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Essay Subject: Rationale for, Limited English Proficiency students, techniques, theories, positive effects (self-esteem, cognitive skills), problems, social aspects.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Rationale for, Limited English Proficiency students, techniques, theories, positive effects (self-esteem, cognitive skills), problems, social aspects. Paper Introduction: The rationale for multicultural education is based on the concept that it is inevitable. It is inevitable because the United States is a pluralistic society. The United States has had a long history of immigration from various parts of the world. As a result, many different cultures are represented in today's schools. In fact, census figures indicate that "minorities already constitute a majority of students in 23 of 25 largest school districts" (Haberman & Post, 1990, p. 32). Because the United States is a multicultural society, it is also a multilingual society (Banks, 1981, p. 159). In this regard, there is evidence that more than twenty million U.S. residents speak a language other than English at home; of these, nearly 4.5 million are school-age children (Ambert & Melendez, 1985, p. xiii). This situation raises problems because English is the Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. 243). In order to build self-esteem inthe schools, it is important that teachers acknowledge their pupils'cultural heritages. It is inevitable because the United States is apluralistic society. Bilingual education's pluralisticapproach does not make this implication; rather, it is based on theassumption that both ethnic and nonethnic languages deserve equal status inthe schools (Ambert & Melendez, 1985, p. Specifically, the programs areusually implemented under "such heavy constraints that they cannot fail tofail" (Ambert & Melendez, 1985, p. Thus, theimmersion programs resulted in: (1) negative perceptions toward theminority students; (2) many minority students being assigned to curriculum"tracks" that failed to prepare them for college; (3) lower expectations byteachers toward their minority students; (4) and the misuse of tests byschool personnel resulting in "erroneous test data and misjudgmentsconcerning academic potential and goal orientations of minority students"(Valencia, 1992, p. school system. 64). 1 ). 3 6). As Ambert and Melendez (1985) havepointed out, teaching LEP children "content area skills" (subjects asscience, mathematics and social science) initially in their own nativelanguage is "sound pedagogical practice" (p. 6 ). (199 ). residents speak a language other than English athome; of these, nearly 4.5 million are school-age children (Ambert &Melendez, 1985, p. This results in an increasedsense of self-esteem and empowerment for LEP students because it avoidslabeling them on the basis of their racial or cultural heritage. It is clear that "rejection of the students'language is tantamount to cultural rejection" (Banks, 1981, p. New York: Garland. The solution to thisproblem lies in encouraging greater community involvement in schoolbilingual and bicultural programs. 85-86). xiii). 214)." Another area in which bilingual programs contribute to positivechange is that of student self-esteem. Beyond the national curriculum: A communityproject to support bilingualism. Multicultural education: Contemporaryperspectives and orientations for teachers and counselors. This was seen, for example, in the study by Mace-Matluck, Hooverand Calfee (1989), which focused on the effects of bilingual programs onSpanish-speaking children in Texas schools. 3 5). According to Lessow-Hurley(199 ), the "ever-increasing numbers of immigrants from all over the world"require a "continued demand for teachers with skills to work with limitedEnglish proficient students" (p. Bilingual and bicultural programshave also been proven to help improve the academic performance of students. (1981). Cooperating teachers'perceptions of the goals of multicultural education. On the other hand, "whenbilingual education programs function according to sound pedagogicalpractices, they are successful in achieving the educational goals andobjectives expressed in the letter and spirit of the law" (Ambert &Melendez, 1985, p. This type of involvement can give thecommunity an increased sense of power and responsibility in making theprograms work. In the past, the American educational system was focused on the useof "immersion techniques" in order to teach LEP children proficiency inEnglish. C. A. 9). Valencia, A. Mace-Matluck, B. Sneddon, R. 12). The researcher in this study indicatedthat this positive change was enhanced by the fact that support for theprogram came from parents and members of the community as well as fromschool personnel. This attitude contrasts that of the assimilation model which waspopular in the past. 132). As a result of these failures, the