What is the most effective way to teach English-language learners?

A political quagmire has renewed the debate over the education of English-language learners in California's public schools. In January 2006, Democratic state legislators, joined by the Latino Caucus, proposed that giving schools the option to adopt core curriculum, which includes material designed for English-language learners, would help minimize the achievement gap between native and nonnative speakers. The State Board of Education, however, voted against the legislators' proposal, contending that it would further segregate the two groups of students without helping them learn.

Although Proposition 227, passed in 1998, effectively banned bilingual education in California's public schools, some voices in the general debate maintain that bilingual education is an asset, not a hindrance, to English-language learners. Where do you stand on this issue? We're interested in your opinion.