ERIC ED370183: If You Speak Two Languages, You Are Bilingual. If You Speak One Language, You Are American.

6 Pages·1994·0.2 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
ED 370 183
EA 025 806
AUTHOR
Allred, Alexandra; Powe, Karen
TITLE
If You Speak Two Languages, You Are Bilingual. If You
Speak One Language, You Are American.
INSTITUTION
National School Boards Association, Alexandria,
VA.
PUB DATE
94
NOTE
6p.
PUB TYPE
Viewpoints (Opinion/Position Papers, Essays, etc.)
Journal Articles (080)
(120)
JOURNAL CIT
Updating School Board Policies; v25 nl p1-4 1994
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC01 Pius Postage.
DESCRIPTORS
*Bilingual Education; *Board of Education Policy;
*Board of Education Role; Educational Policy;
Elementary Secondary Education; *Multicultural
Education; Multilingualism; Public Schools; Student
Development
ABSTRACT
The United States continues to neglect and fails to
utilize its many cultures and languages. These languages and cultures
are valuable resources that can be used to prepare students for the
international competitive economy. School boards must decide what
role bilingual and multicultural education will play. Critics charge
that bilingual and multicultural education are unnecessary,
expensive, and threaten American education. But an increasing
percentage of students require bilingual education. The issue of
languages and multiculturalism in American education has a long and
varied.history. Today, the number and variety of students requiring
bilingual and multicultural education is increasing. All these
students, as well as monolingual students, must be prepared to be
successful in the next century. Many people, however, have
conflicting views on bilingual education, supporting second-language
instruction, but opp,Jsing ethnic language instruction for language
minority students. School boards must decide what kind of education
non- and limited-English-speaking students will receive. They must
keep in mind the increasing numbers of these students and the cost to
the United States in lost opportunities and productiveness if
students are not educated well. (JPT)
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Reproductions supplied by EARS are the best that
can be made
from the original document.
**************************************************k********************
Updating
OrgisBoard
Volume 25/Number 1
A component of the National Education Policy Network of the National School Boards Association provided
to NSBA National Affiliates and NEPN subscribers
1994
If You Speak Two
Languages,
You Are Bilingual.
If You Speak One
Language,
You Are American.
by Alexandra Allred
and Karen Powe
U S DEPARTMENT
OE EDUCATION
SI I duf.M.nna. Re,part..,
and irnpovemen.
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TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
2
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Updatin
g kligisBoard
Volume 25/Number 1
A component of the National Education Policy Network of the National School Boards Association provided
to NSBA National Affiliates and NEPN subscribers
1994
If You Speak Two Languages,
You Are Bilingual.
If You Speak One Language,
You Are American.
by Alexandra Allred
and Karen Powe
I n the i,ighlv competitive arena of the
Our marvelous meld of languages
significance of this issue.
A recent
international economy, the United
and cultures provides us with th'2.
a rt icle in Report on Education Research
States continues to fare well. Despite
means for educating our future leadet s
states:
the naysayers. the 1..S. worker still
(who are. potentially, future leaders c f
"The number of U.S. residents
out pal( )nns all the competitio )n. in-
the world) to achieve even greater
speaking a language other than
eluding the highly regarded Germans
heights in influencing world events
English at home reached an all-
and Japanese. Let's face it: American
and internatioma I prosperity. We have
time high in 1989. According to
products can he warketed anywhere
but to take advantage of our multilin-
the new Education Department
in the world.
gual and multicultural skills.
Con-
trend data
the first to docu-
k is important that we not lose sight
versely. if we do not harness those
ment recent changes in U.S. lan-
of this fact and of our many other
skills, they can he a divisive and or
guage characteristics
about 12
strengths. which include the ability to
debilitating element in our society.
percent of the population speak
acknowledge and overcome deficien-
the school board
Frankly. You
a foreign language at howne, up
cies. In that regard. we suggest that a
are facing yet another
members
from nine percent in 1979. But
deficiency in America's competitive
critical set of value judgements. The
'contrary to popular belief. al-
status is our long-time reluctance to
truth is that in the 1990s, bilingual and
most half of all non-English-lan-
actively address ()ton- linguistic limita-
multicultural education continue to
guage speakers in the popula-
ions.
evoke deeply held feelings.