U.S.educational system gradually became more pluralistic in its approach(Banks, 1981, pp. The United States has had a long history ofimmigration from various parts of the world. This view is expressed by Banks(1981): "Because the United States needs a national language, literacy instandard English should be taught in schools; however, because of thelinguistic diversity in the United States, the equal educationalopportunity language policies that foster respect for linguisticdifferences should be sustained" (p. schoolsystem. NABE (National Association for BilingualEducation) Journal 13, pp. This study, which concerned Spanish-speakingchildren in Texas schools, encompassed six years of data. However, more recent studies have refuted this claim andhave shown "that bilingual children have greater cognitive flexibility andbetter language skills than monolingual children" (Lessow-Hurley, 199 , p.63). Such programs areimportant to society because they give teachers an opportunity to"accommodate linguistic differences as well as teach about linguisticdiversity in the United States" (Banks, 1981, p. The foundations of dual languageinstruction. 64). 62). This viewis expressed by Ambert and Melendez (1985), when they state that bilingualprograms provide "the preferred model for educators who espouse pluralisticeducation and a pluralistic society" (p. Ethnic group, bilingualism and attainment.Multicultural childhood: Education, ethnicity and cognitive styles. The results of the study showed that support forbilingualism gave children an increased sense of status and self-esteemwhile at the same time "removing a great deal of the stigma within theschool" (Sneddon, 1993, p. Thus, "bilingualism is correlated to positive academiceffects in situations where both languages have perceived value in the homeand community" (p. However, by utilizing this approach,educators denied the importance of the native languages of LEP children.Valencia (1992) has claimed that immersion techniques failed in theireffort to assimilate various ethnic groups into American society. If this approach is not taken,the result is that most LEP students will be excluded from the chance tomake the best use of their academic opportunities. 159). 132). In fact, census figuresindicate that "minorities already constitute a majority of students in 23of 25 largest school districts" (Haberman & Post, 199 , p. Specifically, studies on intelligence (IQ) test scores have supportedthe claim that bilingualism is related to increased cognitive flexibilityand thus to increased academic attainment (Rees, 1984, p. 173). This factor positively impacts socialrelationships now and in the future. The results ofthis longitudinal study indicated that the bilingual programs were"promoting English literacy for all students" (p. Aldershot, Hampshire: Gower, pp. Regarding this, Sneddon(1993) has noted that the success of a bilingual program is largelydependent upon the cooperative involvement of parents and community membersas well as school personnel (p. 187-216. A. This type of acknowledgement is impossible without themaintenance of an effective bilingual education program. Accordingto Lessow-Hurley (199 ), the reason for this increased flexibility is that"bilingual children have more opportunities to play and work with languagethan do their monolingual counterparts" (Lessow-Hurley, 199 , p. 3 6). N., & Melendenz, S. In this regard, there is evidence that morethan twenty million U.S. (1992, July). 31-35. Studies have shown thatthe basic skills learned by students in their native language are easilytransferred over once they have learned a second language (Lessow-Hurley,199 , p. However, this inevitabilityshould not result in a sense of resignation among teachers and educators.In fact, it should be a cause for celebration because of the many benefitswhich have been found to occur with bilingual and bicultural educationstrategies. This act did not force schools to adopt bilingualprograms; however, it encouraged the adoption of such programs by providingfunds and other means of support (Lessow-Hurley, 199 , p. Lessow-Hurley, J. Becausethe United States is a multicultural society, it is also a multilingualsociety (Banks, 1981, p. The idea behind these techniques was to immerse the child in theEnglish-speaking school culture (Valencia, 1992, p. That model implied that English is academicallysuperior to all other languages. Another positive change stemming from bilingual education can be seenin the way it strengthens local communities. White Plains, N.Y.: Longman. With morebilingual programs, the educational opportunities for LEP children weredramatically increased. One of the most obvious benefits is that such programs provideequal educational opportunities to all children, regardless of their nativeculture or language. (199 , Fall). 132). 244). Such support is necessary if studentsare to have opportunities to use their native language outside the schooland to thus retain their native language skills. 