Bilingual Education.

Is it worthwhile?

NO

I was brought up in a small town in upstate New York--Amsterdam. My parents were Russian Jewish immigrants, and we spoke Yiddish at home. A Lithuanian family lived next door and they spoke Lithuanian. Across the street were two Italian families, the Naples and the Crosettis; of course, they spoke Italian. Farther up the street was a Polish family, the Uskaritis. They had a plump, pretty daughter, and we soon learned the Polish expression Dime buse, "Give me a kiss." The Italians taught us, Vine que, "Come here."

All of us kids went to the same school, Fourth Ward. We all learned to speak English without the accents our parents never lost. As a matter of fact, we taught our mothers and fathers to speak better English.

Please don't handicap your children with bilingual education. The risk is that they may never be fluent in any language.

Our parents came here because this is the land of opportunity. They were proud to become American. But they also took pride in their backgrounds. That doesn't interfere with becoming an American. But first, it is your responsibility to learn English. In one year, children can learn enough of the language to begin the study of our history. They will learn that this is a country of immigrants. And the influx of many cultures makes our country stronger. Give them a chance to grow up to become good Americans.

--KIRK DOUGLAS
actor, in a letter opposing
bilingual education

YES

When President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Bilingual Education Act into law on January 2, 1968, no one knew for sure if it would work. What was sure was that English-only instruction was not working for children who came to school speaking other languages. Students unable to understand their teachers were falling behind in their academic studies and dropping out of school at alarming rates. Clearly, a new approach was needed.

Bilingual education uses a child's native language to make instruction meaningful. Students learn academic subjects partly in their native tongue and partly in English. Meanwhile, they receive special instruction in English as a second language (ESL). The youngest children are usually taught to read in their first language. As their oral English improves, they are introduced to literacy in English. Over time, teachers' use of the native language decreases until students are ready for mainstream classrooms.

Whether measured by rising test scores, increasing college attendance, or brighter career paths, bilingual education has made a difference for students with low English-proficiency. A growing body of research shows that well-designed bilingual programs are academically effective--at no extra cost.

--THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR BILINGUAL EDUCATION3