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Primary Language Matters: Is There a Link Between Bilingual Education and English Language Learners’ Academic Achievement?

Nury RodriguezEducation 702.22: Seminar in Applied Theory and Research ISpring 2010

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Table of Contents

IntroductionStatement of the Problem

Review of Related Literature

Statement of the Hypothesis

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IntroductionHistorical overview of bilingual education and policies affecting English Language Learners.

The bilingual education method of instruction has been widely debated by different linguists, and other stakeholders in the field of education.

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Statement of the ProblemResearch shows that some English Language Learners’

academic achievement tends to be low regardless of which instructional method is used.

The purpose of this action research is to describe the effects of a bilingual education program on students’ achievement in reading.

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Review of Related Literature

Pro

Jim Cummins Interdependence Principle suggests that L1 can facilitate the learning of L2 (as cited in Sparks, 2009, 205).

Con

Keith Baker (1998) claims that the structured English immersion program is the best method to teach ELLs.

ProJim Cummins Threshold Hypothesis states that L1 competency level is important (as cited in Mora, 2004). ConThe Threshold Hypothesis resort to the use of “semi-lingualism” or “limited bilingualism” as the reason for children’s low academic achievement (Macswan, 2009, para. 8).

Pro

According Hakuta, Butler, and Witt, a students’ ability to develop the target language takes 1 to 3 years, and it takes 5 to 7 years to develop academic language (as cited in Mora, 2000, p. 353).

Con

Structured English Immersion programs “mainstream their students in two to three years, compared to the five to eight years called for by a full bilingual education program” (Baker, 1998, p. 202).

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Statement of the HypothesisThe following questions will guide the study:

Is bilingual education the best way to teach English Language Learners?

Why do some students succeed in a bilingual education program?

Why some students do not succeed in a bilingual education program?

Is there a relationship between the success of a bilingual education program that emphasizes the use of 1st graders’ native language (L1) to learn English and the students’ primary language proficiency?

HR1: Implementing a Bilingual Education program with English language learners with high L1 proficiency will increase their reading skills more so than the group of English language learners with low L1 proficiency.

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Banks, J. A. (1993). Multicultural Education: Historical Development, Dimensions, and Practice . Review of Research in Education, 19, 3-49. doi: 10.3102/0091732X019001003

Baker, K. ( 1998). Structured English Immersion: Breakthrough in Teaching Limited- English- Proficient Students. Phi Delta Kappan, 80 (3), 199-204. Retrieved from Eric database. (EJ575205)

 

Goldenberg, C. (2008). Teaching English Language Learners: What the Research Does—and Does not say, American Educator, 32 (2), 8-44. Retrieved from http://archive.aft.org/pubs-reports/american_educator/issues/summer08/goldenberg.pdf

Honigsfeld, A. (2009). ELL Programs: Not "One Size Fits All". Kappa Delta Pi Record, 45(4), 166-171. Retrieved from ERIC database. (EJ865396)

Lenters, Kimberly. (2004). No Half Measures: Reading Instruction for Young Second Language Learners. Reading Teacher, 58(4), 328-336. Retrieved from ERIC database. (EJ684401)

 

Macswan, J. (2000). The Threshold Hypothesis, Semilingualism, and Other Contributions to a Deficit View of Linguistic Minorities, Hispanic Journal of Behavioral Sciences, 22, 3-45. doi:10.1177/0739986300221001

Mora, J. K. (2000). Staying the Course in Times of Change: Preparing Teachers for Language Minority Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 51, 345-357. doi:10.1177/0022487100051005003

References

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Reese, L., Goldenberg, C., & Saunders, W. (2006). Variations in Reading Achievement among Spanish-Speaking Children in Different Language Programs: Explanations and Confounds. Elementary School Journal, 106(4), 363-385. Retrieved from ERIC database. ( EJ750503)

Rossell, C. H., & Baker, K. (1996). The Educational Effectiveness of Bilingual Education. Research in the Teaching of English, 30, (1), 7-74. Retrieved from Eric database. (EJ519666)

Sparks, R., Patton, J., Ganschow, L., & Humbach, N. (2009). Long-Term Crosslinguistic Transfer of Skills from L1 to L2. Language Learning, 59(1), 203-243. Retrieved from ERIC database. (EJ829152)