Bilingual Education Blows Away the Competition :: Essays Papers

Bilingual Education Blows Away the Competition "It would be scary if bilingual education wasnt there, because I wouldnt be able to understand the teacher, and I wouldnt know what to do, and I would have problems," said one young supporter of bilingual education (Keifer 10). Education is the single most important tool for future greatness. It is necessary for success in all endeavors. Those who need more assistance in their learning still deserve to receive the best education possible. Just because they do not learn in the same way, does not mean that they can be neglected in this meaningful aspect of life. Language minority children are part of that category. They have trouble learning because they are Limited English Proficient (LEP). In Arizona, these children are most likely to come from a Mexican heritage since the state is so close to Mexico. For over a hundred years schools have been implementing a program that teaches LEP children in their native language first, then slowly transitioning them into learning in English. During their entire education the students are continually learning the English language. This long-term focus of learning English as well as learning standard subjects in the native language is geared so the students will not fall behind on their general studies. This method is highly regarded because it develops the childrens native language as well as English. They need this type of bilingual education to keep their communication skills within their culture. In the past there has been a large controversy surrounding the education of minority children. The quality of education in the bilingual education programs across the country is being questioned. The battle to eliminate bilingual education has succeeded in California. In 1998, the "English for the Children" initiative, led by Ron Unz, met strong opposition as well as strong agreement. The initiative called for only one year of "structured English immersion" for LEP students, followed by reclassification into an English-only classroom. This means that these young children will be thrust into an English-speaking classroom with only one year of English instruction. They will be left to "sink or swim" in these classes, a method which the Supreme Court found to violate their right to an equal education. This thoughtless initiative went on to win a victory in California at the expense of many children who will now find it even more difficult to survive in the education system.