Abstract An increasing number of s...

Abstract

An increasing number of seminarys are offering two-way bilingual immersion programs as educational options to appropriate the needs of both language minority and language majority scholars Given the variability in program design and delivery of as it is programs, it is useful to examine individual programs to identify factors that may contribute to the effectiveness of this pattern This article provides a description of the Inter-American Magnet seminary in Chicago, the oldest two-way bilingual immersion teach in the Midwest. Student achievement scores, particularly those of a cohort of low-- income limited English proficient (LEP) students,provide evidence that scholars consistently attain high levels of achievement in English reading and writing, math, science, and social studies despite receiving instruction in English for no more than 50% of the time.

Introduction

Demographic data indicate a tremendous increase in language minority scholars and that pattern is drawed to continue. Among this arrange of students, the number classified as limited English proficient (LEP) has doubled since 1989 from about 2 million to from one side of to the other 4 million (NCBE, 1999). Not sole do these students lack the English language skills necessary for academic succes they are overwhelmingly from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds, further placing them at risk (Mos & Puma, 1995) The most numerous prevalent model of bilingual education provided for LEP scholars has been transitional bilingual education. make subordinate matter is taught in the students' place of abode language (LI) while they are learning English, and merely until they have gained enough English proficiency to be placed in the mainstream classroom, usually limited to a maximum of three years. Instruction in the students' LI ceases at that time, with no efforts to maintain that language (Ovando & Collier, 1998)

Paradoxically, while language minority bookish mans have received little encouragement to make known their home language, leaders in business, industry, and guidance decry the lack of linguistic and cultural literacy among the U workforce necessary for a global economy (CPC 1994; Fradd & leeward 1998). Even language teachers and administrators who are generally satisfied with their elementary grades end high school foreign language programs do not reckon upon language majority students (monolingual English speakers) to attain a high even of proficiency in the target language (Oxford, 1998) For majority language scholars the immersion model, in which the satisfied areas are taught through the minority language (L2) has been greatest in number successful for reaching a high plain of L2 fluency and literacy (Cohen, 1975; Genesee 1987; Lambert & Tucker 1972)

Two-Way Bilingual Immersion

In order to provide educational opportunities to the two language minority and language majority scholars an increasing number of teachs are offering two-way bilingual immersion programs (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2000) A variety of spells to describe these programs include two-way bilingual education, two-way maintenance bilingual education, developmental bilingual education, enrichment bilingual education, and dual language programs (Christian, 1996) Language minority and language majority observers are integrated in classes and provided grade-level instruction in and between the sides of two languages, English and the non-English language of the language minority bookish mans The curriculum is taught for a significant amount of the instructional time by the and of the non-English language. Importantly, no other than one language is used at a given time in the classroom.

As the close examiners receive instruction in what is the next to the first language for each group, immersion in learning contentment in their second language provides natural adjoining matters for language acquisition. Students of each language arrange serve as models for the other, shifting from being the master to the novice as they interact in negotiating the curriculum. by way of regarding language as a resource to be perform the operations indicated ined and integrating language minority and language majority learners for most content instruction, an instructional environment is created to stir up positive cross-cultural attitudes and enhanced self-sufficiency The major goals of two-way bilingual immersion are (a) high horizontals bilingualism and biliteracy, (b) grade appropriate plains of academic achievement, and (c) positive cross-cultural attitudes and self-complacency (Christian, 1996; Lindholm, 1990).

In the implementation of these programs there is considerable variability, including the population of learners to be served, allocation of languages for instruction, integration of bookish mans staffing, and instructional approaches (Christian, 1996; Thomas & Collier, 1997) Therefore, it is important to consider what factors are essential for a quality two-way bilingual immersion program. According to Lindholm (1990) these include: (a) a minimum of four to six years of bilingual instruction; (b) a focus forward the same core curriculum that bookish mans in other programs experience; (c) quality language arts in the two languages; (d) use of the target language for a minimum of 50% of the time to a maximum of 90% in the early years; (e) an additive bilingual environment for all bookish mans to learn a second language while developing their first language; (f) a balanced ratio of close examiners who speak each language; (g) positive interdependence among bookish mans promoted by the use of strategies as it is as cooperative learning; and (h) characteristics of effective gymnasiums such as qualified personnel and parent-school collaboration. These features have also been identified in descriptions and evaluations of lucky two-way bilingual immersion programs (Cazabon, Lambert, & Hall, 1993; Freeman, 1998) and in a series of studies focusing forward the length of time exigencyed to be academically successful in a secondary language (Thomas & Collier, 1997) Although related to quality personnel another feature worth emphasizing as critical for effective two-way immersion is reflective teaching. Reflective teachers utilize a repertoire of assessment techniques like as observations, conferencing, dialogue journals, and portfolios to obtain feedback upon their instruction and student learning. Based onward these results, teaching is modified according to students' curricular and language privations respecting their cultural orientations and sensitivities (Cloud Genesee & Hamayan, 2000)