Some
tion w ere born in the United
while English remains the primary
opponents say they threaten to divide
States. Commissioner Emerson
internati(ma I language for conducting
the United States into many. small.
Elliott of ED's National Center for
business and even diplomacy, ability
internal "nations" that arc defined by
continued on page 2
to use other languages is important for
language. Others say they are even-
is. therefore. unfortu-
Americans.
sive, inefficient and un-American.
It
..
nate that we continue to neglect our
Supporters maimain that it
is both
Inside Updating.
phenomenal natural resources in Ian-
the obligation and the opportunity of
Tips 'n Techniques
guages. The remarkable multicu: ural
P. 5
a multicultural society with a strong
Preparing Students
nature of modern American society
immigrant heritage to provide a hilin-
Trends
P. 9
ark wds an opportunity to reach acn)ss
gual education.
ndeed. we have been
I
Bus Attendants
borders that
is unequalled by any
arguing the merits and the limitations
Advocacy in Action
p. 11
other nation.
of bilingual education since the colo-
Court View
p. 12
nial period, but rarely has the discus-
Alexandra Allred is a free-lance
Student Records
sic m been so important to our future
writer and author of children's
books with international themes.
Policy Adviser
national well-beMg as it is today.
p. 16
Karen Powe is the editor qf Updat-
Continuing changes in the n lake-up
Fainity litt>olvenient
lug School Board Policies.
ttf the U.S. population illustrates the
3
2 Updating l'ol...15yo.
Languages
from page 1
Language (ESL) was introduced into
mogeneity developed and English be-
Educatkm Statistics said when
pub;ic schools for language minority
came the "first- language.
releasing the report.- ("LEP Popu-
students. Originally developed in the
The multicultural nature of early
lation Changing Dramatically.
19305. ESL was meant to instruct for-
American society continued to be re-
Repod on bduca-
NCES Says.-
eign diplomats and college students.
flected in the nation's schools through-
R('searck
Vol.26,NO.2, Janu-
it was designed to teach
Because
out the 18th.19th and early 20th centu-
ar
19. 1994)
highly motivated adults, ESL was not
ries. For example. in Ohio. in the early
originally successful when used with
In the not-so-long run, these non-
1900s, schools were required to edu-
children.
and limited-English-speaking students
cate students in English. German or
Most language minority students
in our public schools will make up a
both. Similarly, Louisiana required that
growing segment of the U.S. labor
remained in a "sink or swim- learning
either French or English be taught in
environment where many were sim-
force. In the short-run, they represent
its schools.
an increasing proportion of public
ply unable to keep up with English-
Two years after the annexation of
speaking classmates. Drop-out rates
school students. We cannot afford to
the territory of New Mexico in 1912,
( Data on drop-out rates by
do less than our best in providing both
soared.
Spanish and English were the autho-
racial;ethnic -language groups were
English-speaking and limited-English-
rized languages. In the same period,
not systematically tracked until the
proficient (LEP) students with the lan-
Colorado. Illinois. Iowa, Kentucky. Min-
guage skills they need to succeed.
1970s. However, qualitative data from
nesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Or-
educators supported the belief that
As school boards make t!,e deci-
egon all directed that a language other
we were losing many of our non- and
sions that will affect bilingual educa-
than English he taught in the public
limited-English-speaking students.)
tion programs and the growing num-
In fact, whenever an immi-
schools.
The children who remained in school
bers of LEP students, it might be help-
grant group gained political power or
were more often than not placed (or
ful to take a brief look at the history of
attention, that foreign language was
bilingual education in the U.S.
rather. misplaced) in classes for learn-
incorporated into the education sys-
ing disabled students.
tem.
A Look Back
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 barred
During World \Var I. anti-German
A,: early as the 1-th century. there
n-tional origin discrimination, grant-
sentiment resulted in the actual ban-
were over 18 different "foreign- lan-
ing all citizens equal opportunity. By
ning of teaching or even speaking
guages spoken in America, in addition
1968. Title VII was added to the El-
An anti-foreign language,
German.
to the hundreds of languages spoken
ementary and Secondary School Edu-
anti-immigrant fervor grew and the
lw native India -1 tribes throughout the
cation Act. providing for a federal role
study of foreign languages. save Latin
country. English was the most preva-
and federal dollars f()r bilingual edu-
or ancient Greek. disappeared from
lent language with French, German.
cation. In May 19-0, the Office of Civil
U.S. public schciol classrooms.
