moskowitz
>     said yesterday, saying student achievement among non-native English
>     speakers represented an "abysmal state of affairs." "I'm a little
>     surprised," she said. "They've been aggressive about a lot of other
>     areas."
>
>     Many of the problems cited by advocates and council members
>     predated the
>     mayor's control over the schools. One new complaint, however, is
>     that some
>     programs have been cut as large city high schools with English
>     learner
>     programs have been replaced by small specialized high schools,
>     most of
>     which lack the capacity to cater to such students. Ms. Faria
>     testified
>     that parents can choose among three types of programs: dual-language
>     programs, where half of the students in a class speak only
>     English, the
>     other half speak another language and the goal is for everyone to
>     become
>     bilingual; English as a Second Language, in which students are
>     generally
>     immersed in English and may take courses in their native language
>     after
>     school or at other times; and transitional bilingual education, in
>     which
>     the proportion of classes taught in a student's native language
>     diminishes
>     over time. But she acknowledged that there are not enough
>     dual-language
>     programs, saying more were in the works.
>
>     Advocates, however, said that most parents do not fully understand
>     the
>     differences among the three choices and are often simply directed to
>     whatever program has room.
>
>     "These people use these words like 'parental choice' really
>     because it
>     sounds good politically," said Angelo Falcn, senior policy
>     executive for
>     the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund.
>
>     Wayne Ho, executive director of the Coalition for Asian American
>     Children
>     and Families, applauded Chancellor Klein's recent decision to set
>     up a
>     special unit for translating school documents. But he said the
>     office was
>     poorly staffed. A spokeswoman for the Department of Education said
>     the
>     office had only two employees, but more would be hired.
>
>
>
>     http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/06/nyregion/06school.html
>
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