Being herself a nation of immigrants, the United States did not acknowledge her special character and lasting influx of immigrants until 1968 with the legislation of the Bilingual Education Act, making the first move towards an education policy, which shows consideration for limited-English-proficient and non-English speaking schoolchildren. Thus, the U.S. is confronted with the challenge of enabling those children to speak English fluently. A variety of disjunctive studies and opinions exist whether or not bilingual education is an effective method for the English language acquisition and the resulting successful integration of immigrant children into American life and society. Interestingly enough, this heated debate continues to this date. Having realized the demographic change towards a predominantly Spanish speaking population, many states in the U.S. have already reacted to the imminent upheaval by providing bilingual (English/Spanish) services and documents at federal institutions. The following paper will demonstrate the urgency and validity of the bilingual education approach by highlighting its effectiveness and benefits for a multicultural and plurilingual American society, spending special attention to the Californian educational situation.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Bilingualism in America
- LEP Problematic
- Favoring the Bilingual Education Approach
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to demonstrate the urgency and validity of the bilingual education approach, highlighting its effectiveness and benefits for a multicultural and plurilingual American society. The paper particularly focuses on the Californian educational situation.
- The demographic changes in the U.S. and the increasing number of bilingual students
- The need for bilingual education programs to ensure equal opportunities for all students
- The challenges of implementing effective bilingual education programs across different states
- The benefits of bilingual education for both students and society
- The importance of considering the historical and cultural context of bilingualism in the U.S.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: The paper introduces the concept of bilingualism in America, highlighting the demographic changes and the need for bilingual education programs to address the needs of limited-English-proficient (LEP) students.
- Bilingualism in America: This chapter explores the demographic trends in the U.S., emphasizing the increasing diversity of cultures and languages. The author uses statistics to illustrate the prevalence of bilingual students in schools, particularly focusing on the situation in California.
- LEP Problematic: This chapter discusses the challenges faced by LEP students and the need for adequate bilingual education programs. The author emphasizes the importance of providing equal opportunities for all students, regardless of their language proficiency.
- Favoring the Bilingual Education Approach: This chapter argues in favor of bilingual education, highlighting its benefits for both students and society. The author discusses how bilingual education can help students achieve academic success, integrate into society, and develop a greater understanding of different cultures.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The main keywords and focus topics of this paper include bilingualism, multiculturalism, plurilingualism, demographic change, limited-English-proficient (LEP) students, bilingual education, equal opportunities, and the Californian educational situation.
- Quote paper
- Mario Nsonga (Author), 2011, Bilingualism: America’s Most Valuable Resource, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/207835