Dutch. Swedish and Polish also widely
Rights issued a memorandum stating
The impact of the anti-foreign move-
spoken.
that affirmative steps must he taken to
ment was felt for many years. As an
Indeed, no uniform national lan-
"correct the English language defi-
illustration of this phenomenon. in
guage was chosen in the U.S. until the
ciency of many miLority children in
some school districts in Texas with a
order to provide them with equal
19th century when a nationalistic feel-
student body that was -0 percent or
ing swept across the country.
educational opportun it
As
more Mexican-American, it remained
until the
was not
Italian and Jewish immigrants began
However,
illegal to conduct a class in Spanish
it
outimmher earlier immigrants from
Supreme Court decisk in in Lau t-s.
until 19-3.
Germany, Ireland and Scandinavia, a
Nichols (
19Th ) that the "sink or swim-
In the 19"ins and 1960s. a teaching
concern for cultural and linguistic ho-
method was discredited. In Lau. Chi-
method called English as a Second
nese students contended that the fail-
ure of their San Francisco school dis-
.\ SBA Pres/don
BC mini PoliCieS is published six tunes
1 Mating, Schr
William Soult
trict to provide supplemental courses
mrd inembLi- and the policy
innualb and pnwided to e% cry
adminismitor it s(hool districts that participate in the National
in English was a direct violation of the
Exec:aux. ,ihn'cri,r
school Boards Association's National Affiliate Program or
Equal Protection Clause and the Civil
l'homas A. shannon
sub.cribe
ational Education Policy Network N
NSIIA
Rights Act of 1964.
stall \ lk had F Eadei Associate Executive Director: Adria I.
Deputy Eve( ratty nirclor
Thomas. I )irector, Rew,IR It and Nlanagement Services, Eaten
Although the Supreme C( mil found
Ltrold P. `wanton
Pox v. Editor; I >i ittle (;ray. Clearinghouse Manager. Editorial
in favor of the students, it declined to
Board- Susan Butler. sally Zakanya. Lynne Glassman.
remedy the problem. As a result, the
:Win. kik' Exec-it/HI' Directors
Don E. Blom
)ptim ins expressed in and lw I pdatmg do not necessarily
courts were suddenly flooded with
lk had E. Fader
iellect positions (4 die
Ina! St honl 110,trds Assm
similar cases in which claimants main-
Jeremiah I+ d
tained that school districts were dis-
Susan P. Meny
CO/Tr:gin 190 i .Val tonal School Boards Assoc ianou
Michael A Resnick
.11/ Rights Reserved Permission 1,,
arneles men. be
Steinhilber
requested through the editor
August A\ .
continued on page
3
UpdatinWVol. 25, No.1/3
Languages from page 2
criminating against non-English-speak-
to non- and limited-English-speaking
were enrolled below the modal
ing minorities. Thus, the Lau decision
children in the U.S.
grade for their age, a much higher
certainly influenced the opinions of
rate than that of children who
According to a 1994 report from the
lower courts on the issue of bilingual
speak English only (24 percent).
National Center for Education Statis-
In 1989, this proportion had
education, but the lack of guidelines
tics, the numbers of persons in the
dropped 15 percentage points to
left tile education of LEP students to
U.S. who speak languages other than
38 percent, and was about the
the individual interpretations of lower
English at home is at an all time high
same as for English-only speak-
court judges.
and increasing rapidly. Between 1979
ers (34 percent) who are overage
As educators and legislators sought
and 1989, the nuthber of persons five
for their grade.
a solution, they found a program
years of age and older who were
the Coral Way Experiment (Dade
reported to speak a language other
Obviously, the LEP student popula-
that provided a
County, Florida)
tion is not a homogeneous group.
than English at home increased hy
bilingual education method that, for
about 40 percent. The U.S. Census
There are, in fact. six distinctive group
the first time, could be evaluated by
Bureau reports that one in seven
of students who may require some
educators and non-educators alike and
Americans speaks a language other
level of instruction in ESL or who are in
that was amenable to replication. The
need of assistance in improving their
than English at home; that is an aston-
program's goal was to achieve fluent
ishing 31.8 million American. Two of
English-speaking skills:
bilingualism for both English-speak-
every 10 Americans who speak a
immigrants with no English skills
ing and Spanish-speaking children.
