The United States is in the midst of a struggle today. It seems that it is only recently that the population has become aware that they are also a multilingual nation. Despite the lack of an official language policy, the country has managed to achieve a very high level of monolingualism. This is part of an assimilationist ideology that decimated the immigrants’ languages as well as the many American indigenous languages.
The focus in this paper is on bilingual education in the United States of America. First of all, there will be given some definitions on several terms. Following this, the paper will provide an overview of the historical development of bilingual education from the beginning until the present. In the second part, the focus will be on Bilingual Education Programs for Hispanics in New Mexico. The paper will describe the development of several Bilingual Education Programs in the Albuquerque School District. The paper is mainly based on secondary literature in the first part and several Internet resources in the second part.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Terminology
3. History of Bilingual Education in the U.S.
3.1 The Permissive Period
3.2 The Restrictive Period
3.3 The Opportunist Period
3.4 The Dismissive Period
3.4.1 Ronald Reagan
3.4.2 George W. Bush
3.4.3 Barack Obama
4. Bilingual Education for Hispanics
4.1 Hispanics in New Mexico
4.2 Albuquerque School District
4.2.1 Two-way Dual-Language Immersion
4.2.2 Maintenance Bilingual Education
4.2.3 Enrichment Model
4.2.4 Participating schools and student attendance
4.3 Bilingual Education and Public Opinion
4.4 Research and challenges for the future
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Core Topics
This paper explores the historical evolution of bilingual education within the United States, examining the shifting political and social attitudes that have shaped instructional policies. It further investigates the specific implementation and effectiveness of bilingual education programs for Hispanic students in New Mexico, with a focus on the Albuquerque School District.
- Historical periods of bilingual education in the U.S.
- The political landscape and legislative changes affecting bilingualism.
- Diverse models of bilingual education, including Dual-Language Immersion.
- Socioeconomic and cultural factors impacting Hispanic student performance.
- Public opinion and future challenges regarding bilingual education.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Permissive Period
When the first European colonists and settlers arrived in North America, the land already contained more than 300 separate indigenous languages. Together with a multitude of languages that immigrants from all over the world brought into the country, multilingual communities subsisted side by side in the 18th and 19th century (cf. Nieto 2009: 61). At this time many immigrant communities used their maternal languages for religious services or community newspapers. In addition, first bilingual schools were founded at that early period. Take, for example, the founding of public and private German-English schools in the mid 19th century where bilingual or non-English instruction was provided. These schools were set up by German communities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Minnesota, North and South Dakota, Wisconsin and Texas. Also, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Spanish, French, Russian and Czech were among the instruction languages within schools in the 1800s or early 1900s (cf. Baker 2011: 185). However, there were exceptions to the acceptance of language diversity, such as the anti-German stance by Benjamin Franklin in the 1750s or the mandate of the California Bureau of Instruction to use English as the only language at schools (cf. Baker 2011: 185). Although this period can be characterized as permissive, it is important to point out that education during the 19th century was not set up to actively promote bilingualism. It was rather a policy of linguistic assimilation (cf. Ovando 2003: 4).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the importance of multilingualism in a globalized world and the scope of this paper, focusing on the U.S. and specifically on New Mexico.
2. Terminology: Defines essential linguistic terms like monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual, while establishing specific approaches to bilingual education such as additive and subtractive models.
3. History of Bilingual Education in the U.S.: Traces the four historical periods of bilingual education in America, from the permissive era through the restrictive, opportunist, and dismissive periods.
4. Bilingual Education for Hispanics: Examines specific educational strategies for the Hispanic population in New Mexico and the Albuquerque School District, including various program models.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes the shift from assimilationist and ineffective historical models toward more flexible and inclusive modern approaches for minority students.
Keywords
Bilingual Education, Multilingualism, Hispanics, New Mexico, Albuquerque School District, Dual-Language Immersion, Maintenance Model, Linguistic Assimilation, No Child Left Behind, Educational Policy, Additive Bilingualism, Student Achievement, Socioeconomic Factors, Cultural Integration, Language Proficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
This paper examines the history of bilingual education in the United States and analyzes the specific bilingual education programs implemented for Hispanic students in the state of New Mexico.
Which specific themes are covered?
The paper covers the historical development of language policy, the influence of political administrations on bilingual education, specific program models like Two-way Dual-Language Immersion, and the impact of these policies on Hispanic students.
What is the core research question?
The paper addresses how historical shifts in U.S. language policy have influenced bilingual education and how current programs are meeting the needs of the growing Hispanic student population in New Mexico.
What methodology is employed?
The research is based on a comprehensive analysis of secondary literature, government reports, official state educational records, and Internet resources related to bilingual education policy.
What does the main body discuss?
The main body investigates the historical periods of bilingualism in the U.S., provides an in-depth look at programs in the Albuquerque School District, and analyzes challenges such as academic proficiency and the impact of testing requirements.
What are the key terms that define this work?
The work is characterized by terms such as Bilingual Education, Dual-Language Immersion, Linguistic Assimilation, and Educational Reform.
How does the New Mexico constitution relate to this topic?
The constitution of New Mexico, adopted in 1911, explicitly references the need for teacher training in both English and Spanish and protects the educational rights of children of Spanish descent.
What is the "No Child Left Behind" Act's impact on bilingual programs?
The act is described as a step backward, as it shifted the focus from native-language instruction to testing for English proficiency, often leading to a "teaching for the test" environment.
- Quote paper
- Felix B. (Author), 2013, Bilingual Education in the US and New Mexico, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/282591
