HISTORY




HISTORY OF BILINGUAL DUAL IMMERSION PROGRAMS

The earliest dual language immersion programs began in the 1960’s and 1970’s in South Florida with the influx of Cuban refugees. Many private bilingual schools formed to develop bilingualism for Cuban refugees. The dual language programs were intended to include
native language use in the education
of language minority students, not to integrate second language instruction for Native English speakers.
One of the best examples from this period was Coral Way, Florida bilingual alternate day model. It was considered two-way because it included English dominant students and language minority students. It was bilingual education because it used two languages as the focus of instruction. It was also dual language because its alternate day structure provided equal opportunities for instruction using both languages, Spanish and English.
According to Baker and Jones (1998), Bilingual education in the United Sates has experienced the permissive, restrictive, opportunist, and dismissive periods. From the beginning of 20th century to the 1960s, several factors including national policies impeded the development of bilingual education. For example, the Naturalization Act of 1906 stipulated that to become naturalized U.S. citizens, immigrants must be able to speak English. From 1918 to 1920, the Bureau of Naturalization and the Bureau of Education of the Untied States sponsored bills that “provided for substantial federal aid to states, on a dollar-matching basis, to finance the teaching of English to aliens and native illiterates (Higham, 1992). By 1923, the legislatures of 34 states had dictated English-only instruction in all private and public primary schools (Kloss, 1998) However, from the 1960s to the 1980s, bilingual education in the United States was in the opportunist period.
The rebirth of bilingual education during that period resulted from changes in immigration laws. For example, the 1965 Immigration Act revoked the Naturalization Act of 1906 and terminated the 1924 national origin quota system. Because of this Act, many Asian and Hispanic students appeared in U.S. classrooms, where bilingual instruction was needed. In 1968, the federal government enacted the Bilingual Education Act (Title VII of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act). Through this legislation the U.S. Department of Education provided funding for elementary and secondary bilingual programs during the opportunist period. In addition, the 1974 Supreme Court case Lau v. Nichols (414 U.S. 5637) has had an enormous impact of the development of bilingual education in the United States. Teitelbaum and Hiller (1977) stated that the case law of Lau v. Nichols legitimized and gave impetus to the movement for equal education opportunity for students who do not speak English by raising the nation’s consciousness of the need for bilingual education. The 1975 Lau Remedies was another important legislation for the rebirth of bilingual education during the opportunist period. According to the Lau Remedies, bilingual education should be implemented in all school districts with at least 20 ELLs who represented the same language. Also, the Lau Remedies redirected school districts to provide strong versions of bilingual education for language minority students to enable them to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural (Ovando, 2003).


History of Dual Language Programs in DC

I. POLITICS OF THE LATE SIXTIES

Immigration Laws Amended: more immigrants from western hemisphere allowed.
Washington, DC becomes port of entry for immigrants from Central America
Local leader emerges; establishes links with city politicians.
Rhetoric of the Great Society of the 60's stressing education solidifies goals of emerging community.
June 1969: DC manpower offices funds PROJECT ADELANTE designed to teach English to adults.
Director of federally funded project Model Schools recommends to Hispanic leadership to establish an elementary level bilingual school which would serve BOTH English and Spanish speaking students.
Federal funds sought and obtained for teacher training and curriculum development.

II. PROJECT BEGINNINGS:

20 native Spanish speaking teachers certified abroad were selected by committee of community representatives to: meet certification requirements for DC Public Schools
design integrated two-way bilingual school emphasizing language learning in multi-racial, multi-cultural environs develop curriculum and materials sell program to the community Spring of 1971 DC Public Schools' Superintendent responds to community request: proposes to use local funds to start program; gets School Board approval to pay for teaching, administrative, clerical & building staff salaries, upkeep & utilities, & English language instructional materials.
Federal funds & ford Foundation grant to be used for teacher training, curriculum development & program evaluation.

III. SELECTION OF SCHOOL SITE


Director for Bilingual Education was appointed by Superintendent; charged with selecting school site for program Oyster Elementary School: dying school with predominantly white population, declining enrollment, and small, aging physical plant.
School accommodated approximately 240 students, small enough to test educational model.
Attendance zone stretched deep into heart of growing Hispanic community.
Student population had highest number and percentage of Hispanic students in city.
Building principal is reluctant to accept program and discourages idea of two-way bilingual program.
Parents and bilingual teachers launched public relations effort in community arguing advantages of enrichment program for all its students; stability in real estate values with quality program in neighborhood school; integration along racial, cultural, & socio-economic lines through educational program that would give equal weight to importance of learning two languages well for its students.
1972: parents take hand in selecting new principal; interview candidates at parents' homes.
Candidate for principal was approved by parents, teachers, and bilingual education director. Superintendent accepts recommendations; appoints new principal.

    Do you want to go back?
    Click on the LINKS:

    Main Page



    All pages have audio files. Make sure your Master Volume options are set properly.
    WebMaster: misszamora@hotmail.com

    Powered by Blogger