language other than English at home
at all
By 1966, the district was reporting that
have limited or no English, i.e., about
non-English speaking, native horn
the children in the bilingual program
6.4 million people.
citizens
were "radically becoming culturally
As America struggles to adjust to
those who are literate in English,
advantaged." In English, both groups
this new reality, an understanding of
but who have parents or grand-
of students did as well as, or better
how this change in language use
parents at home who only speak
than, their counterparts in monolin-
affects education becomes particu-
their native language (These stu-
gual schools, and the Spanish-speak-
larly important. The U.S. Department
dents frequently speak both En-
ing children achieved equivalent lev-
of Education publication, Language
glish and their native language
els in Spanish.
Characteristics and Schooling in the
with fluency. )
As the numbers of language minor-
United States, A Changing Picture:
American monolingUal children
ity children increased in school dis-
1979 and 1989, takes a close look at
who have very poor language
tricts across the country, more bilin-
the impact of language usage and
skills
gual education programs were estab-
includes some major findings:
American monolingual children
lished and new tet:ching methods were
There was an increase of 65
who speak English fluently but
tried. The success of the Coral Way
have no knowledge of another
percent in the number of Span-
program was experienced by many
language
ish speakers and of 98 percent
other school districts in succeeding
in speakers of Asian languages.
Advocates of bilingual education
years. but there were also less success-
The numbers of speakers of
express concern for the last group,
ful bilingual education programs.
other European languages. while
citing that in our pluralistic society
Educators and parents began ta
still large, declined 18 percent
people who speak only one language
question the effectiveness of bilingual
overall. Major languages spo-
may be at a disadvantage, depending
programs as the best way to educate
ken in the U.S. in 1989 were
upon their locale or future education/
LEP students. Thus, during the third
Spanish, French, Italian, Ger-
careers.
century of our country's history, we
man, Chinese dialects, Philip-
Given the variety of English-speak-
ran the full cycle: rejection of second
pine dialects and Korean.
ing skill levels and needs represented
languages. adaptation to the need to
Contrary to popular belief, al-
within these disparate groups, it is little
teach them, then once again question-
most half of all non-English
wonder that a variety of curricula and
ing the place of second languages in
speakers were born in the United
instructional techniques have been
the education process.
States.
developed and that a variety of success
Taking Stock
Nearly half of the non-English
rates are reported.
speaking population has diffi-
While it is pertinent to consider what
Into the 21st Century
culty speaking English.
One
has gone before, what has worked/not
quarter of those with difficulty
worked in addressing issues confrou-
Do not despair, dear reader.
It is not
were born in the U.S.
ing the public schools, it
is equally
the purpose of this article to provide a
In 1979, among children who
important to see those issues in the
menu of programs or to assess their
werc reported to have difficulty
context of their time. A lot has changed
relative merits/disadvantages. Rather,
speaking English, 53 percent
since the 1960s, particularly in regard
continued on page 4
5
ttx/atin
101. 2 5, No. /
Languages from page 3
Conclusion
is our intent to present the back-
However. they frown on the use of
it
ground information that will enable
ethnic languages for the instruction of
is within the perspective of an excel-
It
language minority students in the
school boards to review current poli-
lent and equitable education for all of
schools. either on a part-time or an
cies on bilingual instruction in the li#:ht
America's public school students that
equal-time-with-English basis. The
of a reality in contemporary America:
school boards must decide what kind
the continuing need to educate non- authors question "why we attempt to
of education they will offer to their
English-speaking and limited-English-
pnmumte bilingualism where it is more
non- and limited-English-speaking stu-
proficient children in our public
artificial and least likely to succeed.
dents.
and Yet discourage it where it is more
schools.
