Submitted by Bob Eldridge (not verified) on July 31, 2006 - 13:36.
I teach mathematics to children (Grades 5-8) in northern New Jersey. I have seen students enter our bi-lingual program and be mainstreamed within a year.
On the other hand, I have seen students who remain in the bi-lingual program for many more years than necessary because they have no motivation to learn English. They only associate with other students who speak their language, live in neighborhoods where they can get along perfectly well without learning English, and therefore, have no real need to learn the language. For these students, the bi-ligual program provides a "cocoon" by permitting these children to avoid dealing with the need to learn English.
I would like to see a program in our schools that involves immersion into regular classes immediately with support for those students who need it.
I spoke about this with my wife, who is a high school Spanish teacher on Long Island (NY). Some of her colleagues live in a district on Long Island that has an innovative program. (Commack, NY?) It is a special bilingual program that has classes made up of bilingual and English speaking students. Parents of English speaking students must apply to have their children placed into this class. Instruction is provided in both English and Spanish and therefore English speaking students are semi-immersed in Spanish and Spanish speaking students (who comprise most of the foreign born students in the district) are semi-immersed in English. One of the two colleagues who has enrolled his/her children, is also a Spanish teacher (native born) and is happy that his native language as well as English is being reinforced in regular school instruction. The other colleague is not a Spanish teacher and is happy that her daughter is speaking Spanish through this immersion program.
Imagine receiving instruction in your science, social studies or math class in two languages!
I teach mathematics to
Submitted by Bob Eldridge (not verified) on July 31, 2006 - 13:36.
I teach mathematics to children (Grades 5-8) in northern New Jersey. I have seen students enter our bi-lingual program and be mainstreamed within a year.
On the other hand, I have seen students who remain in the bi-lingual program for many more years than necessary because they have no motivation to learn English. They only associate with other students who speak their language, live in neighborhoods where they can get along perfectly well without learning English, and therefore, have no real need to learn the language. For these students, the bi-ligual program provides a "cocoon" by permitting these children to avoid dealing with the need to learn English.
I would like to see a program in our schools that involves immersion into regular classes immediately with support for those students who need it.
I spoke about this with my wife, who is a high school Spanish teacher on Long Island (NY). Some of her colleagues live in a district on Long Island that has an innovative program. (Commack, NY?) It is a special bilingual program that has classes made up of bilingual and English speaking students. Parents of English speaking students must apply to have their children placed into this class. Instruction is provided in both English and Spanish and therefore English speaking students are semi-immersed in Spanish and Spanish speaking students (who comprise most of the foreign born students in the district) are semi-immersed in English. One of the two colleagues who has enrolled his/her children, is also a Spanish teacher (native born) and is happy that his native language as well as English is being reinforced in regular school instruction. The other colleague is not a Spanish teacher and is happy that her daughter is speaking Spanish through this immersion program.
Imagine receiving instruction in your science, social studies or math class in two languages!