Freie Universität Berlin

Course: 54023 - Oral and Writing Skills, Module 2

SoSe 2008

Research Paper

Bilingual Education in the US

English as a Second Language for Hispanic Children in School

Name: Renard Teipelke

Date of Submission: 03.07.2008

Table

of

Contents

Page

1. The History of Bilingualism in the US

1

2. Bilingualism

2

2.1. Definition of Bilingualism

2.2. Reasons for Hispanics to Learn English as a Second Language (ESL)

3. Bilingual

Education

3-4

3.1. Goals of Bilingual Education

3.2. English Immersion

3.3. English as a Second Language

3.4. Cultural Maintenance

4. Bilingual Education Instead of English Immersion

4-6

4.1. Vantages

4.2. Disadvantages

4.3. Problems

5. The

Actual

State

of

Affairs

6-7

6. Outlook: English and Spanish as World Languages

8

Figures

9-11

Bibliography

12-13

1. The History of Bilingualism in the US1

"Consider the irony: despite its increasing diversity, the United States remains an

underdeveloped country when it comes to language skills. Immigrants are importing other

tongues at record rates. Yet the vast majority of native-born Americans remain stubbornly

monolingual. Our ignorance of other languages and cultures handicaps us in dealing with

the rest of the world. U.S. trade, diplomacy, and national security all suffer."2

This quote by James Crawford, expert on language policy, illustrates the permanent

contradiction of the United States as a nation of both, migrants from all over the world and

widespread monolingualism.

When the first European settlers arrived in North America, more than 200 languages in 15

language families could be found all over the continent. This linguistic diversity was

destroyed in the course of the westward movement during the 17th and 18th century. But North

America continued to be a multi-linguistic country because of immigrants from several

European states establishing their respective mother tongues. After the

Declaration of

Independence

in 1776, English has been promoted more intensively, but bilingualism

remained part of the individual rights of American citizens. The United States (US) still had

countless communities of different mother tongues (e.g. German, Dutch, and Spanish).

From the 1880s to the 1920s, the English-Only-Movement became larger, and programs for

Americanization

were enforced as a response to the immigration waves. The Anglo-Saxon

race gained more dominance and English was associated with a growing patriotism. In that

time, the idea of the

melting pot

arose.

After 1920, especially during the

World Economic Crisis

and

World War II

, deep rifts started

to run through the WASPs (White Anglo-Saxon Protestants) and "the others" (i.e.,

immigrants from Asia, Southeastern Europe, and Latin America). In the 1950s and 1960s,

supporters for English as the official language of the US as well as civil rights activists for

anti-discrimination gained influence.

On this historical basis, the role of bilingual education, with focus on English as a second

language for Hispanic children in school, will be presented in this paper. After a theoretical

1 Cf. Fitzgerald, Jill: Views on Bilingualism in the United States: A Selective Historical Review.

Bilingual Research Journal, 17:1&2, Winter/Spring 1993. [37 et seqq.]

2 Crawford, James: English Plus. 1997. 28.06.2008. IN:

http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Jwcrawford/engplus.htm

1

introduction, I examine the arguments for and against the bilingual education by balancing

previous research on this issue. Then I will analyze the problems in this field and the language

legislation in the US. For a better understanding of the importance of bilingualism in the US, I

will refer to the interest groups, the differences between the states, and to the issue of

identity3. To conclude, I will focus on English and Spanish as world languages and try an

outlook on the future of the multicultural US4.

2. Bilingualism

2.1. Definition of Bilingualism

Bilingualism is the ability to speak two languages. There is a difference between individual

and social bilingualism as well as between instrumental and integrative bilingualism.

Individual bilingualism means the bilingualism of one person, while social bilingualism refers

to a bilingual society (e.g. Canada or Switzerland). If one learns a second language only for

utility, than the bilingualism is instrumental. An integrative bilingualism stands for the will of

a person to integrate into a new society by learning its language as a second language.

2.2. Reasons for Hispanics to Learn English as a Second Language (ESL)

Hispanics in the US have several reasons for learning English5. There are three dimensions of

this: political, economic and social reasons. To learn English implies to become a responsible

citizen, who participates in his/her community (political purpose of ESL). The major

economic reason is English being the key for upward socioeconomic mobility6. And the social

purpose deals with both the integration into the society and the understanding of the American

culture and identity7.

3 Cf. figure No. 1 for clarification

4 Because of the limited coverage of this paper, the ongoing debate about language education in the

US can only be presented succinctly. My quoted sources provide further information.

5 Cf. Ward, James: Implications of Bilingualism: Education. IN: Ridge, Martin, ed.: The new

Bilingualism. An American Dilemma. Los Angeles: University of Southern California, 1981. [148 et

seqq.]

6 Cf. Schildkraut, Deborah J.: Press one for English. Language Policy, Public Opinion, and American

Identity. Princeton: Princeton University, 2005. [183]

7 Huntington analyzes the character of the American identity in detail.

Cf. Huntington, Samuel P.: Who Are We. Die Krise der amerikanischen Identität. Trans. Dierlamm,

Helmut and Schäfer, Ursel. Munich: Wilhelm Goldmann, 2006.

2