Even school districts that may not
natural and likely to be reinforced
The numbers of non-English-speak-
have a significant concern about bilin-
through daily use.-
ing people coming to the U.S. show no
gual education programs (as deter-
Carl Petersen. President of the
signs of decreasing. The children, of
mined by the number of language
course, enter our local school systems
Mass.Assn.of School Committees, sug-
minority students in the district 1. are
and are likely to remain in their new
gests another, clearer perspective that
faced with deciding the importance of
Ix Yard members might con-
conntry as adults. These children are.
sclu a >I
Stich programs kir two practical rea-
therefore, as important to our future as
Dr. Petersen. also an associate
sider.
sons:
professor of social science
are those students who come from
at
1 ) .As we have mentioned, the
English-as-a-first-language back-
Wentworth Institute of Technok)gy
multicultural nature of American
all
Flow well we prepare
says. -It seems to ine...that by narrow-
grounds.
society shows no indication of
our children to be productive citizens
ing the debate (about bilingual educa-
decreasing in coining years and.
will determine how vital the country
tion( to whether or not children will be
as effective school leaders know,
will be in the 2Ist century.
taught from the beginning in English
visionary planning is the key to
Few would disagree that we must
or their native language. we are over-
successful education now and in
the future. Just as you conduct
Ica/king the larger. more
provide the best education possible
i iii portant
research and adopt policies f(mr
for all our students. We do. however.
issue at stake: namely. what we should
issues such as future facilities.
continue to debate about bow to do it
be doing to ensure that these children
you need to provide the struc-
can achieve their potential to be edu-
and, the debate is particularly heated.
ture. thr(mgh policy develop-
The most frequently heard criticisms
cated. productive members of our so-
ment. kw changing demograph-
of bilingual programs is that by teach-
ics in your school district.
Dr. Petersen continues. "The is-
ing students in their own languages
The c(ist to the
'.S. economy, in
is a difficult one for those of
sue..,
we delay their learning English and w e
terms of lost opportunities to
us who guide educational policy.
send a message that English is not all
It
provide education and training
tests (air commitment to children
that important.
kw specific populatkins. is not
Supporters of bilingual teaching
all children
that our concern must
restricted to those areas where
always be how best to educate all
methods say that e\ ery chikl sla add
language minority populations
have the opportunity to devekip the
However. we w ill not be
students.
are located. When a child in an
knowledge and skills s he needs to
successful in this endeavor if we set
inner city or a rural area fails to
advance in scla nil and succeed in
educational policy that does not serve
succeed in school, we all pay the
all students well. or if we deceive
price
in lost wage!: and taxes.
slwiety. :Ind ía i(me sh(alkl have to put
in reduced productivity. in in-
ourselves into belie\ mg that \\ e need
off getting those basic skills in order to
creased SU p port services re-
first acquire English proficiency.
not provide educational a Iternati \ es to
quired.
We are often confused by the argu-
meet individual students' needs.
And to conk mnd the issue
"In a very real sense we must come
ments.
As the guardians of excellent and
to recognize that b\ accominodating
further. many of US I a tld c(mtradicuiry
equitable education for all American
opinions abut bilingual education. Ac-
the needs of bilingual students we are
public school students,
the
y()I.1
cording to editors M. Beatriz Arias and
puttir.g ourselves one step clo,,er
local sclu )01 board member
are
Ursula Casanova in Blliagturl Ethica-
reaching our own long-lei-in goals.
responsible for the education of our
Eor this reason, w e cannot alk iw our-
l/on: Politics, Practice. Research', iiia ro.
children. We are reminded ahwist ad
political leaders and citizens, at one
selves to abandon the attempt to effec-
nauseam of the African pro,
b that
and the same time. hold opposing
tively educate these children in our
says, "It takes an entire villagc ,o raise
beliefs about bilingual competence
Ultimately. bilingual educa-
schools.
a child.-
I lowe er tired we may be of'
They tend to affirm the need to pro-
tion is in everyone's interest as \\ e
hearing it. it is true that every decision
prepare (air students for the chal-
mote second-language instruction for
You nuke in your local disti id impacts
English-speaking students. acknowl-
lenges of the 21st century.
is the
on the education of all of America's
It
edging the personal, academic, social
ultimate challenge for us in the 20th.-
If some of those children
chiklren.
("A Case for
and economic advantages in that ac-
Bilingual Education.-
have limited English skills, .our chal-
cimiplishment.
MASC Journal. Spring i993)
k.nge is that mudi greater.