133). 1 ). 32). Banks, J. Valencia (1992) has likewise stated that bilingual and biculturalprograms have a positive impact by showing students that "it is not un-American to be dominant in a language other than English" (p. 16 ). Rather than labeling LEP children as deficient, bilingual and biculturalprograms help instill a sense of self-esteem and pride regarding theiroriginal language and culture. Although there may be some problems associated with thischange, there is evidence that bilingual and bicultural programs are highlyeffective if they are implemented properly and with the right attitude.Such programs are especially important today because they not only improvethe lives of LEP children, but also enrich the overall quality of Americaneducation. For example, the Latino writer Richard Rodriguez claimed inhis autobiography Hunger of Memory that bilingual education programsgenerally fail because they make it impossible for children to use theirnative languages in school (Ambert & Melendez, 1985, p. By further extension, bilingual programshave a positive effect on the society at large. Because it provides greater opportunities for students, bilingualeducation can act as an agent for positive change in the U.S. E. Another benefit ofbilingual education is that it helps increase students' understanding ofone another (Sneddon, 1993, p. With this approach toteaching, the students do not have to wait until they are proficient inEnglish before learning these important skills. Because of these factors, bilingual and bicultural education programsare a necessary element in today's schools. Lessow-Hurley (199 ) has alsoindicated that the community plays an important role in making bilingualprograms work. C.Bagley & G. Journal ofMulticultural Counseling and Development 2 , pp. Haberman, M., & Post, L. Furthermore, the generalacademic abilities of such students usually show signs of improvement.Because of their capability in handling two different languages, bilingualstudents are usually more flexible in their way of thinking. 16). However, it is also important that LEP children be given anopportunity to learn basic academic skills while simultaneously learning tocommunicate effectively in English. (1993). According to these authors, thefailures of bilingual education programs are not inherent in the programsthemselves; rather, they are almost always due to improper implementationon the part of individual educators. As a result, many differentcultures are represented in today's schools. K. Journal of Multilingual and MulticulturalDevelopment 4, pp. Students who have a languageother than English as their native language are designated as LimitedEnglish Proficiency (LEP) children. These programsare designed to help young students learn basic skills in their nativelanguage and to then make a rapid transition to English-only studies.Although such programs encourage the attainment of English language skills,they do not necessarily encourage the retaining of original languageskills. On this point, Lessow-Hurley (199 )has claimed that "schools must promote the idea that the language childrenbring to school is prestigious and appropriate for use by educated people"(p. Bicultural and bilingual approaches to education are inevitablebecause the United States is strongly characterized as a multiculturalsociety. In arebuttal to this claim, Ambert and Melendez (1985) have indicated that thisperspective does not represent the truth about bilingual education as muchas it does the personal frustrations that Rodriguez felt in his ownexperience with the U.S. Other researchers have pointed out that the enhanced selfesteemresulting from bilingual programs leads to greater academic success (Lessow-Hurley, 199 , p. There are also indications that bilingual education programshelp LEP students learn English more quickly and efficiently. 237). Verma, eds. In the words ofHaberman and Post (199 ), "the numbers of minority children in our schoolsis now so large that if they do not succeed, all Americans will havediminished futures" (p. 176-177). 81-97. In this way, the LEP children are notrejected and excluded from the school curriculum as they often were in theearlier days of America's educational history. A study by Mace-Matluck, Hoover and Calfee(1989) showed that children in bilingual programs were learning Englishskills at the expected rate. In addition, such programsremove the stigmas associated with being labeled as a "minority" in school. 11). 237). xiv). Suchlabeling has been shown to be detrimental not only in terms of reducingstudent self-esteem but also in terms of lowering educators' expectationsof LEP students. This shows that the positive impact of bilingualand bicultural education extends beyond the individual and the school toinclude the entire community. This is becauselanguage and culture are linked together as "two sides of the same coin"(Banks, 1981, p. Rees, . References Ambert, A. Regarding this, studies have shown that bilingual programs helpLEP children learn basic academic skills in their own language while theyare acquiring English language skills. 