A Crash Course in Bilingual Educationby Nelson FloresNYCTF Bilingual WorkshopJuly 9th, 2010

Haz Ahora

•Guía de Anticipación ▫Lee los oraciones que siguen. Con tu pareja

discuta si estas de acuerdo o no estas de acuerdo con la oración y porque.

•Un niño puede aprender un nuevo idioma en poco tiempo.

•La educación bilingüe es la mejor manera de educar a niños aprendiendo ingles.

•Es necesario la transición de niños aprendiendo ingles a clases monolingüe lo más pronto posible.

•Es necesario separar los dos idiomas en una clase bilingüe usando uno por parte del dia y el otro por parte del día.

Stages of new language acquisition

•Stage One: Preproduction (newcomer/beginner)▫Minimal Comprehension▫No verbal production

•What can they do in their second language:▫LISTEN                DRAW▫POINT                 SELECT▫MOVE                  CHOOSE▫MIME                   ACT/ACT OUT▫MATCH                CIRCLE

Stages of new language acquisition

•Stage Two: Early Production (beginner)▫Limited comprehension▫One/Two Word responses

•What can they do in their second language:▫NAME                    LIST▫LABEL                   CATEGORIZE▫GROUP                  TELL/SAY▫RESPOND             ANSWER

Stages of new language acquisition

•Stage Three: Speech Emergent (high beginner/low intermediate)▫Speech emergence▫Simple sentences▫Some basic errors in speech

•What can they do in their second language:▫ RECALL              SUMMARIZE▫ RETELL              DESCRIBE▫ DEFINE              ROLE-PLAY▫ EXPLAIN            RESTATE▫ COMPARE          CONTRAST

Stages of new language acquisition

•Stage Four: Intermediate Fluency (Intermediate/High Interemdiate)▫Good comprehension▫More complex sentences▫Fewer errors in speech

•What can they do in their second language:▫ ANALYZE           LIST▫ CREATE             CATEGORIZE▫ DEFEND            TELL/SAY▫ DEBATE             ANSWER▫ PREDICT            HYPOTHESIZE

Stages of new language acquisition

•Stage 5: Advanced Fluency (Advanced)▫Approaching grade level standards in their

second language.▫Ability to use some sophisticated language▫Few errors in speech.

•What can they do in their second language:▫Everything grade level standards indicate

albeit with extra support when appropriate.

Scenario 1

•Your group will be given a stage number.•Brainstorm a thematic unit that you would

be teaching your class in English (i.e. butterflies, outer space, community).

•Describe what language and content goals you will have for this student.

•Describe how you will assess this student.

Putting it all together

•Now imagine that you have all of these students in one class together….

•Discuss with your group how you will differentiate for all of these students.

Ways of Conceptualizing Bilingualism

• Subtractive bilingualism-in order to learn a second language well the first language needs to be forgotten to prevent mixing and to keep the second language “pure.”

L1L2-L1monlingual user of L2

• Although research no longer supports this conceptualization many programs continue to intentionally or unintentionally use this conceptualizing to make curricular decisions.

Ways of Conceptualizing Bilingualism

• Additive Bilingualism—it is possible to maintain the first language as one learns a second language with the ultimate goal to be a balanced bilingual who is able to use the languages when appropriate.

L1+L2fluent and balanced bilingual

• This model is popular among many supporters of bilingual education.

Ways of Conceptualizing Bilingualism

• Dynamic bilingualism—criticizes both other models for treating language learning as linear and languages as separate in the meaning-making of bilingual people. Argues that bilingual people use translanguaging which are hybrid practices that blend their language repertoires in dynamic and unpredictable ways.

• Few bilingual programs consciously use this conceptualization.

Models of Bilingual Education in NYC

•Transitional Bilingual Education▫Students are transitioned as quickly as

possible into English (usually no more than 3 years).

▫Teacher uses language students are most familiar with as a bridge to English.

▫There is little if any literacy development in the students’ other languages.

▫Subtractive form of bilingual education.

Models of Bilingual Education in NYC

•Dual language▫Students more familiar with another

language are put together with students more familiar with English and/or students who are familiar with both languages.

▫Both languages are used and developed.▫An additive form of bilingual education.

Example of what a dynamic bilingual classroom might look like•The teacher gives a preview of the lesson

in Spanish conducts the lesson in English and summarizes at the end in Spanish.

•As students do group work they are permitted to mix the two languages orally but all written products as well as whole-class share outs must be completed in English.

Scenario 2

•Your group will be given a bilingual class description.

•Come up with a language allocation policy for classes taught in English and classes taught in Spanish where applicable.

Revisando lo que aprendimos

•Ahora vamos a repasar las oraciones en la guía de anticipación de nuevo. Con tu pareja discuta si estas de acuerdo o no estas de acuerdo con la oración después de lo que aprendimos.

•Un niño puede aprender un nuevo idioma en poco tiempo.

•La educación bilingüe es la mejor manera de educar a niños aprendiendo ingles.

•Es necesario la transición de niños aprendiendo ingles a clases monolingüe lo más pronto posible.

•Es necesario separar los dos idiomas en una clase bilingüe usando uno por parte del día y el otro por parte del día.

Any questions?

Feel free to contact me atnflores@gc.cuny.edu