Example Of Foundations Of Bilingual Education Essay

Educating children in a language that is not their first, native tongue is a process known as bilingual education. Children who have grown up speaking a specific language at home who are then forced to learn and speak a second language at school face unique difficulties as far as education is concerned. While common wisdom says that children have a much easier time learning languages, this is not strictly true. Children who learn a second language young are less likely than adults to carry around an accent from their first language, but they still face difficulties when it comes to language acquisition. Adults tend to have more self-consciousness when it comes to language acquisition, whereas children are much more willing to speak and make mistakes; however, adults are also much more adept at various learning and studying techniques, which makes language acquisition slightly easier.
In the original hypothetical, Jose is a child with a very weak grasp on the English language. However, his grasp of mathematics, a universal language, is quite good; he is described as helping everyone in the class. Because the teacher is intent upon engaging every student in her classroom on a level that triggers their desire to learn, it is important for the teacher to take Jose’s innate ability to understand and perform well in mathematics and build a rapport with the child from there. Technology is another good way to build connections with students; students have a tendency to engage well with technology when it is integrated into classroom learning. This has the added effect of ensuring computer literacy in students, which is fundamental for success later in life. When the instructor gives Jose an iPad to listen to lectures on, she quickly notices his English improve. This is a very effective use of technology for educational purposes.
The worst thing a teacher can do in a situation where a child is unsure of his or her language ability is to force them to perform in front of his or her peers. If a teacher forces a shy or uncertain child into a situation where the child is uncomfortable speaking the language, the language will very quickly become associated with discomfort and unhappiness for the child. Instead, the teacher must engage the child on a level the child is comfortable with; for instance, the teacher has engaged one of the children in the hypothetical, Sandra, in language and literacy acquisition via a book the teacher suspected the child would enjoy.
The child named Sandra in the original hypothetical is an excellent example of what a child can become with proper instruction. Although it is not stated that Sandra is a bilingual student, she is described as having struggled with reading. Students with poor reading levels for their age face many similar problems to students whose first language is not the language of instruction at school. They are often subject to ridicule by their peers, and are sometimes singled out or isolated by the instructor. However, when this happens, the instructor is doing the child and the class as a whole a disservice; instead of feeling as though the teacher is someone to trust, who has their best interests at heart, the class receives the message that the instructor wants them to fall in line and be just like all of their classmates. When a teacher makes a genuine attempt to reach out to each student on his or her level, however, the classroom environment suddenly becomes much more open and welcoming for every student.
When an instructor has a bilingual student in his or her classroom, he or she should change the way he or she speaks. Speaking more slowly and more clearly while facing towards the class will give the student more time to understand the content of the class, which is fundamentally important if the teacher hopes to keep the student abreast of his or her schoolwork. Another good technique is to utilize technology to assist the student, as the teacher did with Jose. Similarly, the teacher should never show frustration when the student invariably becomes confused by certain verbal commands; instead, he or she should work with the student one-on-one as much as possible to establish a good, trusting relationship with the student. Individuals who have never experienced an environment where their first language is not being spoken as a primary language-- as is the case for many American English speakers-- often underestimate or misunderstand the troubles that face someone in an environment where his or her first language is not being spoken. Understanding and patience are keys to establishing a good relationship with the student.
Another key to success in bilingual education is having clear, achievable standards for the student. If a student has standards that are too easy to reach, he or she will be bored and the time spent in class will not be well spent. Instead, the student should have different types of goals, ranging from short- to long-term; if the student is old enough, it may be appropriate to have the student participate in a goal-making session to ensure that the student and teacher are working towards common goals, rather than separately.
In all forms of education, but particularly bilingual education, the constructivist viewpoint is an important one to consider. Children, like adults, do not approach situations in a vacuum; they are molded and changed by their experiences. Understanding and working with rather than around cultural differences help students integrate better into the classroom. Project-based approaches to learning are particularly helpful for bilingual students, because these projects allow them to showcase their strengths while learning about communication and teamwork in their adoptive language.