214). 176). 32). This isbecause the teaching of basic concepts in the child's primary languageresults in a "well-developed conceptual base" which, in turn, causes thelearning of a second language to be a relatively simple matter of"translating concepts and ideas that are already firmly established"(Lessow-Hurley, 199 , p. LEP children in bilingual programs usually have a quick and easytransition to fluency in the English language. A., & Calfee, R. Multiethnic education: Theory and practice.Boston: Allyn & Bacon. 31). In the American school system, suchchildren obviously have a disadvantage over native speakers of the Englishlanguage. It is clearthat bilingual education is an important agent for positive change inAmerican society. 63).Therefore, it can be seen that bilingual education not only increasesequality in the schools but also improves the overall quality of theeducational system. Earlier studies, which were often flawed, tried toclaim that bilingualism had the impact of reducing academic achievement.These earlier studies were based on an unsound belief system in which"bilinguals occupied a relatively inferior social, educational and economicposition as minority groups within a dominant monolingual society" (Rees,1984, pp. 86). In fact,such techniques tended to hamper the further educational development ofminority children. The rationale for multicultural education is based on the conceptthat it is inevitable. J., Hoover, W. It was felt thatthis approach to teaching would enable the LEP students to becomeassimilated into the English-speaking culture as quickly as possible(Ambert & Melendez, 1985, p. 237-245. This failure was due to four major factors. Another problem related to change in bilingual education can be seenin programs which emphasize transitional bilingual studies. Regarding this point, it is evident that bilingual educationprograms reflect the inherent pluralism of the society at large. Both of these factors will help improve social conditions in the UnitedStates in the years to come. In the words of Valencia (1992), bilingual education"supports the premise that the civil rights of ethnic minorities in theUnited States must not be denied" (p. (1989, Spring).Teaching reading to bilingual children: A longitudinal study of teachingand learning in the early grades. Action in TeacherEducation 12, pp. These researchers found thattransitional programs had a definite impact on helping students acquireEnglish skills; however, it was also noted that the maintenance of Spanishskills was not likely to occur unless there was strong support from boththe home and the community (p. In this way, the programs can make their own contributionin terms of "empowering parents, extending education and providing equalopportunities" (Sneddon, 1993, p. It is important thatall children learn proficiency in English, because English is the officiallanguage and such proficiency increases one's educational and employmentopportunities. This situation raises problems because Englishis the standard language in the schools. Bilingual education: Asourcebook. This creates a seriousproblem in terms of America's overall educational success. Lowered expectations of this kind have the result ofeffectively excluding minority students from many academic opportunities.The positive impact of bilingual programs on student self-esteem can beseen in a recent study at a London school with a large population of Afro-Caribbean students. This was especially true after the passage ofthe Bilingual Education Act (Title VII of the Elementary and SecondaryEducation Act) in 1968. (1984). 132-142.----------------------- 3 (1985). This shows that bilingual and biculturaleducation programs are important in the maintenance of high standards in amulticultural society. Haberman and Post (199 ) havefurther indicated that the role of education in America is to preparechildren for life in a multicultural society (p. Including allchildren in the opportunities offered by the school system will lead tohigher educational standards in the United States in the future.Furthermore, teaching those children about the multicultural realities oflife in America will help make them more tolerant of one another as adults. Although most researchers have discussed the positive aspects ofchange relating to bilingual education, some authors have been critical ofbilingual programs and have emphasized the problems which are related tosuch change. 176). Onthe other hand, providing basic instruction in the students' primarylanguage helps boost self-esteem because it shows a positive attituderegarding both language and culture. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.